<P> The ferry to Staten Island departs Manhattan from the Staten Island Ferry Whitehall Terminal at South Ferry, at the southernmost tip of Manhattan near the Battery, and follows a single route . On Staten Island, ferryboats to Manhattan depart from the St. George Ferry Terminal on Richmond Terrace, near Richmond County's Borough Hall and Supreme Court . </P> <P> The ferry ride affords views of the Lower Manhattan skyline and the Statue of Liberty and thus is a popular destination on Saturday nights, as beer and food items are served at the snack bar . The backdrop of the Staten Island Ferry's route also makes it a popular place for film shoots, and the ferry has been featured in various films, such as Working Girl (1988), How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days (2003), and Spider - Man: Homecoming (2017). Many other films and TV episodes use the Staten Island Ferry in establishing shots . </P> <P> In the past, ferries were equipped for vehicle transport, and operators charged $3 per automobile . A vehicle ban was approved in 1992, after the Whitehall Terminal was destroyed and subsequently rebuilt without vehicle loading areas . Although the temporary terminals included car loading areas, car boarding was discontinued after the September 11 attacks . There was a plan to reinstate car boarding because of rising tolls on the Verrazano Bridge, but that was seen as infeasible due to the amount of effort needed to screen every car . </P> <P> While the ferries no longer transport motor vehicles, they do transport bicycles . There is a bicycle entrance to the ferry at either terminal . The bike entrance is always on the ground level, so bicyclists can enter the ferry without needing to enter the building . The ground entrance was reserved exclusively for bike riders until September 2017, when lower - level boarding and disembarking was restored for all passengers . Cyclists are subject to screening upon arrival at the ferry terminals and must dismount and walk their bicycles to the waiting area and onto the boat . Bicycles must be stored in the designated bicycle storage area on each boat . Bicycles may be taken on the lowest deck of the ferry without charge . </P>

When did they stop allowing cars on the staten island ferry