New Yorkers will soon have to pay more for commutes with waterfront views.
NYC Ferry will be raising its prices for single-tickets starting this fall in what serves as the latest transit price hike this summer.
Starting on Sept. 9, single-trip tickets will go up from $4 to $4.50, the NYC Ferry announced last month. Those who purchase a 10-trip bundle at $29 will be able to keep their per-ticket costs lower at $2.90.
The increase will help the NYC Ferry fund “rider-facing” upgrades and ensure the long-term sustainability of the service, the New York City Economic Development Corporation (which manages the service) said in a news release.
Officials also aims to lower the ferry’s per-passenger subsidy over 30% and is “on track” to meeting its goal, the EDC said. The ferry is already the only transit system in the boroughs to lower its per-passenger subsidy since the pandemic.
In the same July 22 announcement, NYC Ferry announced 350,000 New York City high school students are now eligible to join the system’s discount program for weekday travel to and from school. Parents and guardians can visit the NYC Ferry Discount Program webpage starting Aug. 1 for enrollment information.
The single-ticket price for a NYC Ferry ride has remained consistent since 2022, when prices jumped from $2.75 to $4.
The NYC Ferry Discount Program was launched the same year, offering reduced-fare rides for senior, low-income and disabled riders as part of the Ferry Forward Plan under the direction of Mayor Eric Adams. Reduced fare single tickets will go for $1.45 a pop this fall, up from $1.35.
At the time of the program’s launch, the Independent Citizens Budget Commission said that fares were too low for the highly subsidized initiative.
In a statement on the 2022 NYC Ferry Forward Plan, the CBC encouraged the NYC EDC to, “if appropriate, increase fares or change routes and timetables, even if they decrease ridership but allow redeployment of subsidy dollars to other high-value initiatives.”
The news comes after the NYC Ferry recorded historic ridership numbers in the 2023 fiscal year with 6.6 million passengers and 7 million riders in 2024.
Its the latest price hike for commuters around the boroughs and its suburbs.
Fares increased last August for the MTA subway and bus service as well as the Long Island Rail Road and Metro-North. The cost of a single subway ride increased from $2.75 to $2.90.
Last month, NJTransit riders saw a 15% rate hike for bus, railroad and light rail lines. Lyft-operated Citi Bike also announced it would be raising its prices a whopping 20% for members and non-members.
More commuting price hikes are likely on the way.
According to the MTA’s five-year plan, subway, bus and commuter railroad riders can expect another fare increase next year – which assumes an increase of 4% in 2025.
Another 4% increase is slated for 2027, raising a single ride ticket to about $3 and $3.14, respectively.
