Taking the Ferry from Manhattan to New Jersey

 Although New York and New Jersey are separated by about a mile-wide Hudson River, there are challenges crossing from one side to the other.  In the old days the only way to cross was by boat.  Tunnels and bridges were built in the early 1900s' so cars and trains can travel between the two states.  As real estate gets more expensive in New York, many choose to commute from New Jersey.  One of the most popular way is via trains run by the NJ Transit.  Of course, you can drive but you will find yourself in gridlock when driving into Manhattan.

Another less common method is the ferry.  This is run by a private company called NY Waterway.  

One fine August day I was to meet my friend Joe, who lives in NJ.  I can easily take the subway to Penn Station and take a NJ Transit train across the river and have Joe pick me up at one of the stations.  Instead I chose to cross the Hudson River via the NY Waterway ferry.  This is a new experience for me.

The most convenient place for me to catch the ferry is at Pier 79 at 39th St and 12th Avenue, called the Midtown Terminal.  This is a commuter ferry so it runs only in the morning and in the late afternoon.  The last ferry in the morning at the Midtown Terminal is at 9:30am.  Joe figured out that the easiest place for him to pick me up is at the Edgewater Terminal on the NJ side.  We were to drive to the Palisades State Park, a few miles north.  The fare is $11.25 for a one-way ticket.  There is a senior ticket for $10.50

I arrived at the Midtown terminal at about 9:00am.  The ticket window was closed.  It doesn't open till noon.  It's the only place where I can buy a senior ticket.  My other choice is to buy through the NY Waterway App on my phone or one of the machines in the ferry terminal lobby.  I decided to buy a regular ticket from one of the machines.  I asked around and found out that my ferry would be arriving at dock number 2.

At about 9:25am the ferry pulled into the terminal.  About 20 passengers disembarked.  Only 2 passengers, including me, embarked for the short ride across the Hudson River.  It traveled in a northwesterly direction to Edgewater.  It took about 30 minutes to cross.

NY-NJ Ferry Routes

A View of Midtown Manhattan

A Ferry coming in from NJ

Outside the Terminal

Another Ferry Approaching

Ferries Waiting for Passengers

View of Ferry with Midtown in the Background

Leaving the Terminal

Another Ferry Leaving the Terminal

A Distant View of Midtown

George Washington Bridge in the Distance

Approaching Edgewater Terminal

It was a short but beautiful experience on a cool morning.  Water always give people a calming effect.  

As a historical note, this part of the Hudson River is where the "Miracle on the Hudson" occurred on January 15, 2009.  An American Airlines flight, captained by Chesley 'Sully' Sullenberger hit a flock of birds and had to ditch the plane on the Hudson River, near the Midtown NY Waterway Ferry Terminal.  Two NY Waterway ferries were the first to reach the plane and rescued the passengers.  All 155 people on board the plane were rescued and survived.  This was dramatized into a 2016 film called "Sully," starring Tom Hanks as Captain Sully Sullenberger.