For most everyday trips, the subway is cheaper than NYC Ferry. The current base subway fare is $3.00 per ride, while a standard NYC Ferry one-way ticket is $4.50. OMNY also gives subway and local bus riders a 7-day fare cap: after 12 paid rides in a 7-day period, additional rides are free for the rest of that period. NYC Ferry has no equivalent weekly fare cap, though it does sell a 10-trip pass for $29 and an unlimited 2-day pass for $15. MTA fares and OMNY fare cap rules make the subway the lower-cost default for most riders, while NYC Ferry ticketing can be attractive for specific waterfront trips.
If you are deciding between the two, the practical answer is simple: take the subway when price matters most; consider the ferry when your origin and destination are both close to ferry landings and the route is direct enough to save time or provide a more comfortable trip. For an overview of routes and landings, see our New York ferry guide.
Current fares: subway vs. NYC Ferry
Subway and local bus fares
The MTA’s current fare for most subway and local bus rides is $3.00. Seniors and riders with qualifying disabilities pay half fare, and OMNY fare capping applies to full-fare and registered reduced-fare trips on subways and local, limited, and Select Bus Service buses. Under OMNY, once you reach $35 in fares within 7 days at the full fare level, additional eligible rides are free for the rest of that 7-day period; for registered reduced-fare riders, the cap is $17.50. MTA fares OMNY weekly fare cap
That means the subway becomes dramatically cheaper for anyone who rides often. At full fare, 12 subway rides cost $36 by simple multiplication, but OMNY caps eligible riders at $35, effectively making ride 13 and beyond free during the same 7-day window. OMNY weekly fare cap
NYC Ferry fares
NYC Ferry’s current standard one-way fare is $4.50. It also offers a 10-trip pass for $29.00 and an unlimited 2-day pass for $15.00. NYC Ferry says tickets can be used for a free transfer to another ferry route within 120 minutes of activation, but that transfer benefit stays inside the NYC Ferry system. NYC Ferry ticketing NYC Ferry FAQ
NYC Ferry also offers a discounted one-way fare of $1.45 for eligible riders through its Ferry Discount Program, including verified seniors, people with disabilities, and Fair Fares NYC participants, according to its current ticketing page. NYC Ferry ticketing
Transfer rules: do not assume subway and ferry connect on one fare
This is where many visitors get tripped up.
Subway transfers
Within the MTA system, riders can get free transfers between subway and local bus services under MTA fare rules, and OMNY fare capping applies across those eligible services when you use the same card or device consistently. OMNY specifically says transfers do not count toward the cap, but full-fare and reduced-fare subway and local bus taps do. OMNY weekly fare cap MTA fare rules
Ferry transfers
NYC Ferry allows free transfers between ferry routes within 120 minutes after activation, but not for a round trip on the same route. The FAQ also states that there is not currently a fare payment system that integrates between the MTA and other entities. In plain English: a ferry ticket does not become a subway fare, and a subway fare does not become a ferry ticket. NYC Ferry FAQ NYC Ferry app FAQ
If your trip requires both systems, you should budget for two separate fares unless an official program says otherwise.
Which is cheaper in real life?
One-off trip
For a single trip, the math is straightforward:
- Subway: $3.00
- NYC Ferry: $4.50
The ferry costs $1.50 more for one ride at standard adult fare. MTA fares NYC Ferry ticketing
Frequent weekly travel
If you ride transit often, the subway pulls ahead quickly.
- 12 subway rides in 7 days with OMNY: capped at $35
- 12 ferry rides bought as individual tickets: $54
- 12 ferry rides using the 10-trip pass plus 2 single rides: $38.00
Even using NYC Ferry’s 10-trip pass, the subway is still cheaper for a typical multi-day commuting pattern. The ferry narrows the gap, but it does not beat the subway on cost for most weekly riders. OMNY weekly fare cap NYC Ferry ticketing
Waterfront hop with an in-system transfer
The ferry can make more financial sense when you would otherwise need a more complicated trip and your journey stays within the ferry network. Because NYC Ferry includes a free transfer to another ferry route within 120 minutes, a two-leg ferry trip can still cost $4.50 total, not $9.00, as long as it follows the ferry rules. That is still more than one subway ride, but it can be competitive when compared with a trip that would otherwise involve a subway plus extra local travel time or a car service. NYC Ferry ticketing NYC Ferry FAQ
Route examples where both options are plausible
These examples are not promises about exact trip times on a given day. They are realistic cases where both systems can work.
Wall Street/Pier 11 to DUMBO or Brooklyn Bridge Park
This is one of the strongest ferry use cases. Pier 11 is a major ferry hub, and Brooklyn Bridge Park-area landings are directly on the waterfront. The subway is still cheaper, but the ferry can be highly convenient if your destination is near the landing and you want to avoid a station-to-waterfront walk. Whether it is faster depends on waiting time and your exact destination within DUMBO or Brooklyn Heights. NYC Ferry routes and schedules MTA fares
East 34th Street to Long Island City
This is another plausible ferry trip because both ends sit close to ferry landings. The subway generally wins on price and often on frequency, but the ferry can be appealing if you are traveling at an off-peak time, carrying a bike, or want a one-seat waterfront trip. NYC Ferry routes and schedules NYC Ferry ticketing
Rockaway trips from Manhattan or Brooklyn
The ferry can be attractive for leisure travel to the beach, especially if the landing is more convenient than a long train trip. But this is also where weather, seasonal crowding, and reservation details matter more. NYC Ferry notes special bicycle handling on the Rockaway route, including a $0 bicycle ticket reservation requirement when purchasing a Rockaway Reserve ticket. NYC Ferry FAQ
Bicycle costs and rules
Subway bikes
The MTA allows riders to bring bikes on the subway, and the bike guide says there is no separate bike fare. Riders are advised to avoid rush hour if possible, use the station service gate, and stand with the bike near the end of the car. Full-size bikes are generally not allowed on most buses, though some bridge routes have racks, and folding bikes are more flexible. MTA bike guide
Ferry bikes
NYC Ferry allows bikes, and its ticketing page says suitcase-sized folding bikes kept with the rider are not charged. NYC Ferry also says its vessels can accommodate approximately 8 to 10 bicycles, and the Rockaway route has special reservation requirements for bikes in some cases. Based on the current official pages surfaced here, riders should check their route-specific rules before assuming space will be available. NYC Ferry ticketing NYC Ferry discount program page NYC Ferry FAQ
A careful takeaway: the MTA is clearer about bikes being allowed without a separate bike fare, while NYC Ferry is more capacity-limited and route-specific. If you absolutely need to travel with a full-size bike, the subway is often the safer no-extra-fare choice, though onboard crowding still matters. MTA bike guide NYC Ferry FAQ
Travel time and frequency
Subway: usually better for all-purpose city travel
The subway operates 24 hours a day, though not every line runs the same service pattern at all times. In general, it offers denser coverage, more station choices, and shorter headways than the ferry network for getting around the city as a whole. That makes it the practical winner for most trips that do not begin and end near the waterfront. Accessible subway map notes
Ferry: can be direct, but only for specific corridors
NYC Ferry serves waterfront neighborhoods across the five boroughs, and its current system information lists multiple operational routes and landings. Ferry service can feel faster when it eliminates indirect subway routing, but service is inherently less frequent than the subway and depends on fixed landing locations. NYC Ferry also notes schedule changes by season and route, including spring 2026 service adjustments and weekend frequency increases on some lines. NYC Ferry routes and schedules Spring 2026 schedule
So the time comparison is situational:
- Subway wins for most crosstown, inland, and multi-neighborhood trips.
- Ferry can win when both endpoints are close to landings and the route is direct.
Accessibility and weather exposure
Subway accessibility
The MTA has accessible stations, elevator information tools, and trip-planning guidance for accessible travel, but not every station is accessible and elevator outages can affect real-world usability. The MTA advises riders to check current station accessibility and elevator status when planning a trip. MTA accessibility guide Accessible station map notes
Ferry accessibility
Ferry boarding can be simpler for some riders because it avoids stairs between street and platform, but ferry trips still involve outdoor boarding areas, gangways, and more weather exposure while waiting. In heavy rain, extreme heat, or winter wind, that outdoor exposure can make the ferry less comfortable than the subway, which is mostly sheltered once you reach the station. NYC Ferry operates daily, but weather and marine conditions can affect comfort and sometimes operations. NYC Ferry FAQ NYC Ferry routes and schedules
When NYC Ferry is worth paying extra for
You may reasonably choose the ferry despite the higher fare when:
- your start and end points are both close to ferry landings;
- you want a one-seat waterfront trip instead of a subway ride plus a long walk;
- you are taking a leisure trip where comfort and views matter;
- you are making a same-system ferry transfer within 120 minutes;
- the subway alternative is indirect or requires multiple transfers.
Bottom line
The subway is cheaper for traveling around New York in most cases. At current fares, it is $3.00 versus $4.50 for a standard NYC Ferry ride, and the subway becomes even more economical for frequent riders because of OMNY’s 7-day fare cap. MTA fares OMNY weekly fare cap NYC Ferry ticketing
Choose NYC Ferry when you are making a waterfront-to-waterfront trip and value directness, comfort, or scenery enough to pay more. Choose the subway when your priority is cost, frequency, network coverage, or easy transfers within the MTA system. And unless an official source says otherwise, do not assume ferry and subway fares transfer between systems. NYC Ferry FAQ NYC Ferry app FAQ