Mayor Zohran Mamdani and the New York City Economic Development Corporation (NYCEDC) launched the 2026 Summer Ferry Service on Monday, delivering what officials describe as the most ferry service in the system's nine-year history. The expanded schedule runs through September 13, 2026, adding vessels and trips across high-demand routes and introducing reservable seats on beach-bound departures — all timed to the surge of visitors expected for the FIFA World Cup, Sail4th 250, and one of the busiest beach summers the city has seen.
The announcement is welcome news for World Cup fans whose match-day plans keep them in New York City before or after games at MetLife Stadium. While the ferry system does not serve MetLife directly, it provides a fast, crowd-avoiding option for reaching key transit hubs, fan zones, Brooklyn and Queens waterfront neighborhoods, Governors Island, and the Rockaways — extending the value of a match-day trip well beyond the stadium.
What's New This Summer
More Service, Bigger Boats
The NYCEDC is adding weekend trips on high-demand routes to reduce wait times across the board, and deploying larger vessels during peak travel periods to carry more passengers per sailing. Expanded high-frequency beach service will run alongside the existing Rockaway-Soundview route.
New and Returning Seasonal Routes
Direct, high-capacity shuttle service to Governors Island from Wall St/Pier 11 returns this summer — free for riders transferring from other NYC Ferry routes, making it a straightforward option for any fan zone events or waterfront gatherings at the island. The extended weekend local service on the South Brooklyn route stretches from Bay Ridge and the Brooklyn Army Terminal north through Red Hook, giving visiting fans in that corridor direct weekend ferry access.
Reservable Beach Seats
Rockaway Reserve returns beginning May 23, offering guaranteed seats on select weekend and holiday departures from Wall St/Pier 11 and Rockaway at $12 per person. Rockaway Rocket returns in early July: fully reservable, express service from Long Island City and Greenpoint direct to the beach, running through Labor Day at $12 per person. Non-reserved seats remain available on every Rockaway-Soundview vessel.
The East River route has altered weekday afternoon departure times under the new schedule. Riders should verify times at ferry.nyc before travel. On weekends, the route splits into two branches: one serves North Williamsburg and Hunters Point South; the other stops at South Williamsburg and Greenpoint. Both branches connect Wall St/Pier 11 and DUMBO/Fulton Ferry and terminate at East 34th Street.
Five Borough Vessels, Five Designs
Alongside the schedule expansion, the Mamdani administration unveiled five custom-wrapped NYC Ferry vessels, each carrying World Cup-inspired branding that reflects the identity of one of the five boroughs. The specially painted ferries began sailing this week and will remain in service through the end of summer — a piece of World Cup atmosphere for anyone crossing New York Harbor in the coming months.
"With the FIFA World Cup, Sail4th 250, and another busy beach season all converging in summer 2026, visitors will have plenty of opportunities to explore New York Harbor alongside New Yorkers on board NYC Ferry with more service than ever before." — James Wong, Executive Director, NYC Ferry
A System Already Breaking Records
The expanded summer service builds on a system already running at historic levels. The East River route recorded its two highest ridership days ever last weekend, generating more than 40,000 boardings in a single weekend before the new schedule had fully taken effect. August 2025 stands as the highest single-month ridership in system history, and both the Rockaway Reserve and Rockaway Rocket programs posted strong year-over-year gains.
The system operates 38 vessels across six routes and 25 landings spanning 70 nautical miles — the largest passenger-only ferry fleet in the United States.
What This Means for World Cup Fans
The ferry expansion doesn't change match-day transit to MetLife Stadium — the stadium remains accessible via NJ Transit rail, the Official NYNJ Stadium Shuttle from Midtown, and the Port Authority Bus Terminal. But for fans building a full New York experience around their trip, the enhanced ferry network opens up meaningful options:
- Fans staying in Brooklyn or Queens waterfront neighborhoods can use the ferry to reach Lower Manhattan, DUMBO, or the East Side without fighting subway crowds.
- Governors Island direct service from Pier 11 makes it easy to reach the island for fan zone events or waterfront views of the Manhattan skyline.
- Extended South Brooklyn service gives Bay Ridge — a dense residential neighborhood popular with visiting fans — direct weekend ferry access north toward Brooklyn Bridge Park.
- Beach days via Rockaway Reserve or Rockaway Rocket offer an easy reset between match days for fans spending multiple days in the city.
- Standard fare: $4 per ride
- Rockaway Reserve & Rockaway Rocket: $12 per reservation
- Rockaway Reserve on sale: May 23, 2026 (board at Wall St/Pier 11 or Rockaway)
- Rockaway Rocket: Early July through Labor Day from Long Island City and Greenpoint
- Summer schedule runs: Through September 13, 2026
- Schedules and booking: ferry.nyc
Plan Your Full Journey
Ferry service is one piece of a broader World Cup transit picture. See our complete MetLife Stadium transit guide for NJ Transit rail routes, shuttle logistics, and driving and parking information. For fans splitting time between match days and city exploration, our New York City neighborhood guide covers the best waterfront areas to base yourself near the ferry network. Official fan zone locations are detailed in our five-borough fan zone guide.
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