Ferry to Montauk from RI | Two Boats, No Car

Montauk is reached from Rhode Island by changing on Block Island; there is no mainland Rhode Island-to-Montauk car ferry.

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For a ferry to Montauk from RI, plan around one truth: Rhode Island gets you to Block Island first, and Block Island gets you to Montauk second. The cleanest passenger route is Point Judith or Newport to Block Island, then Viking Fleet from Block Island to Montauk Harbor.

The route works in summer, costs roughly $71–$74 in adult ferry fares one way before baggage or bike fees, and takes about 1 hour 45 minutes to 2 hours 15 minutes of sailing time before schedule gaps. Travelers with a car need a different plan: drive to New London, Connecticut, take the Cross Sound Ferry to Orient Point, then drive across the East End of Long Island.

How Do You Take The Ferry From Rhode Island To Montauk?

The ferry from Rhode Island to Montauk is a connection through Block Island, not a direct mainland crossing. The usual order is Rhode Island mainland to Block Island, time on the island between boats, then Block Island to Montauk.

Point Judith in Narragansett is the safest starting point for most travelers because it has the most Block Island departures and both traditional and high-speed service. Newport can work if you are already there, but the Newport ferry is seasonal, has fewer daily sailings, and can be easier to miss if the Montauk leg has a tight departure.

Once you know the transfer shape, compare the ferry and ground legs in one place:

Rhode Island To Montauk Ferry Options: Every Route Compared

Rhode Island to Montauk ferry options split into two main plans: passenger boats through Block Island or a vehicle ferry from New London to Orient Point. The right choice depends on whether you need your car in Montauk.

Summer travelers who do not need a car usually save time by staying with the Block Island connection. Drivers usually save stress by skipping Block Island and using the New London to Orient Point ferry, because that route carries vehicles and runs as a Long Island Sound crossing.

The Two-Boat Route That Usually Makes Sense

The two-boat route works best when you are traveling light, carrying a bike, or treating Block Island as part of the day. The main planning move is to book the Block Island-to-Montauk leg first, then choose the Rhode Island departure that reaches Block Island with a wide buffer.

Use this order when planning:

1. Check the Block Island to Montauk sailing for your travel date.
2. Choose Point Judith if you want the most Rhode Island departures.
3. Choose Newport only if its timetable leaves enough time before the Montauk boat.
4. Leave at least 60–90 minutes between ferries in summer, longer if you have luggage, a bike, or lunch plans.
5. Buy the Montauk leg in advance because the boat is passenger-only and seasonal.

Weather matters: ferries can be delayed or canceled for wind, surf, or sea conditions. A same-day connection with no overnight fallback is risky near the start or end of the season.

Booking The Block Island To Montauk Leg

The Block Island to Montauk ferry is the leg to book first because it runs on a seasonal calendar and has fewer departures than the Rhode Island-to-Block Island ferries. Viking Fleet lists 2026 Block Island service as Friday through Sunday from May 22 to June 14, daily from June 19 to September 14, and Friday through Monday from September 18 to October 12 on Viking Fleet’s 2026 fast ferry calendar.

Viking Fleet’s Block Island to Montauk ticket page lists the ride at 1 hour 15 minutes, with online one-way fares of $45 for adults, $30 for children ages 5–12, free passage for small children 4 and under, and $5 for a bike or surfboard. The same page says the service is passenger-only and does not take cars or motorized vehicles.

Block Island has two ferry areas that matter for this route: Old Harbor is where the main Rhode Island ferries arrive, and New Harbor is where many Montauk-bound passengers need to orient themselves. Build transfer time into the plan, especially if you are not comfortable moving luggage between docks or calling a taxi on arrival.

Can You Bring A Car On The Ferry?

Cars cannot complete the Rhode Island to Montauk ferry route through Block Island because the Montauk segment is passenger-only. A car can go from Point Judith to Block Island on the traditional ferry, but it cannot continue by ferry from Block Island to Montauk.

Use the New London to Orient Point ferry if the car matters more than the all-water passenger route. That plan is less elegant on a map, but it solves the real problem: the vehicle crosses Long Island Sound, then you drive east through Southold, Riverhead, the Hamptons, and on to Montauk.

The car plan is better for:

• Travelers carrying beach gear, coolers, fishing equipment, or family luggage.
• Off-season travel when the Block Island-to-Montauk boat is not running.
• Late arrivals, since one missed seasonal passenger ferry can ruin the day.
• Montauk stays where a car will make beach, lighthouse, and dinner trips easier.

Where To Stay When You Arrive In Montauk

Montauk hotels cluster near the village, the harbor, and the beach, so the right base depends on what you plan to do after the ferry. Stay near Montauk Harbor if you want the easiest arrival from the boat, near the village if you want restaurants and the LIRR station, or near the ocean if the beach is the point of the trip.

Montauk sells out early on summer weekends, and ferry schedules make late check-ins less flexible than a normal road trip. Once your sailing is fixed, compare hotel locations against the harbor and your first full-day plan:

A harbor hotel reduces arrival friction, while a village hotel is usually easier if you are leaving by train or meeting friends without a car. Beachfront stays cost more in peak summer, but they can save taxi time if you are not driving.

Best Way For Speed, Budget, And Certainty

Speed, budget, and certainty point to different choices, so pick the route by what would ruin the trip if it went wrong. The passenger ferry through Block Island is the most satisfying summer route; the car ferry through New London is the safer year-round logistics play.

• Fastest passenger plan: Point Judith high-speed ferry to Block Island, then Viking Fleet to Montauk. Expect about 1 hour 45 minutes of sailing plus transfer time.
• Cheapest passenger plan: Point Judith traditional ferry to Block Island, then Viking Fleet to Montauk. Expect about $57.30 in adult ferry fares one way before extras.
• Best plan from Newport: Newport to Block Island only when the schedule lines up cleanly with the Montauk boat. The sailing is longer and departures are fewer.
• Best plan with a car: Drive to New London, take the Cross Sound Ferry to Orient Point, then drive to Montauk. Block Island is the wrong transfer if the vehicle needs to arrive too.
• Best low-risk plan: Sleep on Block Island or in Montauk if the ferry times are tight. A forced same-day connection leaves little room for weather, parking, and dock transfers.

The shortest honest answer is this: use Block Island if you want the ferry experience, use New London and Orient Point if you need the car, and never assume there is a direct mainland Rhode Island ferry that lands in Montauk.