Remember the iconic fight in the Spiderman movies where Mary Jane falls from a cable car? Well that cable car actually exists in New York City and it’s a fabulous experience to ride it. It’s also one of the most cost effective tourist attractions in the city.
The tramway takes passengers to Roosevelt Island in the East River and there are only two stations. One in Manhattan on 59th street at the junction with 2nd Avenue and the other next to the Cornell Tech university campus on Roosevelt Island. The journey takes around 5 minutes, but the views you get from the tram car are superb. First, you’ll see the tall buildings on eastern edge of Manhattan, then as the cable car rises, the buildings part to allow views up and down the East River. Finally, you come down in the cable car station on the island.
We loved this experience and would thoroughly recommend it. You can pay to come back or take the subway from Roosevelt Island to wherever you’re going to next. There’s lots to see on Roosevelt Island if you fancy a walk. On the southern tip is a the ‘Four Freedoms’ park offering walkways, memorials and great views over to the UN building in Manhattan. There’s also a derelict smallpox hospital which looks like a stately home!
Roosevelt Island tramway operates from 6am to 2am weekdays and 6am to 3.30am on weekends. Cars run every 7 mins to 15 mins so you never have to wait long for the next one. You can buy a single ticket at the machines, but if you have a contactless card, just tap in for each journey which costs the same a subway trip $2.90 (2025 prices).
LOCATION & CONTACT
Address: Manhattan Tramway Plaza, E 59th St & 2nd Avenue, New York, NY 10022
Phone: +1 212 756 8739
This map shows the location of the Manhattan Island station
MORE ON ROOSEVELT ISLAND TRAMWAY
Roosevelt Island Tramway – Official website
Stay near Roosevelt Island Tramway – Booking.com