Statue of Liberty wheelchair accessibility

The Statue Cruises ferry is the only public access to Liberty Island. Two embarkation points operate year-round: Battery Park at the southern tip of Manhattan, and Liberty State Park in Jersey City. Battery Park is the busier of the two and has the larger accessible queueing area.

From midtown Manhattan, the simplest accessible route is the 1 train to South Ferry (the terminus is step-free) or the 4 or 5 train to Bowling Green. Both stations have elevators, and Battery Park itself is grid-flat and paved. A yellow taxi or accessible-vehicle dispatch drops at the south end of the park within a few hundred metres of the ferry gate.

Pre-boarding security at Battery Park is similar to airport screening. The screening lanes are step-free and staffed for assistance. Once cleared, the boarding gangway has Statue Cruises staff on hand to help wheelchair users across the gap between dock and deck.

On the ferry, the open lower deck is the most accessible space, with bench seating along the rail. The upper deck involves a flight of stairs and is not wheelchair accessible. The onboard restrooms are not accessible, so plan to use the restrooms at Battery Park before boarding or on Liberty Island after arrival.

Disembarking is a reverse of the boarding gangway, again with staff on hand. The island's paths around the base of the statue and the main viewing terrace are step-free with paved or compacted surfaces. The Crown Café, the gift shop, and the public restrooms are step-free from the main path.

If you have a Pedestal Reservation, the Fort Wood entrance opens onto the 2P Fort Wood level via a switchback ramp with full 360-degree outdoor access. From there, one elevator goes to the upper pedestal interior, and a second accessible elevator reaches the 5P Level. An additional lift then carries you to the 6P pedestal top for the highest accessible view.

There is no elevator to the statue's crown. Reaching it requires climbing 162 narrow, tight steps inside the statue's interior framework. Crown tickets should only be purchased by able-bodied visitors confident on a long staircase climb. Wheelchair users who want a similar elevated view should book the Pedestal Reservation, which is fully step-free and elevator-served.

The ferry continues from Liberty Island to Ellis Island as a standard part of the round trip. The Ellis Island Immigration Museum building is step-free with elevators to every public floor. The Wall of Honor and the outdoor exhibits are on paved paths. Both islands operate as a single National Monument and neither charges an entrance fee.

Address: Liberty Island, New York Harbor. Ferry departure: Battery Park, Manhattan, or Liberty State Park, NJ. Monument entrance fee: none. Ferry fare: charged for all visitors including a companion. Pedestal access: elevator and switchback ramp. Crown access: 162 steps, not wheelchair accessible. Accessible restrooms: 1P Level inside the monument and on Liberty Island.