NYC Ferry boosts service this summer ahead of the FIFA World Cup
Five custom-wrapped NYC Ferry vessels will celebrate each borough this summer. Photo courtesy of NYCEDC
New York City ferry service is receiving a major boost this summer, just in time for the FIFA World Cup. The summer schedule for NYC Ferry will offer the most extensive service in the system’s history ahead of an expected influx of visitors for the soccer tournament at MetLife Stadium, Mayor Zohran Mamdani and the city’s Economic Development Corporation announced on Tuesday. Running now through September 13, the extra service includes additional route connections, expanded weekend service, and the return of the Rockaway Rocket and Rockaway Reserve ticket programs. The city also unveiled five wrapped vessels featuring World Cup-inspired branding that highlights each borough.
“The world is coming to NYC—and NYC is ready,” Mamdani said. “We are investing in the infrastructure that keeps this city moving: new bus lanes, safer streets, greener public spaces and now the most ferry service in City history.”
“Whether you’re headed to a World Cup match a neighborhood block party, or one of our world-class public beaches, NYC Ferry will get you there quickly, safely and in style all summer long,” he added.
Riders can expect more weekend trips, reducing wait and travel times, along with larger vessels on high-demand routes during peak periods to accommodate additional passengers. The schedule also expands high-frequency beach service alongside the existing Rockaway-Soundview route.
There are also new seasonal summer routes that improve access to some of the city’s top destinations, including direct, high-capacity service to Governors Island from Pier 11, with free transfers available from other routes. Extended weekend local service on the South Brooklyn route from Bay Ridge and Brooklyn Army Terminal will also improve access to Red Hook and points farther north.
The system’s popular Rockaway Reserve and Rockaway Rocket services also return this year, allowing riders to book seats in advance to the beach, building on the NYCEDC’s expansion of the program last May. Starting May 23, riders departing from Pier 11 can book Rockaway Reserve tickets for select weekend and holiday outings.
Rockaway Rocket will return in early July and run through Labor Day, offering express, all-reserved service for beachgoers traveling from Long Island City and Greenpoint directly to the Rockaways. Tickets for both services will cost $12 per rider.
Additionally, five new NYC Ferry vessels are now in service, wrapped in custom World Cup branding that celebrates the diversity of the five boroughs. The vessels will travel throughout New York Harbor and remain in service through the end of the summer.
The expansion of summer ferry service comes as seasonal ridership continues to grow across the system. Just this past weekend, the East River route recorded its two highest-ridership days ever, surpassing 40,000 boardings, driven by improved operations and increased capacity.
The surge builds on a record-breaking summer last year, when the system set new daily, weekly, and monthly ridership highs, with August marking the highest single-month total in its history.
In 2025, Rockaway Reserve sold 30,000 tickets, generating more than $360,000 in revenue, while Rockaway Rocket sold over 17,000 tickets and brought in more than $200,000. Average daily Rockaway Rocket sales rose 19 percent in 2024.
The service enhancements complement the 2025 NYC Ferry Optimization Plan, the first comprehensive redesign of the 70-nautical-mile network since its 2017 launch.
The ferry service also builds on the Mamdani administration’s broader efforts to prepare the five boroughs for the World Cup. Other projects include new dedicated cyclist and pedestrian entrances to the Brooklyn Bridge in Manhattan, as well as a new center-running eastbound bus lane for the Q70-SBS route to and from LaGuardia Airport.
“The World Cup coming to New York City this summer marks one of the most exciting moments in our city’s history, and I am very glad to see the World Cup being promoted on these brand new vessels,” Brooklyn Borough President Antonio Reynoso said.
“With expanded weekend service on the South Brooklyn route, more Brooklynites will be able to enjoy the ferry to get to World Cup viewings across the borough,” he added.
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