Best Time to Drive from Boston to Chelmsford

Right now (10:18 pm EDT): about 36 minutes via I-93 North and I-495 South.

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	46	41	37	35	36	36	41	50	53	50	41	34	33	35
Tue	32	35	44	52	47	41	36	36	36	43	53	57	57	46	37	33	38
Wed	32	34	43	51	47	41	37	37	37	45	54	61	58	44	37	34	37
Thu	32	35	42	53	46	39	37	36	38	46	56	61	58	47	38	34	39
Fri	32	32	36	39	36	35	37	40	45	59	61	57	52	41	35	34	34
Sat	32	31	31	32	33	36	39	41	40	38	38	37	35	35	34	34	33
Sun	32	31	31	31	32	32	33	36	38	36	36	35	34	34	34	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 63 minutes, when leaving around 2:30 pm on Fridays. The fastest times to leave are before 6:30 am. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 39 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 12 pm on Saturdays (41 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 63 minutes at the worst times.

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

The 35-mile drive usually takes 32 to 63 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 39 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from Boston to Chelmsford?

Leaving around 2:30 pm on Fridays is usually slowest, about 63 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	46	41	37	35	36	36	41	50	53	50	41	34	33	35
Tue	32	35	44	52	47	41	36	36	36	43	53	57	57	46	37	33	38
Wed	32	34	43	51	47	41	37	37	37	45	54	61	58	44	37	34	37
Thu	32	35	42	53	46	39	37	36	38	46	56	61	58	47	38	34	39
Fri	32	32	36	39	36	35	37	40	45	59	61	57	52	41	35	34	34
Sat	32	31	31	32	33	36	39	41	40	38	38	37	35	35	34	34	33
Sun	32	31	31	31	32	32	33	36	38	36	36	35	34	34	34	34	37

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	32	34	41	46	41	37	35	36	36	41	50	53	50	41	34	33	35
Tue	32	35	44	52	47	41	36	36	36	43	53	57	57	46	37	33	38
Wed	32	34	43	51	47	41	37	37	37	45	54	61	58	44	37	34	37
Thu	32	35	42	53	46	39	37	36	38	46	56	61	58	47	38	34	39
Fri	32	32	36	39	36	35	37	40	45	59	61	57	52	41	35	34	34
Sat	32	31	31	32	33	36	39	41	40	38	38	37	35	35	34	34	33
Sun	32	31	31	31	32	32	33	36	38	36	36	35	34	34	34	34	37

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	32	34	41	46	41	37	35	36	36	41	50	53	50	41	34	33	35
Tue	32	35	44	52	47	41	36	36	36	43	53	57	57	46	37	33	38
Wed	32	34	43	51	47	41	37	37	37	45	54	61	58	44	37	34	37
Thu	32	35	42	53	46	39	37	36	38	46	56	61	58	47	38	34	39
Fri	32	32	36	39	36	35	37	40	45	59	61	57	52	41	35	34	34
Sat	32	31	31	32	33	36	39	41	40	38	38	37	35	35	34	34	33
Sun	32	31	31	31	32	32	33	36	38	36	36	35	34	34	34	34	37