Empire State Building to Statue of Liberty ferry at Battery Park by subway
Quick answer: Take a downtown R or W train from 34 St-Herald Sq to Whitehall St-South Ferry. The trip takes about 33 minutes door to door on a weekday. The R or W train comes about every 4 minutes during the day. The R or W train doesn't run from 34 St-Herald Sq to Whitehall St-South Ferry between about 1 and 5 am; then the trip uses another line.
Empire State Building to Statue of Liberty ferry at Battery Park
- R / W
- Walk 6 minto 34 St-Herald Sq
- R / W R or W trainFrom 34 St-Herald Sq, downtown10 stops, about 18 min
- Get off at Whitehall St-South Ferry
- Statue of Liberty ferry at Battery ParkWalk about 9 min
Weekdays, fall 2026 MTA schedule · First and last trips
Step by step
- Walk about 6 minutes from Empire State Building to 34 St-Herald Sq.
- Take a downtown R or W train from 34 St-Herald Sq to Whitehall St-South Ferry. It's 10 stops, about 18 minutes.
- From Whitehall St-South Ferry, walk about 9 minutes to the Statue of Liberty ferry at Battery Park.
Times and frequency
From the MTA's fall 2026 schedule. Typical trip is the door to door time in the middle of the day.
| Day | First trip | Last trip | Typical trip | R or W train in the daytime |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Weekdays | Around the clock (another line late at night) | 33 min | About every 4 minutes | |
| Saturday | Around the clock (another line late at night) | 32 min | About every 12 minutes | |
| Sunday | Around the clock (another line late at night) | 32 min | About every 12 minutes | |
Late at night
This trip works around the clock. Between about 1 and 5 am the trip takes about 34 minutes. No W service late nights (about 1 to 5 am): GTFS has no W trips then on weeknights. Cobblehop routes you on another line then.
Tips for this trip
- Take the first train that comes. The R and W trains all stop at both 34 St-Herald Sq and Whitehall St-South Ferry.
- Know your stop. Get ready after Rector St. The next stop is Whitehall St-South Ferry. Start a live trip in Cobblehop and it alerts you before your stop.
- Only by ferry: Statue City Cruises, from The Battery (Battery Park) in Manhattan or Liberty State Park in New Jersey. (source, checked 2026-11-04)
- Entrances. Ticket office: Castle Clinton at Battery Park; Security screening and ferry: behind Castle Clinton, on the waterfront side of Battery Park (source).
Step-free access
For the subway part of this trip: 34 St-Herald Sq (R platform) is on the MTA's list of accessible stations; Whitehall St-South Ferry (R platform) is not on the MTA's list of accessible stations. Elevators can be out of service, so check elevator status on mta.info before you go.
What it costs
- Subway and local bus: $3 per ride with OMNY (tap a contactless card or phone) or a MetroCard. One transfer within 2 hours to the subway or a local bus is included.
Fares as of November 2026. Check the official fares page before you ride.
Empire State Building to Statue of Liberty ferry at Battery Park: common questions
How do I get from Empire State Building to Statue of Liberty ferry at Battery Park by public transit?
Take a downtown R or W train from 34 St-Herald Sq to Whitehall St-South Ferry.
How long does it take?
About 33 minutes door to door on a weekday. On weekends it's about 32 minutes.
Do I have to change?
No. The R or W train goes all the way.
Does it run all night?
This trip works around the clock. Between about 1 and 5 am the trip takes about 34 minutes. No W service late nights (about 1 to 5 am): GTFS has no W trips then on weeknights. Cobblehop routes you on another line then.
How much does it cost?
Subway and local bus: $3 per ride with OMNY (tap a contactless card or phone) or a MetroCard. One transfer within 2 hours to the subway or a local bus is included.
Related routes
- Empire State Building to 9/11 Memorial & Museum
- Empire State Building to Central Park
- Empire State Building to Met (Fifth Avenue)
- JFK Airport to Statue of Liberty ferry at Battery Park
- LaGuardia Airport to Statue of Liberty ferry at Battery Park
- Penn Station to Statue of Liberty ferry at Battery Park
- All New York routes
Sources
Cobblehop is independent. It is not affiliated with the MTA or any transit agency. Schedules on this page come from the MTA's public GTFS data; check these pages for the latest service:
- MTA: developer data (the GTFS schedules used on this page)
- MTA: subway and bus fares
- MTA subway stations, with accessibility (data.ny.gov)
- Statue of Liberty ferry at Battery Park: visitor information
- Empire State Building: visitor information
Transit data: Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA). Cobblehop is not affiliated with or endorsed by the MTA.
Published November 7, 2026. Times were computed from the MTA fall 2026 schedules for 2026-11-18 (weekday), 2026-11-21 and 2026-11-22. Planned work and holidays change service, so check Cobblehop for live times before you go.
Leaving now? Cobblehop gives you one clear plan with live times and alerts you before your stop.
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