Folks who live in Soundview, especially around Clason Point, had to suffer through some of the worst commute times into Manhattan but relief arrived today.
With the launch of NYC Ferry’s Soundview line, residents saw their commutes drop considerably as they sped their way over water towards Wall Street.
One commuter incredulously commented that they made it to work on 42nd Street in under an hour. They couldn’t believe they made it to work that quickly.
Another resident said that his commute would be cut by over 30 minutes each way.
We took the first ferry out at 6:30AM which departed on time and within 18 minutes we were at East 90th Street at the foot of Gracie Mansion. Mayor Bill de Blasio was nowhere to be seen as he opted for a press conference back in Soundview after the first roundtrip was complete.
Within 30 minutes of departing Clason Point we had arrived in the heart of Midtown at 34th Street. This stop was not part of the originally planned route but after we made some noise and politicians woke up, the stop was added.
At 34th Street you can transfer over to several other routes that take you to Astoria, LIC, Brooklyn and the Lower East Side and best of all is that you can transfer for free as long as it’s within 90 minutes of the start of your first trip (round trips do not count for a free transfer).
We arrived at the final destination at Wall Street within 48 minutes of departure. For $2.75 you can’t beat that.
Since the fare is the same as the subway and buses, this will be a game changer for thousands of Bronx residents who now have additional options to get around.
Now we need to add more stops in The Bronx like in Throggs Neck and City Island as well as get direct service down into Queens and Brooklyn without having to go to Manhattan.
Did you take the ferry yet? Let us know what you think!
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