Best Time to Drive from Boston to Chelmsford

Right now (3:50 am EST): about 33 minutes via I-93 North and I-495 South, usually 33 at this time.

Typical drive time by departure time

Minutes from Boston to Chelmsford 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	32	34	41	47	41	37	35	35	36	41	50	54	51	41	34	33	36
Tue	32	35	44	52	47	41	36	36	36	43	53	58	58	45	37	33	37
Wed	32	34	44	52	47	41	37	37	37	44	55	61	58	44	37	34	37
Thu	32	35	43	53	46	39	36	36	37	46	55	61	59	47	38	34	38
Fri	32	33	36	39	37	35	37	39	44	55	59	56	52	41	36	34	34
Sat	32	31	32	32	33	35	38	40	40	39	38	37	36	35	34	34	33
Sun	32	31	31	31	32	33	34	36	38	36	36	36	35	34	35	34	37

About this drive

On weekdays the 35-mile drive from Boston to Chelmsford (via I-93 North and I-495 South) usually takes as little as 32 minutes and up to 61 minutes, when leaving around 4 pm on Thursdays. The fastest times to leave are before 6:30 am. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 38 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 12 pm on Saturdays (40 minutes).

About 32 miles of it is freeway, where times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors, and about 3 miles surface streets (4 to 14 minutes on weekdays), estimated from how jammed the freeways around them are at that time. Drive times are measured from central Boston to central Chelmsford 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 Chelmsford?

On weekdays, leave before 6:30 am. The drive usually takes about 32 minutes then, versus up to 61 minutes at the worst times.

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

The 35-mile drive usually takes 32 to 61 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 38 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from Boston to Chelmsford?

Leaving around 4 pm on Thursdays is usually slowest, about 61 minutes.

Freeways on this drive

I-93 North in Boston (22 miles) · I-495 South in Boston (10 miles)

Boston traffic right now · Boston traffic tomorrow

More drives

Chelmsford 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	32	34	41	47	41	37	35	35	36	41	50	54	51	41	34	33	36
Tue	32	35	44	52	47	41	36	36	36	43	53	58	58	45	37	33	37
Wed	32	34	44	52	47	41	37	37	37	44	55	61	58	44	37	34	37
Thu	32	35	43	53	46	39	36	36	37	46	55	61	59	47	38	34	38
Fri	32	33	36	39	37	35	37	39	44	55	59	56	52	41	36	34	34
Sat	32	31	32	32	33	35	38	40	40	39	38	37	36	35	34	34	33
Sun	32	31	31	31	32	33	34	36	38	36	36	36	35	34	35	34	37

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	32	34	41	47	41	37	35	35	36	41	50	54	51	41	34	33	36
Tue	32	35	44	52	47	41	36	36	36	43	53	58	58	45	37	33	37
Wed	32	34	44	52	47	41	37	37	37	44	55	61	58	44	37	34	37
Thu	32	35	43	53	46	39	36	36	37	46	55	61	59	47	38	34	38
Fri	32	33	36	39	37	35	37	39	44	55	59	56	52	41	36	34	34
Sat	32	31	32	32	33	35	38	40	40	39	38	37	36	35	34	34	33
Sun	32	31	31	31	32	33	34	36	38	36	36	36	35	34	35	34	37

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	32	34	41	47	41	37	35	35	36	41	50	54	51	41	34	33	36
Tue	32	35	44	52	47	41	36	36	36	43	53	58	58	45	37	33	37
Wed	32	34	44	52	47	41	37	37	37	44	55	61	58	44	37	34	37
Thu	32	35	43	53	46	39	36	36	37	46	55	61	59	47	38	34	38
Fri	32	33	36	39	37	35	37	39	44	55	59	56	52	41	36	34	34
Sat	32	31	32	32	33	35	38	40	40	39	38	37	36	35	34	34	33
Sun	32	31	31	31	32	33	34	36	38	36	36	36	35	34	35	34	37