Best Time to Drive from Boston to Providence

Right now (8:35 am EDT): about 72 minutes via I-95 South and I-93 South, usually 62 at this time.

Only 72% 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 Providence 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	53	59	54	54	54	51	52	59	69	75	75	59	49	47	46
Tue	45	46	57	64	60	55	53	51	53	59	74	82	81	68	52	48	47
Wed	44	46	55	63	60	56	54	52	55	60	75	80	82	72	53	50	48
Thu	45	46	54	61	58	55	54	53	53	61	76	81	81	71	56	51	49
Fri	44	45	51	61	58	55	57	56	58	66	80	83	78	65	52	48	47
Sat	44	43	43	44	45	49	55	56	58	59	59	60	56	55	49	48	46
Sun	44	43	43	43	43	46	51	53	54	55	53	54	52	51	49	49	47

About this drive

On weekdays the 50-mile drive from Boston to Providence (via I-95 South and I-93 South) usually takes as little as 44 minutes and up to 84 minutes, when leaving around 3:30 pm on Fridays. The fastest times to leave are before 6:30 am or after 8 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 55 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 2:30 pm on Saturdays (61 minutes).

About 48 miles of it is freeway, where times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors, and about 1.9 miles surface streets (2 to 8 minutes on weekdays), estimated from how jammed the freeways around them are at that time. Drive times are measured from central Boston to central Providence 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 Providence?

On weekdays, leave before 6:30 am or after 8 pm. The drive usually takes about 44 minutes then, versus up to 84 minutes at the worst times.

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

The 50-mile drive usually takes 44 to 84 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 55 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from Boston to Providence?

Leaving around 3:30 pm on Fridays is usually slowest, about 84 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

Providence 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	53	59	54	54	54	51	52	59	69	75	75	59	49	47	46
Tue	45	46	57	64	60	55	53	51	53	59	74	82	81	68	52	48	47
Wed	44	46	55	63	60	56	54	52	55	60	75	80	82	72	53	50	48
Thu	45	46	54	61	58	55	54	53	53	61	76	81	81	71	56	51	49
Fri	44	45	51	61	58	55	57	56	58	66	80	83	78	65	52	48	47
Sat	44	43	43	44	45	49	55	56	58	59	59	60	56	55	49	48	46
Sun	44	43	43	43	43	46	51	53	54	55	53	54	52	51	49	49	47

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	44	46	53	59	54	54	54	51	52	59	69	75	75	59	49	47	46
Tue	45	46	57	64	60	55	53	51	53	59	74	82	81	68	52	48	47
Wed	44	46	55	63	60	56	54	52	55	60	75	80	82	72	53	50	48
Thu	45	46	54	61	58	55	54	53	53	61	76	81	81	71	56	51	49
Fri	44	45	51	61	58	55	57	56	58	66	80	83	78	65	52	48	47
Sat	44	43	43	44	45	49	55	56	58	59	59	60	56	55	49	48	46
Sun	44	43	43	43	43	46	51	53	54	55	53	54	52	51	49	49	47

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	44	46	53	59	54	54	54	51	52	59	69	75	75	59	49	47	46
Tue	45	46	57	64	60	55	53	51	53	59	74	82	81	68	52	48	47
Wed	44	46	55	63	60	56	54	52	55	60	75	80	82	72	53	50	48
Thu	45	46	54	61	58	55	54	53	53	61	76	81	81	71	56	51	49
Fri	44	45	51	61	58	55	57	56	58	66	80	83	78	65	52	48	47
Sat	44	43	43	44	45	49	55	56	58	59	59	60	56	55	49	48	46
Sun	44	43	43	43	43	46	51	53	54	55	53	54	52	51	49	49	47