Best Time to Drive from Boston to Gloucester

Right now (8:03 pm EDT): about 39 minutes via MA-128 North and I-93 North and I-95 North, usually 39 at this time.

Only 68% 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 Gloucester 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	37	38	46	54	48	43	42	42	43	44	49	52	50	46	39	38	40
Tue	37	38	49	57	54	46	43	43	42	45	50	54	56	50	41	39	42
Wed	37	38	47	56	52	46	44	44	43	46	52	57	57	50	41	39	41
Thu	38	38	47	59	55	45	44	43	44	47	53	57	57	52	43	39	42
Fri	37	37	42	46	43	42	45	47	50	53	57	58	56	49	41	39	39
Sat	38	37	37	37	38	42	48	50	49	47	46	44	41	40	39	39	38
Sun	38	37	36	36	37	38	41	43	45	42	41	40	40	39	39	39	42

About this drive

On weekdays the 40-mile drive from Boston to Gloucester (via MA-128 North and I-93 North and I-95 North) usually takes as little as 37 minutes and up to 59 minutes, when leaving around 8 am on Thursdays. The fastest times to leave are before 6:30 am. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 44 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 12 pm on Saturdays (50 minutes).

About 38 miles of it is freeway, where times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors, and about 2 miles surface streets (3 to 7 minutes on weekdays), estimated from how jammed the freeways around them are at that time. Drive times are measured from central Boston to central Gloucester 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 Gloucester?

On weekdays, leave before 6:30 am. The drive usually takes about 37 minutes then, versus up to 59 minutes at the worst times.

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

The 40-mile drive usually takes 37 to 59 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 44 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from Boston to Gloucester?

Leaving around 8 am on Thursdays is usually slowest, about 59 minutes.

Freeways on this drive

I-93 North in Boston (9 miles) · I-95 North in Boston (8 miles) · I-95 South in Boston (5 miles)

Boston traffic right now · Boston traffic tomorrow

More drives

Gloucester 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	37	38	46	54	48	43	42	42	43	44	49	52	50	46	39	38	40
Tue	37	38	49	57	54	46	43	43	42	45	50	54	56	50	41	39	42
Wed	37	38	47	56	52	46	44	44	43	46	52	57	57	50	41	39	41
Thu	38	38	47	59	55	45	44	43	44	47	53	57	57	52	43	39	42
Fri	37	37	42	46	43	42	45	47	50	53	57	58	56	49	41	39	39
Sat	38	37	37	37	38	42	48	50	49	47	46	44	41	40	39	39	38
Sun	38	37	36	36	37	38	41	43	45	42	41	40	40	39	39	39	42

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	37	38	46	54	48	43	42	42	43	44	49	52	50	46	39	38	40
Tue	37	38	49	57	54	46	43	43	42	45	50	54	56	50	41	39	42
Wed	37	38	47	56	52	46	44	44	43	46	52	57	57	50	41	39	41
Thu	38	38	47	59	55	45	44	43	44	47	53	57	57	52	43	39	42
Fri	37	37	42	46	43	42	45	47	50	53	57	58	56	49	41	39	39
Sat	38	37	37	37	38	42	48	50	49	47	46	44	41	40	39	39	38
Sun	38	37	36	36	37	38	41	43	45	42	41	40	40	39	39	39	42

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	37	38	46	54	48	43	42	42	43	44	49	52	50	46	39	38	40
Tue	37	38	49	57	54	46	43	43	42	45	50	54	56	50	41	39	42
Wed	37	38	47	56	52	46	44	44	43	46	52	57	57	50	41	39	41
Thu	38	38	47	59	55	45	44	43	44	47	53	57	57	52	43	39	42
Fri	37	37	42	46	43	42	45	47	50	53	57	58	56	49	41	39	39
Sat	38	37	37	37	38	42	48	50	49	47	46	44	41	40	39	39	38
Sun	38	37	36	36	37	38	41	43	45	42	41	40	40	39	39	39	42