Since September 8, a Saturday from Belford can include a ferry ride into Manhattan. Before that, the boat from 10 Harbor Way only ran on weekdays. The weekend boats run on a short timetable, though, and on a weekend the return trip shapes the whole outing more than the ride in. The last listed boat back leaves Midtown at 7:15 PM and Pier 11 at 7:45 PM. A Bayshore day trip into the city is a daytime plan, and picking where you'll board for home is the first decision to make.
Here is how the new weekend service works, where its schedule is still settling, and what sits near the terminal at each end of the day.
What Changed When the Operator Did
The Monmouth County Board of County Commissioners awarded the Belford Ferry Terminal contract to NY Waterway at its August 13 meeting, with service starting September 8, 2026. The county's release describes a two-year contract with two one-year renewal options. Commissioner Director Thomas A. Arnone said the evaluation committee found NY Waterway's proposal "would better serve our residents and commuters with more rides available at a lower cost."
The "more rides" part matters most on weekends. Under SeaStreak, Belford fares carried an "M-F Only" label, and SeaStreak's 2024 weekend timetable listed Highlands as a New Jersey departure port but not Belford. Anyone on the Bayshore who wanted a weekend boat had to drive to Highlands. NY Waterway calls its weekend Belford trips "new weekend service," and Patch's launch-day report said the boats run Saturdays and Sundays.
The fare also came down slightly. NY Waterway lists a $23 adult one-way fare from Belford. SeaStreak's published Belford fare under its October 2025 schedule was $24. The 10-trip book went from $240 under SeaStreak to $220 now.
For a family day trip, the child fare changes the math more than the adult fare does. Children 11 and under ride for $2.25 one way. Two adults and two children going round trip pay $101 in total, and parking at the Belford terminal is free. Seniors and riders with disabilities can get an $11.50 one-way fare, but it requires advance enrollment and can't be bought at the ticket machines. NY Waterway also lists free connecting buses in Midtown and a $3 bike surcharge.
The Boat Home Sets the Day
All three Manhattan routes share the same four weekend departures from Belford: 9:00 AM, 11:30 AM, 2:00 PM and 6:00 PM. The return times differ by terminal, and that is where the planning happens.
| Manhattan terminal | Weekend returns to Belford | Last listed boat home |
|---|---|---|
| Midtown / W. 39th St. | 10:15 AM, 12:45 PM, 4:45 PM, 7:15 PM | 7:15 PM |
| Brookfield Place | 10:00 AM, 12:30 PM, 5:00 PM, 7:30 PM | 7:30 PM |
| Pier 11 / Wall St. | 9:45 AM, 12:15 PM, 5:15 PM, 7:45 PM | 7:45 PM |
Three things stand out in the table.
First, downtown gives you the most time. Pier 11's last listed boat leaves half an hour after Midtown's, so a Saturday spent in Lower Manhattan can run later than one spent in Midtown, even though you boarded the same 9:00 AM boat in Belford.
Second, the afternoon has a long gap. Each terminal has no listed return between roughly 12:15 PM and 4:45 PM. If you take the 9:00 AM boat and want to be home by mid-afternoon, the only option is an early-afternoon return.
Third, the 6:00 PM departure from Belford doesn't work for an evening out. Every listed return leaves Manhattan by 7:45 PM, so riding in at 6:00 PM leaves no listed boat home that night. Dinner-and-a-show plans still need a different way back. When News 12 covered the launch in mid-September, it reported that some riders wanted more late-night options.
The weekend timetable also doesn't include Jersey City. The county's release says weekend Belford service has no Paulus Hook stop, although weekday boats serve it.
A Schedule Still Settling In
The table above comes from NY Waterway's live route pages, and those pages are the version to trust. Earlier published versions of the weekend schedule were thinner. The county's August 14 release and News 12's September 16 report both described three weekend departures from Belford and two evening returns from Manhattan. The route pages now list four of each.
The added boats help. They also mean a timetable screenshot from September may already be out of date. Two more questions matter as the holidays get closer. The route pages don't say whether weekend boats will keep running through the winter, and NY Waterway's holiday schedule page hasn't been updated with Belford dates for Thanksgiving, Christmas or New Year's Day 2027. Before planning a December Saturday around the boat, check the Midtown route page the week of your trip. NY Waterway's text alert signup has separate Belford keywords for the Midtown, Pier 11 and Brookfield Place routes.
The October 6 Sailing
The first month under the new operator included one widely reported incident. According to Patch, the Molly Pitcher made contact with part of the pier system while leaving Belford on the 6:30 AM Manhattan-bound sailing on October 6, and several windows broke. NJ.com reported that NY Waterway said no passengers or crew needed medical attention and that the trip was completed. NY Waterway said the vessel was temporarily out of service for repairs.
The county responded the same day with a statement from Director Arnone saying it had asked NY Waterway for a full explanation. Middletown Mayor Tony Perry posted an update on the township site saying the county was seeking unannounced inspections and a review of whether protocols were followed. NJ.com reported that a commuter asked the U.S. Coast Guard to look into the incident and that NY Waterway said it had given the Coast Guard full information. Weekend riders can follow updates through the same alert service.
Before the 9:00 Boat and After the 7:15
Because the timetable puts most of the day in Manhattan, the places near Harbor Way matter most at the very start and very end of the day. Their hours line up with the boats in different ways.
- Sunny Side Diner, 553 Route 36 in Belford, lists hours of 8 AM to 10 PM daily. It's the one nearby spot open both before the 9:00 AM departure and after the last boat gets back to Belford. It also takes online orders.
- Sirens Seafood, 910 Route 36 in Leonardo, is open Wednesday through Sunday from noon to 7 PM and closed Monday and Tuesday. With a 7 PM close, it doesn't work after an evening return. It suits the other kind of weekend: a late lunch before the 2:00 PM boat, or the Saturdays and Sundays you stay home.
Both listings are worth checking the morning you go, since hours on the Bayshore can change with the season.
Port Monmouth riders who planned to bike to the terminal and pay the $3 bike surcharge should know about a closure on their route. Monmouth County Parks closed the Henry Hudson Trail between Wilson Avenue and Church Street on or about August 10, 2026, for about two years of construction tied to the Port Monmouth project. The posted detour runs along Wilson Avenue, Main Street, Broadway and Church Street.
A free-parking terminal with Saturday and Sunday boats to three Manhattan piers is now part of what a Bayshore address offers. If you'd like to know how the ferry plays into what your Belford, Port Monmouth or Leonardo home is worth, Gerine A. Skamarak and The Gerine Team can prepare a home value based on recent sales near Harbor Way. Request your Home Value whenever you're ready.
