Best Time to Drive from Boston to Gardner

Right now (6:20 pm EST): about 100 minutes via MA-2 West, usually 89 at this time.

Only 20% 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 Gardner 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	81	84	99	105	100	92	87	89	89	95	116	119	114	99	86	84	84
Tue	81	85	103	110	108	100	91	90	89	99	124	130	130	108	89	84	84
Wed	81	84	99	109	108	101	93	91	90	102	125	131	129	110	91	85	84
Thu	81	84	101	108	106	99	92	90	91	106	128	131	132	114	94	86	85
Fri	81	83	91	96	91	90	91	92	96	115	131	125	114	98	91	86	84
Sat	81	80	81	83	85	90	92	94	96	94	95	92	90	90	88	85	83
Sun	81	81	81	81	83	85	88	92	94	93	92	92	90	88	87	85	84

About this drive

On weekdays the 57-mile drive from Boston to Gardner (via MA-2 West) usually takes as little as 81 minutes and up to 133 minutes, when leaving around 4:30 pm on Thursdays. The fastest times to leave are before 6:30 am or after 7:30 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 93 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 1 pm on Saturdays (96 minutes).

About 26 miles of it is freeway, where times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors, and about 30 miles surface streets (30 to 53 minutes on weekdays), estimated from how jammed the freeways around them are at that time. Drive times are measured from central Boston to central Gardner 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 Gardner?

On weekdays, leave before 6:30 am or after 7:30 pm. The drive usually takes about 81 minutes then, versus up to 133 minutes at the worst times.

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

The 57-mile drive usually takes 81 to 133 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 93 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from Boston to Gardner?

Leaving around 4:30 pm on Thursdays is usually slowest, about 133 minutes.

Boston traffic right now · Boston traffic tomorrow

More drives

Gardner 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	81	84	99	105	100	92	87	89	89	95	116	119	114	99	86	84	84
Tue	81	85	103	110	108	100	91	90	89	99	124	130	130	108	89	84	84
Wed	81	84	99	109	108	101	93	91	90	102	125	131	129	110	91	85	84
Thu	81	84	101	108	106	99	92	90	91	106	128	131	132	114	94	86	85
Fri	81	83	91	96	91	90	91	92	96	115	131	125	114	98	91	86	84
Sat	81	80	81	83	85	90	92	94	96	94	95	92	90	90	88	85	83
Sun	81	81	81	81	83	85	88	92	94	93	92	92	90	88	87	85	84

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	81	84	99	105	100	92	87	89	89	95	116	119	114	99	86	84	84
Tue	81	85	103	110	108	100	91	90	89	99	124	130	130	108	89	84	84
Wed	81	84	99	109	108	101	93	91	90	102	125	131	129	110	91	85	84
Thu	81	84	101	108	106	99	92	90	91	106	128	131	132	114	94	86	85
Fri	81	83	91	96	91	90	91	92	96	115	131	125	114	98	91	86	84
Sat	81	80	81	83	85	90	92	94	96	94	95	92	90	90	88	85	83
Sun	81	81	81	81	83	85	88	92	94	93	92	92	90	88	87	85	84

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	81	84	99	105	100	92	87	89	89	95	116	119	114	99	86	84	84
Tue	81	85	103	110	108	100	91	90	89	99	124	130	130	108	89	84	84
Wed	81	84	99	109	108	101	93	91	90	102	125	131	129	110	91	85	84
Thu	81	84	101	108	106	99	92	90	91	106	128	131	132	114	94	86	85
Fri	81	83	91	96	91	90	91	92	96	115	131	125	114	98	91	86	84
Sat	81	80	81	83	85	90	92	94	96	94	95	92	90	90	88	85	83
Sun	81	81	81	81	83	85	88	92	94	93	92	92	90	88	87	85	84