Best Time to Drive from Boston to Lincoln

Right now (9:53 pm EDT): about 46 minutes via I-95 South and I-93 South, usually 47 at this time.

Only 77% 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 Lincoln 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	44	46	52	57	53	53	54	51	52	58	69	79	78	58	48	46	45
Tue	44	47	57	63	59	54	52	51	52	58	74	85	85	67	52	48	46
Wed	44	46	54	62	60	55	53	52	54	60	75	84	85	70	52	49	47
Thu	44	47	54	61	57	54	53	53	53	61	77	85	85	70	55	50	48
Fri	44	45	50	59	57	54	56	55	58	66	84	89	84	67	51	48	46
Sat	43	42	43	43	44	48	55	56	57	59	58	59	55	54	48	48	46
Sun	43	42	42	42	43	45	50	52	54	53	51	52	50	50	48	48	46

About this drive

On weekdays the 48-mile drive from Boston to Lincoln (via I-95 South and I-93 South) usually takes as little as 44 minutes and up to 90 minutes, when leaving around 3:30 pm on Fridays. The fastest times to leave are before 6:30 am or after 8:30 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 54 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 2:30 pm on Saturdays (60 minutes).

About 44 miles of it is freeway, where times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors, and about 4 miles surface streets (6 to 12 minutes on weekdays), estimated from how jammed the freeways around them are at that time. Drive times are measured from central Boston to central Lincoln 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 Lincoln?

On weekdays, leave before 6:30 am or after 8:30 pm. The drive usually takes about 44 minutes then, versus up to 90 minutes at the worst times.

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

The 48-mile drive usually takes 44 to 90 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 54 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from Boston to Lincoln?

Leaving around 3:30 pm on Fridays is usually slowest, about 90 minutes.

Freeways on this drive

I-93 South in Boston (13 miles) · I-95 South in Boston (12 miles) · I-93 North in Boston (3 miles)

Boston traffic right now · Boston traffic tomorrow

More drives

Lincoln 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	44	46	52	57	53	53	54	51	52	58	69	79	78	58	48	46	45
Tue	44	47	57	63	59	54	52	51	52	58	74	85	85	67	52	48	46
Wed	44	46	54	62	60	55	53	52	54	60	75	84	85	70	52	49	47
Thu	44	47	54	61	57	54	53	53	53	61	77	85	85	70	55	50	48
Fri	44	45	50	59	57	54	56	55	58	66	84	89	84	67	51	48	46
Sat	43	42	43	43	44	48	55	56	57	59	58	59	55	54	48	48	46
Sun	43	42	42	42	43	45	50	52	54	53	51	52	50	50	48	48	46

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	44	46	52	57	53	53	54	51	52	58	69	79	78	58	48	46	45
Tue	44	47	57	63	59	54	52	51	52	58	74	85	85	67	52	48	46
Wed	44	46	54	62	60	55	53	52	54	60	75	84	85	70	52	49	47
Thu	44	47	54	61	57	54	53	53	53	61	77	85	85	70	55	50	48
Fri	44	45	50	59	57	54	56	55	58	66	84	89	84	67	51	48	46
Sat	43	42	43	43	44	48	55	56	57	59	58	59	55	54	48	48	46
Sun	43	42	42	42	43	45	50	52	54	53	51	52	50	50	48	48	46

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	44	46	52	57	53	53	54	51	52	58	69	79	78	58	48	46	45
Tue	44	47	57	63	59	54	52	51	52	58	74	85	85	67	52	48	46
Wed	44	46	54	62	60	55	53	52	54	60	75	84	85	70	52	49	47
Thu	44	47	54	61	57	54	53	53	53	61	77	85	85	70	55	50	48
Fri	44	45	50	59	57	54	56	55	58	66	84	89	84	67	51	48	46
Sat	43	42	43	43	44	48	55	56	57	59	58	59	55	54	48	48	46
Sun	43	42	42	42	43	45	50	52	54	53	51	52	50	50	48	48	46