Amtrak's timetables show a non-Amtrak Thruway van/car service with trains at Kingston, RI to travel to or from Newport, RI. A different way to travel, all bookable through Amtrak, has been discovered. I am not sure how long this has existed, but it isn't promoted in the timetables. There is a Seastreak Ferry that runs from Providence to Newport 4 or 5 times per day. Included in that service is a bus or van connection between the Providence Amtrak station and the Providence ferry dock. One can therefore purchase a multi-segment ticket for travel including Amtrak, the Providence connecting bus, and the ferry.
Providence Amtrak is PVD, Providence ferry dock is PVF, and Newport ferry dock is NWP. The bus connections PVD-PVF are 8470, 8474, 8478, 8482, and 8486. The ferries PVF-NWP are 7470, 7472, 7478, 7480, and 7484. In the other direction, the ferries NWP-PVF are 7371, 7373, 7375, 7377, and 7379. The connecting buses PVF-PVD are 8371, 8373, 8385, 8377, and 8379. In each group, the first 4 trips are daily, and the last one runs Fridays & Saturdays only.
The only other "Thruway Ferry" currently running is the Victoria Clipper between Seattle, WA and Victoria, BC. On the east coast there used to be one at New London, CT with the ferry to Orient Point, NY (on Long Island) but Thruway arrangement was discontinued even though that ferry still operates.
