NYC Ferry Announces Record-Breaking Daily and Weekly Ridership

NYC Ferry Records Highest Daily and Weekly Ridership Ever, Demonstrating Continued Demand Across the System

Knicks Championship Parade Drove Nearly 50 Percent Increase Over a Typical Summer Weekday, Underscoring NYC Ferry's Role as a Key Transit Option

Record-Breaking Week Comes Before Launch of Rockaway Rocket Service, Historically a Major Driver of Summer Ridership

NEW YORK, NY-Today, the New York City Economic Development Corporation (NYCEDC) announced that last week, NYC Ferry set new all-time daily and weekly ridership records, underscoring the growing strength of the system and its role as a key mode of transit for New Yorkers and visitors alike. NYC Ferry set records for:

• Highest daily ridership ever on Saturday, June 20, with 53,375 boardings, surpassing the previous record set on August 2, 2025.
• Highest weekly ridership ever from June 15 through June 21, with more than 260,000 boardings, surpassing the previous weekly record set last August by more than 20,000 riders.

NYC Ferry also saw a significant ridership surge during the New York Knicks championship parade on Thursday, June 18, with parade-related travel helping drive approximately 37,000 boardings-48 percent higher than a typical summer weekday.

"This record-breaking week is yet another sign of NYC Ferry's continued momentum and importance to New York City's transit ecosystem," said NYCEDC Interim President & CEO Jeanny Pak. "From daily commutes to beach trips to the Knicks championship parade, more New Yorkers than ever before are choosing NYC Ferry to get around the city-or as we like to call it: 'The City of Champions'."

"Whether celebrating an historic championship run, visiting a FIFA World Cup watch party, or just getting to work on time, New Yorkers continue to embrace our local waterways for a reliable, affordable, and fun trip onboard NYC Ferry," said Timothy O'Brien, SVP of Ferries and Concessions, Hornblower Group. "Last week's record-breaking numbers set the stage for an exciting summer across the five boroughs, and we look forward to welcoming millions onboard in the months ahead."

The new records are especially notable because they were achieved before the start of Rockaway Rocket service, which has historically been a major driver of NYC Ferry's highest ridership days and weeks. Rockaway Rocket service was operating when the previous daily and weekly records were set last summer.

NYC Ferry will look to build on this enthusiasm and strong ridership during one of the busiest summers on record. With anticipated increased ridership due to the 2026 FIFA World Cup, July Fourth weekend, Sail4th 250 and other major summer events, the NYC Ferry system will provide the most service in its history-continuing serving as a reliable, convenient, and affordable transportation option for New Yorkers and visitors throughout the season.

As part of the 2026 Summer Ferry Service, the Mamdani administration recently announced the return of Rockaway Reserve tickets, allowing passengers to reserve seats on vessels along the Rockaway route. Passengers can purchase Rockaway Reserve tickets for specific weekend and holiday departures. These tickets may only be purchased for riders boarding at Wall Street/Pier 11 and Rockaway.

In the coming weeks, the Rockaway Rocket will also return to service, offering express, fully reservable service for beachgoers from Long Island City and Greenpoint. Non-reserved seats will remain available on every vessel operating along the Rockaway-Soundview route. Both Rockaway Reserve and Rockaway Rocket tickets will cost $12 per person.

Spanning 70 nautical miles, the NYC Ferry system operates 38 vessels across six routes and 25 landings, making it the largest passenger-only ferry fleet in the United States. NYC Ferry is not only a critical transit option for New Yorkers' daily commutes-connecting residents to jobs, schools, parks, and cultural destinations in every borough-but also an iconic part of the city's waterfront that is seen each day by millions of New Yorkers and tourists alike.

About NYCEDC
New York City Economic Development Corporation is a mission-driven, nonprofit organization that works for a vibrant, inclusive, and globally competitive economy for all New Yorkers. We take a comprehensive approach, through four main strategies: strengthen confidence in NYC as a great place to do business; grow innovative sectors with a focus on equity; build neighborhoods as places to live, learn, work, and play; and deliver sustainable infrastructure for communities and the city's future economy. To learn more about what we do, visit us on Facebook, X, LinkedIn, and Instagram.

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