Best Time to Drive from Cambridge to Lowell

Right now (2:47 pm EDT): about 41 minutes via I-95 South and US-3 North, usually 43 at this time.

Only 64% 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.

On weekdays the 25-mile drive from Cambridge to Lowell (via I-95 South and US-3 North) usually takes as little as 29 minutes and up to 59 minutes, when leaving around 8 am on Tuesdays. The fastest times to leave are before 6:30 am. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 34 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 12:30 pm on Saturdays (36 minutes).

⇄ Reverse trip: Lowell to Cambridge

Freeway, about 18 miles: times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors. Surface streets, about 7 miles: 14 to 26 minutes on weekdays, estimated from how jammed the freeways around them are at that time (we don't have street sensors yet). Drive times are measured from central Cambridge (Ellery Street) to central Lowell (Hale Street) along the route shown. Starting or ending elsewhere in a big city can add or save several minutes.

Typical drive time by departure time

Minutes from Cambridge to Lowell 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	30	30	40	47	40	33	32	32	33	34	37	45	46	39	31	31	33
Tue	30	30	45	59	52	36	33	33	32	34	43	52	54	44	32	30	35
Wed	30	30	43	57	49	38	34	34	33	37	45	52	56	44	33	31	34
Thu	30	30	42	52	46	36	34	33	34	36	47	53	57	48	33	31	33
Fri	30	30	35	36	33	32	35	35	36	44	50	49	45	37	32	31	32
Sat	30	29	29	30	30	31	34	35	35	34	34	33	32	32	31	31	30
Sun	30	30	29	29	29	29	31	33	34	32	32	32	31	31	31	31	31

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 Cambridge to Lowell?

On weekdays, leave before 6:30 am. The drive usually takes about 29 minutes then, versus up to 59 minutes at the worst times.

How long does it take to drive from Cambridge to Lowell?

The 25-mile drive usually takes 29 to 59 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 34 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from Cambridge to Lowell?

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

Estimate this drive for any day and departure time →

Freeways on this drive

I-95 South in Boston (11 miles)

Boston traffic right now · Boston traffic tomorrow

More drives

Lowell to Cambridge (return trip) · Cambridge to Quincy · Cambridge to Newton · Cambridge to Framingham · Cambridge to Worcester · Cambridge to Braintree · Cambridge to Peabody · Cambridge to Andover · Cambridge to Brockton · Cambridge to Plymouth MA · Cambridge to Natick · Cambridge to BOS

Open the live traffic map →

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	30	30	40	47	40	33	32	32	33	34	37	45	46	39	31	31	33
Tue	30	30	45	59	52	36	33	33	32	34	43	52	54	44	32	30	35
Wed	30	30	43	57	49	38	34	34	33	37	45	52	56	44	33	31	34
Thu	30	30	42	52	46	36	34	33	34	36	47	53	57	48	33	31	33
Fri	30	30	35	36	33	32	35	35	36	44	50	49	45	37	32	31	32
Sat	30	29	29	30	30	31	34	35	35	34	34	33	32	32	31	31	30
Sun	30	30	29	29	29	29	31	33	34	32	32	32	31	31	31	31	31

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	30	30	40	47	40	33	32	32	33	34	37	45	46	39	31	31	33
Tue	30	30	45	59	52	36	33	33	32	34	43	52	54	44	32	30	35
Wed	30	30	43	57	49	38	34	34	33	37	45	52	56	44	33	31	34
Thu	30	30	42	52	46	36	34	33	34	36	47	53	57	48	33	31	33
Fri	30	30	35	36	33	32	35	35	36	44	50	49	45	37	32	31	32
Sat	30	29	29	30	30	31	34	35	35	34	34	33	32	32	31	31	30
Sun	30	30	29	29	29	29	31	33	34	32	32	32	31	31	31	31	31

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	30	30	40	47	40	33	32	32	33	34	37	45	46	39	31	31	33
Tue	30	30	45	59	52	36	33	33	32	34	43	52	54	44	32	30	35
Wed	30	30	43	57	49	38	34	34	33	37	45	52	56	44	33	31	34
Thu	30	30	42	52	46	36	34	33	34	36	47	53	57	48	33	31	33
Fri	30	30	35	36	33	32	35	35	36	44	50	49	45	37	32	31	32
Sat	30	29	29	30	30	31	34	35	35	34	34	33	32	32	31	31	30
Sun	30	30	29	29	29	29	31	33	34	32	32	32	31	31	31	31	31