The tramway is a genuine attraction
The Roosevelt Island Tramway is an aerial cable car that crosses the East River beside the Queensboro Bridge and lands at 59th Street and Second Avenue. It takes the same fare as the subway and gives you one of the best views in the city. Most visitors pay far more for far less.
Quiet is the whole proposition
The island is residential, with the Cornell Tech campus at its centre and Louis Kahn's Four Freedoms Park at the southern tip, next to the landmarked ruin of the Renwick Smallpox Hospital. There is very little in the way of restaurants or nightlife, and that is the point.
You are closer than the map suggests
The F train reaches Midtown in about ten minutes, and the tram is faster still at peak times. What you cannot do is walk anywhere off the island, so every trip involves the train or the cable car.
Who it suits
Is Roosevelt Island right for your trip?
Book here if
- Quiet nights and skyline views
- Families wanting space
- Visitors to Cornell Tech
- Travellers who enjoy an unusual base
Look elsewhere if
- You want restaurants and bars on the doorstep
- It is a short first trip
- You dislike depending on one train line
Getting around
The F train serves the island's single station and reaches Midtown in around ten minutes. The Roosevelt Island Tramway runs to 59th Street and Second Avenue on a normal subway fare, and the NYC Ferry stops here too.
Hotels in this area
1 hotel reviewed in Roosevelt Island
Graduate Roosevelt Island
A quiet, modern hotel on an island in the East River, with skyline views and one of New York's best commutes.
- Best for
- Quiet stays, skyline views, families, Cornell visitors
- Subway
- Roosevelt Island on the F, plus the Roosevelt Island Tramway
Fast answers
Questions UK travellers ask about Roosevelt Island.
Is Roosevelt Island too isolated?
It is quiet rather than remote: Midtown is about ten minutes away. The real limitation is that there is little to do on the island itself after dark, so plan on coming back late or eating in Manhattan.
Does the tramway cost extra?
No. It takes the same fare as the subway and accepts the same payment, which makes it one of the best-value things you can do in New York.
Sources and update notes
Last updated: 17 August 2026. Hotel rates, fees, rules and transport details can change.