Directions & Ferry Schedule

Governors Island is closed for the 2009 season and will re-open in June of 2010. Visitors can only come to Governors Island during the off-season if they have an appointment with GIPEC or the National Park Service. Directions to the Governors Island Ferry (departing Manhattan)

The Governors Island Ferry departs from the Battery Maritime Building located adjacent to the Staten Island Ferry in Lower Manhattan. The ferry terminal is accessible as follows:

By Subway
1 – South Ferry Station
4, 5 to Bowling Green
R,W to Whitehall St. Station

By Bus
M1 (weekdays only), M6, M9 and M15

Know before you go. Rebuilding efforts are ongoing and may affect subway service. Visit www.mta.info for service advisories, updated every Friday, or call 718-330-1234.

By Car
There is no public parking at the Governors Island ferry building.

Driving from the East Side:
Take the FDR Drive to Exit 1, South Ferry. As you exit, stay in the left lane and turn left around the (left) u-turn at the end of the street in front of the Staten Island Ferry terminal. The Battery Maritime Building is the historic ferry terminal just to the northeast of the Staten Island Ferry Terminal. The Governors Island ferry departs from the northernmost slip of the Battery Maritime Building.

Driving from the West Side:
Take the West Highway around the tip of Lower Manhattan and go through the Battery Underpass. When you emerge from the Underpass, take the first exit, Exit 1, Staten Island Ferry. Stay left, and make a left-hand u-turn onto South Street going south. Stay to your turn left and make the (left) u-turn at the end of the street in front of the Staten Island Ferry terminal. The Battery Maritime Building is the historic ferry terminal just to the northeast of the Staten Island Ferry Terminal. The Governors Island ferry departs from the northernmost slip of the Battery Maritime Building.

Driving: Local Streets:
Take Broadway south onto Whitehall Street. Turn left onto Water Street. Go one block and turn right onto Broad Street. Go one block and turn right onto South Street. Go to the left land, and make the (left) u-turn at the end of the street in front of the Staten Island Ferry terminal. The Battery Maritime Building is the historic ferry terminal just to the northeast of the Staten Island Ferry Terminal. The Governors Island ferry departs from the northernmost slip of the Battery Maritime Building.

25 Responses

  1. Isabelle, on May 26th, 2009 at 4:33 pm Said:

    Could you please let us know the Ferry schedule going to the Island and coming back to Manhattan. Thanks.

    Reply
  2. Governors Island Opening for the Season | SPR Environmental Law Blog, on May 28th, 2009 at 9:39 pm Said:

    [...] planning of a new proposed park on the island.   Read more about island  activities, history, visiting hours, and more at the links [...]

    Reply
  3. John Young, on June 28th, 2009 at 9:54 pm Said:

    This ferry service is a bit of a mess. We took the ferry to Governor’s Island from Brooklyn today at 11:00am and when we returned to the ferry at 1:30, we discovered there was apparently no ferry to Brooklyn. We ended up having to go to Manhattan and finding our way back to Brooklyn, which was severely inconvenient with kids, bikes, and a trail-a-bike. Of course there was no sympathy or concern from the ferry operators. We ended up rushing over to the South Street Seaport and caught a Water taxi back to Brooklyn. If the ferry service is not something that you can count on, then people won’t risk going. I know I won’t. It was fun while we were there, though.

    Reply
    • Christopher, on July 9th, 2009 at 4:01 pm Said:

      John,

      I am so sorry you had a tough time that Sunday. Unfortunately, WaterWays started service that day even though we did not order it. We did not find out until later that they had brought people from Brooklyn until much later. We have Brooklyn service only on days when there is specific programming on Governors Island. Please check our website for ferry information here.

      Thanks and I hope you do decide to come via Brooklyn ferry again. In the future, please check to make sure we have ferries going to Brooklyn.

      Reply
  4. martin billig, on July 7th, 2009 at 9:11 pm Said:

    Looking to go to the Island on 7/11 for the concert. Can’t seem to find a ferry schedule for this…where can i find it. Thanx

    Reply
    • Christopher, on July 9th, 2009 at 2:13 pm Said:

      Our ferry schedules are available on a week to week basis on our website, but generally on weekends they run every half hour and every hour on Fridays. This Island is open until 7 on Satrudays and Sundays and 5 on Fridays. Concerts usually happen after those hours, and so for ferry services to Water Taxi Beach on Governors Island after the Island is closed for public access, please contact Water Taxi.

      Thanks

      Reply
  5. john, on July 16th, 2009 at 4:33 pm Said:

    what is the best way to come from Hoboken NJ to reach the ferry tour pier 5

    thanks

    Reply
    • Christopher, on July 16th, 2009 at 4:45 pm Said:

      This weekend we will have limited ferry service from Hoboken, New Jersey for the City of Water Day Festival on Saturday. See below. If you would like to come from Hoboken on any other day, your best bet would be to take the path to Christopher Street. Then you can take the 1 train down to South Street. For more directions please look at the Directions & Ferry Schedule page of this blog.

      “Reserve a place on the special City of Water Day Festival NY Waterway Ferry from Hoboken, NJ and the West 39th Street Ferry Terminal in Manhattan.

      Please only register for the number of places you need as seating is limited.

      – Ferry Picks up at Hoboken North at 10am
      – Ferry Picks up at Pier 39, Manhattan at 10:15am
      – Arrives, City of Water Day Festival, Governors Island, 11am

      This ferry departs the City of Water Day Festival at 4:30 pm from Governors Island, Pier 101, returning to the West 39th Street Terminal and Hoboken North.

      To reserve tickets on this ferry, click here.
      For directions to the Hoboken North Ferry Landing, click here.
      For directions to the West 39th Street Terminal, click here.”

      Reply
  6. Nikki, on July 28th, 2009 at 12:55 pm Said:

    I am interested in attending the Erikah Badu concert on Monday, Are there any ferries that leave from New Jersey on weekdays

    Reply
  7. More Bikes! « Governors Island Blog, on August 6th, 2009 at 6:24 pm Said:

    [...] Directions & Ferry Schedule [...]

    Reply
  8. Return to Governors Island « A Movable Bridge, on August 11th, 2009 at 12:06 am Said:

    [...] kids in tow. Unfortunately, we were not able to take Puffin, so we joined the huddled masses on the ferry from the Battery Maritime Building, all yearning to breathe free on the lawns and promenade of the [...]

    Reply
  9. Adrien, on August 19th, 2009 at 2:42 pm Said:

    Can cars go on the ferry, and if so will it cast anything???

    Reply
    • Ellen, on August 19th, 2009 at 2:49 pm Said:

      Private cars are not allowed on Governors Island. The Island’s vehicle ferry is carries limited service, delivery and emergency vehicles by appointment only.

      Reply
      • Adrien, on August 19th, 2009 at 3:01 pm Said:

        well we are having a poetry evnt there and are wondering how we are going to transport the bongos and other instruments from the dock to the #11 building, Barry Rd

  10. Theresa R., on August 26th, 2009 at 6:06 pm Said:

    Will you be offering free ferry service to Governors Island from Manhattan Monday thru Thurs. in the near future?

    Reply
    • Elizabeth, on August 31st, 2009 at 6:14 pm Said:

      This year, Governors Island is open every Friday, Saturday and Sunday through October 11. Each year, we try to open more areas of the Island to the public, and expand what we can offer visitors. While the long-term plans for Governors Island include extending the Island’s hours of operation, for now, we plan to be open from Firdays-Sundays from the end of May to mid-October. We hope this provides many visitors with opportunities to visit, enjoy car-free biking, picnic and more.

      Reply
  11. robert b rosen, md, on August 27th, 2009 at 3:27 am Said:

    Where do I park my car near the Manhattan ferry terminal?

    Reply
  12. norodo, on September 4th, 2009 at 9:01 pm Said:

    Does the Manhattan ferry and the Brooklyn ferry land in the same spot on the Island? If not, how far apart are they (via walking or bike)?
    Thank you.

    Reply
  13. Rachel, on September 25th, 2009 at 12:49 pm Said:

    The main Gov Island website says there is ferry service tomorrow – Sept 26 – from Brooklyn. The ferry schedule on the Gov Island blog says there isn’t any Brooklyn ferry service this weekend. Which is correct?

    Reply
    • Elizabeth, on September 25th, 2009 at 2:12 pm Said:

      Thank you very much for your comment. There IS Brooklyn service starting at 11 AM tomorrow and Sunday. There was a technical glitch that indicated there wasn’t service but there definitley is service from both Brooklyn and Manhattan for Sept 26 and 27. The schedules on the website and blog are correct. Thanks.

      Reply

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