Beginning next a month, a new pilot program, the “Faster Connections” pilot, will make for quicker trips between South Brooklyn and Manhattan.
Beginning Wednesday, March 8, NYC Ferry’s South Brooklyn route will operate weekdays between 6:15 a.m. and 10:15 a.m., getting Brooklynites to Manhattan quicker and easier–in just about 20 minutes to be exact.
The new express ferry will begin at Bay Ridge and arrive at Pier 11/Wall St. 21 minutes later, with a quick stop at Atlantic Avenue/Brooklyn Bridge Park along the way.
Some South Brooklyn ferries will still make their regular stops–BAT, Governors Island, Red Hook, Wall St./Pier 11, DUMBO/Fulton Ferry, and Corlears Hook.
The South Brooklyn Faster Connections pilot schedule can be seen below (effective March 8, 2023):
According to the NYC Ferry, the reason for the service change is to “help the ferry more time-competitive with bus, subway, and other local transit options during the morning commute.”
As of now, there’s no set end date for the pilot, and the service’s ridership, on-time performance, and rider satisfaction will be evaluated later this year.
This new express ferry pilot program is just one ferry service change to be announced after Mayor Eric Adams’ announced the city’s “NYC Ferry Forward” plan.
After increasing single-ride tickets to $4 back in July, a new fare structure was announced two months later that allows frequent riders to continue to pay the $2.75/ride by purchasing a 10-trip pack for $27.50.