There's only one official ferry operator
Statue City Cruises is the sole authorized ferry provider to Liberty Island and Ellis Island — every legitimate ticket, regardless of which site you buy it through, ultimately runs on their boats. Buy directly from their official site, or from the ticket window inside Castle Clinton in Battery Park. Street vendors near the park who claim tickets are "sold out" and offer you an alternative tour are working a well-known scalper routine — walk past them to the official ticket building.
Two departure points
Ferries leave from Battery Park in Lower Manhattan (inside Castle Clinton) and from Liberty State Park in Jersey City, New Jersey. Battery Park is the easier option if you're relying on the subway; Liberty State Park suits anyone driving in or already based in New Jersey. Both routes stop at Liberty Island and Ellis Island — every ticket includes both.
Choosing a ticket tier
- General/ground admission — the base ticket, covers the ferry, Liberty Island grounds, the Statue of Liberty Museum, and Ellis Island's Immigration Museum.
- Pedestal Reserve — adds access up to the pedestal level, with its own view over the harbor.
- Crown Reserve — adds access into the crown itself. Limited daily capacity, requires a separate timed security screening, and routinely sells out weeks or even months ahead in peak season — this is not a ticket you can leave until the day before.
Security and timing
Screening at Battery Park is airport-style — expect a bag check and metal detector, and arrive with time to spare before your ticket's screening window, which is a queue time, not your exact ferry departure. Doing the full loop without disembarking at either island takes a bit over an hour; actually stopping at both islands and seeing the museums is comfortably a half-day outing.