New York City’s ferry system resumed expanded partial service Friday after more than two weeks of near-total shutdown caused by thick ice on the Hudson and East rivers, but several routes and landings remain closed and riders were warned to expect delays.
As of Friday, the East River, Astoria and Rockaway-Soundview routes are operating with limited stops, according to the NYC Ferry partial service tracker. On the East River line, all landings are open except South Williamsburg; the Astoria route is running but not serving Brooklyn Navy Yard; and the Rockaway-Soundview service is operating without stops at Sunset Park/BAT and Rockaway.
The St. George and South Brooklyn routes remain suspended entirely because lingering ice continues to make some docking areas unsafe, the agency said.
NYC Ferry officials said they have monitored conditions at each landing and restored service where ice accumulation has sufficiently cleared. “While some landings continue to see fluctuations in ice accumulation, others have become more consistently clear, making them reliable for NYC Ferry operations,” the agency said in an update published Thursday.
The ice buildup followed an extended period of Arctic temperatures that forced a systemwide suspension starting Jan. 27 as thick ice made navigation and docking unsafe across New York Harbor.
Officials cautioned riders that conditions remain dynamic and that delays or temporary schedule adjustments are possible because of shifting ice, urging passengers to check schedules in the NYC Ferry app or at ferry.nyc for real-time updates.
NYC Ferry serves waterfront neighborhoods in all five boroughs and is an important transit option for commuters and residents with limited subway or bus access. The partial return to service offers relief for riders displaced by the extended suspension, though full restoration of all routes depends on continued warming and further ice break-up.
