From May 23rd to September 13th, riders can purchase Rockaway Reserve tickets for select Rockaway-Soundview departures on summer weekends and holidays. Reserve tickets cost $12 and can be purchased up to two weeks in advance of your chosen departure.
Note that this year, Reserve tickets will only be offered at Wall St/Pier 11 and Rockaway. For peak Rockaway-bound departures at other landings, some seats will not be filled and will be held open to manage capacity and make sure riders can board at all landings.
If you plan on boarding without a Rockaway Reserve ticket, ridership is first-come, first-served. Riders in line to board the Rockaway-Soundview route without a Reserve ticket may not be able to board their departure of choice. See below for more details about the 2026 Rockaway Reserve.
- Morning departures Wall St/Pier 11 → Rockaway: NYC Ferry riders can purchase Rockaway Reserve tickets in advance to reserve a seat on all Wall St/Pier 11 departures heading towards Rockaway from 9am-2pm on weekends and select holidays.
- Evening departures Rockaway → Brooklyn, Manhattan, Bronx: riders at Rockaway can reserve a spot on-board all departures back to Brooklyn, Manhattan, and/or the Bronx from 3pm-8pm on weekends and select holidays.
- Information for all other landings – For riders at all other landings, seats will be kept available at landings along the route to make sure that riders paying a $4.50 regular fare, $2.90 as part of the ten-trip ticket pack, or $1.35 can board at each landing along the Rockaway-Soundview route.
To guarantee boarding with your Reserve ticket, ticketholders must be on the Rockaway Reserve line at least 10 minutes prior to their ticketed departure time. If you are not in line at least 10 minutes prior to departure, you may not be able to board your planned departure. For more information, please review the Frequently Asked Questions.
Throughout the summer, NYC Ferry will closely observe operations of the Rockaway Reserve and Rockaway-Soundview route and make changes to improve rider experience as needed.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
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How much is a Rockaway Reserve ticket?
A Rockaway Reserve ticket is $12.00 per passenger. Children under 44” ride free and a $0 ticket must be reserved for each child in advance when purchasing your Rockaway Reserve ticket via the NYC Ferry app.
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When should I arrive for my Rockaway departure?
Riders must arrive at least ten minutes before their reserved trip.
Boarding is only guaranteed for Rockaway Reserve ticketholders who are on the correct line at least ten minutes prior to their ticketed Rockaway departure time when the boarding process begins. If you are not on the Rockaway Reserve line at least 10 minutes prior to departure, you may not be able to board your planned departure. If you miss your departure, your Rockaway Reserve ticket may be used on any other NYC Ferry route (including the Rockaway route) but will not guarantee a spot on a specific alternate departure time.
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Does my Rockaway Reserve ticket guarantee boarding?
Yes. A valid Rockaway Reserve ticket guarantees you a spot onboard the scheduled departure you selected when purchasing your ticket. Riders must be in the designated queue at least 10 minutes prior to boarding. Reserved tickets do not guarantee a specific seat on the vessel.
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Does my Rockaway Rocket guarantee boarding at any landing on the route?
No. A valid Rockaway Reserve ticket guarantees you a spot onboard the scheduled departure at the landing you selected when purchasing your ticket. Riders must be in the designated queue at least 10 minutes prior to boarding.
- During which peak times can a Rockaway Reserve ticket be purchased?
- Riders can purchase tickets to reserve a spot on all Rockaway route departures from Wall St/Pier 11 between 9am and 2pm
- Riders can purchase tickets to reserve a spot on all Rockaway route departures from Rockaway between 3pm and 8pm
- For complete schedule and reservation information, visit the NYC Ferry app or ferry.nyc
- Do children need a Rockaway Reserve ticket to guarantee boarding?
Like all NYC Ferry routes, children under 44 inches in height can travel for free with a paying adult. To reserve a spot for children, a $0 ticket must be reserved for each child in advance when purchasing your Rockaway Reserve ticket via the NYC Ferry app. Height will be verified upon boarding. All children over 44 inches in height must have a full-price Rockaway Reserve ticket.
- Can I bring my bike on board?
Yes, but bike space is limited. To bring your bike on the Rockaway route, you must additionally reserve a $0 bicycle ticket in advance when purchasing your Rockaway Reserve ticket via the NYC Ferry app.
- How do I purchase a Rockaway Reserve ticket?
NYC Ferry riders can purchase their Rockaway Reserve ticket(s) via the NYC Ferry app beginning Monday, May 18th. Tickets purchased via the NYC Ferry app cannot be printed out and used to board a departure. Riders must present a valid Rockaway Reserve ticket within the NYC Ferry app to board their ticketed departure.Riders may purchase Rockaway Reserve tickets for multiple people on the same departure and activate them all at once, but the entire party must be present before boarding.
- Will the Rockaway Reserve be a year-round program?
No. NYC Ferry riders will only be able to reserve a spot onboard during peak beach travel times on weekends and holidays between Saturday, May 23, 2026 and Sunday, September 13, 2026.
- Can I purchase a Rockaway Reserve ticket at the NYC Ferry ticket vending machines or Pier 11/Wall St ticket booth?
No. Rockaway Reserve tickets can only be purchased through the NYC Ferry app.
- How far in advance can I purchase my Rockaway Reserve ticket?
Rockaway Reserve tickets will be available for purchase starting 2 weeks before the scheduled departure date. Rockaway Reserve tickets can be purchased up to 15 minutes before the scheduled time of departure, pending availability.
- Can I use an unused Rockaway Reserve ticket for another scheduled Rockaway Reserve departure?
No. Purchasing a Rockaway Reserve ticket only reserves a spot on the trip you bought a ticket for. Your ticket does not guarantee you a spot onboard any other NYC Ferry departure. As a reminder, Rockaway Reserve ticketholders must arrive at least ten minutes before departure time to guarantee boarding.
- Can I still use my regular NYC Ferry ticket to board the Rockaway route?
Yes! Most spots on all Rockaway departures are unreserved and available for riders using regular tickets. Riders who wish to board using their regular NYCF ticket must line up in the regular Rockaway line. On high ridership days, riders who do not purchase a Rockaway Reserve ticket may be unable to board the departure of their choice.
- Can I transfer to other NYC Ferry routes with my activated/used Rockaway Reserve ticket?
No. Rockaway Reserve ticketholders must purchase a separate base fare NYC Ferry ticket to use and transfer between other routes.
- What if I miss the departure I purchased a Rockaway Reserve ticket for?
If you miss your reserved departure time, you may enter the unreserved Rockaway line and use your Rockaway Reserve ticket to board the next Rockaway trip; however, you will not have access to a reserved spot on any departure other than the one you purchased a ticket for. As a reminder, riders must be in the Rockaway Reserve queue at least ten minutes before their scheduled departure to guarantee boarding.
- What if my scheduled Rockaway Reserve departure is cancelled?
If your scheduled Rockaway Reserve departure is cancelled by NYC Ferry, you will receive an automatic refund for the purchased Rockaway Reserve ticket(s) impacted by the cancellation. If your reserved trip is cancelled, you do not need to contact NYC Ferry to receive a refund.
- Does my Rockaway Reserve ticket include round-trip transportation?
No. A Rockaway Reserve ticket only reserves a spot onboard a single ferry departure. A separate NYC Ferry ticket must be purchased for an unreserved return trip, or a separate Rockaway Reserve ticket can be purchased for a reserved spot on your return trip.
- What if it is raining on the day I purchased a ticket? Can I get a refund for weather or reschedule to another time?
No. Rockaway trips operate regardless of rain and Rockaway Reserve tickets are non-refundable. In the event of extreme weather, NYC Ferry may cancel ferry service; in that case, refunds will be issued to all Rockaway Reserve ticketholders whose trips have been cancelled.
- Where do I wait?
Rockaway Reserve ticketholders must queue in a separate line at the Wall Street/Pier 11 and Rockaway landings. Riders with Rockaway Reserve tickets should report to the designated line. If you are confused on where to queue based on your ticket type, ask an NYC Ferry staffer at your landing.
