Best Time to Drive from Gardner to Boston

Right now (6:20 pm EST): about 134 minutes via I-495 North and I-93 South, usually 81 at this time.

Only 67% 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 Gardner to Boston 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	85	102	111	105	93	84	86	84	88	97	99	102	97	83	79	80	84
Tue	86	114	131	124	103	87	83	83	90	100	106	116	108	88	80	80	81
Wed	85	108	129	125	105	92	86	84	91	105	113	119	112	89	81	81	83
Thu	84	107	126	120	101	90	85	85	96	113	120	131	116	94	82	80	82
Fri	80	89	92	89	85	86	89	94	108	116	126	120	108	93	83	80	79
Sat	77	77	77	77	81	84	90	92	93	91	91	88	86	83	80	78	78
Sun	77	76	75	75	78	81	85	90	88	87	86	84	82	82	79	80	81

About this drive

On weekdays the 71-mile drive from Gardner to Boston (via I-495 North and I-93 South) usually takes as little as 79 minutes and up to 131 minutes, when leaving around 4 pm on Thursdays. The fastest times to leave are before 5:30 am or after 6:30 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 93 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 1:30 pm on Saturdays (95 minutes).

About 53 miles of it is freeway, where times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors, and about 18 miles surface streets (15 to 30 minutes on weekdays), estimated from how jammed the freeways around them are at that time. Drive times are measured from central Gardner to central Boston 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 Gardner to Boston?

On weekdays, leave before 5:30 am or after 6:30 pm. The drive usually takes about 79 minutes then, versus up to 131 minutes at the worst times.

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

The 71-mile drive usually takes 79 to 131 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 93 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from Gardner to Boston?

Leaving around 4 pm on Thursdays is usually slowest, about 131 minutes.

Freeways on this drive

I-495 North in Boston (27 miles) · I-93 South in Boston (26 miles)

Boston traffic right now · Boston traffic tomorrow

More drives

Boston to Gardner (return trip) · Gardner to South Boston · Gardner to Worcester

Open the live traffic map →

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	85	102	111	105	93	84	86	84	88	97	99	102	97	83	79	80	84
Tue	86	114	131	124	103	87	83	83	90	100	106	116	108	88	80	80	81
Wed	85	108	129	125	105	92	86	84	91	105	113	119	112	89	81	81	83
Thu	84	107	126	120	101	90	85	85	96	113	120	131	116	94	82	80	82
Fri	80	89	92	89	85	86	89	94	108	116	126	120	108	93	83	80	79
Sat	77	77	77	77	81	84	90	92	93	91	91	88	86	83	80	78	78
Sun	77	76	75	75	78	81	85	90	88	87	86	84	82	82	79	80	81

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	85	102	111	105	93	84	86	84	88	97	99	102	97	83	79	80	84
Tue	86	114	131	124	103	87	83	83	90	100	106	116	108	88	80	80	81
Wed	85	108	129	125	105	92	86	84	91	105	113	119	112	89	81	81	83
Thu	84	107	126	120	101	90	85	85	96	113	120	131	116	94	82	80	82
Fri	80	89	92	89	85	86	89	94	108	116	126	120	108	93	83	80	79
Sat	77	77	77	77	81	84	90	92	93	91	91	88	86	83	80	78	78
Sun	77	76	75	75	78	81	85	90	88	87	86	84	82	82	79	80	81

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	85	102	111	105	93	84	86	84	88	97	99	102	97	83	79	80	84
Tue	86	114	131	124	103	87	83	83	90	100	106	116	108	88	80	80	81
Wed	85	108	129	125	105	92	86	84	91	105	113	119	112	89	81	81	83
Thu	84	107	126	120	101	90	85	85	96	113	120	131	116	94	82	80	82
Fri	80	89	92	89	85	86	89	94	108	116	126	120	108	93	83	80	79
Sat	77	77	77	77	81	84	90	92	93	91	91	88	86	83	80	78	78
Sun	77	76	75	75	78	81	85	90	88	87	86	84	82	82	79	80	81