The Roosevelt Island Tram Is a Two-Minute Walk From Us: Where to Board, Hours, and Fare

Where you board

The Manhattan tram station sits at East 60th Street and Second Avenue. From our front door on East 62nd Street, walk two blocks south to 60th and one avenue east to Second Avenue. It's about a two-minute walk, and you'll see the red cabins overhead before you reach the platform.

What it costs

One standard MTA fare, $2.90. You tap OMNY at the turnstile the same way you would on the subway, or swipe a MetroCard. Unlimited weekly and monthly passes work too, and a subway-to-tram transfer counts as one ride. There's no separate tram ticket to buy.

Hours and how often it runs

The tram runs 6:00 a.m. to 2:00 a.m. Sunday through Thursday, and 6:00 a.m. to 3:30 a.m. Friday and Saturday. During weekday rush (mornings 7 to 10, evenings 2:30 to 7) a cabin leaves about every 7.5 minutes. Outside rush it's every 15 minutes. You rarely wait long.

The ride

The crossing takes about four minutes and climbs to roughly 250 feet over the East River, right alongside the Queensboro Bridge. It's one of the best views in the city for the price of a subway swipe. Sit on the south side of the cabin heading over for the bridge and the downtown skyline. Cabins are accessible for wheelchairs, strollers, and bikes.

Once you're on the island

Roosevelt Island is quiet and walkable. Head south along the promenade to Franklin D. Roosevelt Four Freedoms State Park at the tip for skyline views, or north toward the lighthouse. It's an easy hour or two, then tram back. If you'd rather not retrace your steps, the F train runs from the Roosevelt Island subway station back into Manhattan.