Metro-North Railroad announces resumption of ferry services

Haverstraw-Ossining and Newburgh-Beacon ferry services will return in August 2021

MTA Metro-North Railroad President Catherine Rinaldi has announced that Haverstraw-Ossining and Newburgh-Beacon ferry services will resume on 30 August The changes will coincide with Metro-North’s upcoming service increase, to take effect with the August 29 timetables, which the MTA says will increase train service to 83 per cent of pre-pandemic levels.

“We are so excited to see the region continue to recover, and our weekday ridership has increased steadily all spring and into the summer,” President Rinaldi said.

“Our late August service increase will provide even more travel options for people ready to return to the office after Labor Day. Restoring ferry service during weekday peak periods will give our Rockland and Orange County customers returning to work additional options for getting to and from the City and other destinations along Metro-North’s Hudson Line.” 

“People are coming back to work and NY Waterway ferries are here to give them a safe, fast and convenient commute. We’re thrilled to restart the Haverstraw-Ossining and Newburgh-Beacon service with Metro-North, and we look forward seeing all our past riders, and many more new ones, back aboard in August,” added Armand Pohan, CEO, President and Chairman of NY Waterway.

At the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in April 2020, Metro-North implemented its Essential Service Plan and discontinued service on both ferries.  Now, as the region continues to recover and the network prepares for a post-Labor Day return of office workers and school, ferry service will resume and connect with morning and afternoon peak trains at Beacon and Ossining.

The upcoming August service increase follows up on service increases from metro-North in April and June,  which saw the restoration of weekend service to Wassaic and the reopening of the Manitou station, located near Bear Mountain Bridge and Anthony’s Nose. The June timetable update added 24 new peak trains on the Hudson, Harlem and New Haven Lines, bringing the railroad to 67 per cent of its pre-pandemic service levels.