A four-minute aerial cable-car ride over the East River with skyline and bridge views — for a subway fare.
🛡️ Independent — no pay-to-rank🔎 Graded for who you are✓ Verified 2026-06-17How we grade →
The verdict
Who it's worth it for
Great for
Photographers
Depends
Travellers on a budget
If you've only got a day
Families with kids
Couples
Solo travellers
Not for
Adventurers
Worth it for photographers; not for adventurers.
Why we say this
Insider secrets & local vibes
The tram floats over the East River beside the Queensboro Bridge with great Midtown views — take a front-facing window on the south side and aim for the half-hour before sunset.
Not independently verified — estimated
It costs a single MetroCard or OMNY swipe, making it a cheap, low-effort novelty with a real payoff that loops neatly with Four Freedoms Park.
Not independently verified — estimated
The ride is only about four minutes and the island itself is quiet with little to do beyond Four Freedoms Park, so it's a detour, not a destination.
Not independently verified — estimated
What it feels like
Reading the room, traveller by traveller
With kids
A short cable-car ride over the river is a cheap thrill kids enjoy.
As a couple
A quirky, scenic round trip that pairs well with the serene Four Freedoms Park.
Solo
A fun, inexpensive detour for the skyline view that takes barely half an hour.
Good to know
Before you go
Cost
$2.90 (transit fare)
Time
30 min (ride); 1.5 hrs with the island
Last verified
2026-06-17
Best time
Clear afternoons for the skyline; sunset adds drama over Midtown.
Getting there
Tram boards at 59th St and Second Avenue; the F train also serves the island.
Booking
No booking; tap a MetroCard or OMNY at the tram station.
Accessibility
The tram cabins are wheelchair accessible with level boarding.