The Staten Island Ferry ride takes about 25 minutes one way, covering roughly 5 miles between Lower Manhattan and St. George on Staten Island.

Quick Scoop

  • One-way ride time: about 25 minutes dock to dock.
  • Minimum round trip (there and back): about 50–60 minutes once you factor in getting off and back on at Staten Island.
  • Distance: about 5–5.2 miles across New York Harbor.
  • Schedule: runs 24 hours a day, usually at least every 30 minutes and more often at rush hours.

In practice, if you’re planning it like a quick sightseeing run—there and straight back—set aside about an hour total for the full out-and-back ride, plus any extra time you might spend waiting for the next departure.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.