York's location on the River Ouse, and in the centre of the Vale of York, means that it has always had a significant position in the nation's transport system.
The city grew up as a river port at the confluence of the River Ouse and the River Foss.
The Ouse was originally a tidal river, accessible to seagoing ships of the time.
Today, both of these rivers remain navigable, although the Foss is only navigable for a short distance above the confluence.
A lock at Naburn on the Ouse to the south of York means that the river in York is no longer tidal.

Until the end of the 20th century, the Ouse was used by barges to carry freight between York and the port of Hull.
The last significant such traffic was the supply of newsprint to the local newspaper's Foss-side print works, which continued until 1997.
Today, navigation is almost exclusively leisure-oriented.
York's location on the River Ouse, and in the centre of the Vale of York, means that it has always had a significant position in the nation's transport system. The city grew up as a river port at the confluence of the River Ouse and the River Foss. The Ouse was originally a tidal river, accessible to seagoing ships of the time. Today, both of these rivers remain navigable, although the Foss is only navigable for a short distance above the confluence. A lock at Naburn on the Ouse to the south of York means that the river in York is no longer tidal.
Until the end of the 20th century, the Ouse was used by barges to carry freight between York and the port of Hull. The last significant such traffic was the supply of newsprint to the local newspaper's Foss-side print works, which continued until 1997. Today, navigation is almost exclusively leisure-oriented.
York