Best Time to Drive from Boston to Acton

Right now (8:48 pm EDT): about 41 minutes via MA-2 West, usually 38 at this time.

Only 48% of this drive is measured by working traffic sensors right now. The rest is estimated from nearby sensors, typical speeds and street traffic, so times can be off. Why so few sensors work.

Typical drive time by departure time

Minutes from Boston to Acton by day and time you leave (local time)
Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	35	39	55	62	56	46	41	43	44	50	63	66	62	51	40	38	38
Tue	35	40	60	69	68	60	46	43	42	52	69	76	75	62	43	39	39
Wed	35	39	55	67	68	58	48	44	43	54	71	78	76	64	46	39	39
Thu	36	39	57	67	65	56	47	43	45	57	75	78	80	65	48	40	39
Fri	36	38	47	51	46	43	45	46	51	64	78	75	65	52	45	40	38
Sat	35	35	35	36	38	43	46	48	50	48	49	47	45	45	43	40	38
Sun	35	36	35	35	36	40	41	45	48	46	47	47	44	42	41	39	39

About this drive

On weekdays the 24-mile drive from Boston to Acton (via MA-2 West) usually takes as little as 35 minutes and up to 80 minutes, when leaving around 4:30 pm on Thursdays. The fastest times to leave are before 6 am. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 46 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 12:30 pm on Saturdays (50 minutes).

About 16 miles of it is freeway, where times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors, and about 8 miles surface streets (15 to 45 minutes on weekdays), estimated from how jammed the freeways around them are at that time. Drive times are measured from central Boston to central Acton along the route on the map. Starting or ending elsewhere in a big city can add or save several minutes.

Simulated from typical freeway speeds at each point of the drive for the time you would reach it, from every 5-minute reading we have recorded. We don't have sensors on surface streets yet, so the time on them is estimated from how congested the freeways around each end of the drive are at that time, in both directions: streets jam when the freeways do.

Questions

What is the best time to drive from Boston to Acton?

On weekdays, leave before 6 am. The drive usually takes about 35 minutes then, versus up to 80 minutes at the worst times.

How long does it take to drive from Boston to Acton?

The 24-mile drive usually takes 35 to 80 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 46 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from Boston to Acton?

Leaving around 4:30 pm on Thursdays is usually slowest, about 80 minutes.

Boston traffic right now · Boston traffic tomorrow

More drives

Acton to Boston (return trip) · Boston to Quincy · Boston to Framingham · Boston to Worcester · Boston to Lowell · Boston to Burlington MA · Boston to Woburn · Boston to Braintree · Boston to Andover · Boston to Brockton · Boston to Plymouth MA · Boston to Natick

Open the live traffic map →

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	35	39	55	62	56	46	41	43	44	50	63	66	62	51	40	38	38
Tue	35	40	60	69	68	60	46	43	42	52	69	76	75	62	43	39	39
Wed	35	39	55	67	68	58	48	44	43	54	71	78	76	64	46	39	39
Thu	36	39	57	67	65	56	47	43	45	57	75	78	80	65	48	40	39
Fri	36	38	47	51	46	43	45	46	51	64	78	75	65	52	45	40	38
Sat	35	35	35	36	38	43	46	48	50	48	49	47	45	45	43	40	38
Sun	35	36	35	35	36	40	41	45	48	46	47	47	44	42	41	39	39

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	35	39	55	62	56	46	41	43	44	50	63	66	62	51	40	38	38
Tue	35	40	60	69	68	60	46	43	42	52	69	76	75	62	43	39	39
Wed	35	39	55	67	68	58	48	44	43	54	71	78	76	64	46	39	39
Thu	36	39	57	67	65	56	47	43	45	57	75	78	80	65	48	40	39
Fri	36	38	47	51	46	43	45	46	51	64	78	75	65	52	45	40	38
Sat	35	35	35	36	38	43	46	48	50	48	49	47	45	45	43	40	38
Sun	35	36	35	35	36	40	41	45	48	46	47	47	44	42	41	39	39

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	35	39	55	62	56	46	41	43	44	50	63	66	62	51	40	38	38
Tue	35	40	60	69	68	60	46	43	42	52	69	76	75	62	43	39	39
Wed	35	39	55	67	68	58	48	44	43	54	71	78	76	64	46	39	39
Thu	36	39	57	67	65	56	47	43	45	57	75	78	80	65	48	40	39
Fri	36	38	47	51	46	43	45	46	51	64	78	75	65	52	45	40	38
Sat	35	35	35	36	38	43	46	48	50	48	49	47	45	45	43	40	38
Sun	35	36	35	35	36	40	41	45	48	46	47	47	44	42	41	39	39