Best Time to Drive from Lowell to Boston

Right now (4:02 pm EDT): about 67 minutes via I-93 South, usually 60 at this time.

Only 59% 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 31-mile drive from Lowell to Boston (via I-93 South) usually takes as little as 39 minutes and up to 68 minutes, when leaving around 8 am on Tuesdays. The fastest times to leave are before 6 am. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 41 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 5 am on Sundays (41 minutes).

⇄ Reverse trip: Boston to Lowell

Freeway, about 18 miles: times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors. Surface streets, about 13 miles: 22 to 37 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 Lowell (Hale Street) to central Boston (Franklin Avenue) 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 Lowell 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	41	41	41	41	41	41	41	46	41	42	47	60	58	45	39	39	52
Tue	39	54	55	68	62	49	42	40	40	42	48	47	51	57	43	41	41
Wed	41	41	41	41	41	41	41	41	41	41	41	41	41	41	41	41	41
Thu	41	41	41	41	41	41	41	41	41	41	41	41	41	41	41	41	41
Fri	41	41	41	41	41	41	41	41	41	41	41	41	41	41	41	41	41
Sat	41	41	41	41	41	41	41	41	41	41	41	41	41	41	41	41	41
Sun	41	41	41	41	41	41	41	41	41	41	41	41	41	41	41	41	41

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 Lowell to Boston?

On weekdays, leave before 6 am. The drive usually takes about 39 minutes then, versus up to 68 minutes at the worst times.

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

The 31-mile drive usually takes 39 to 68 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 41 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from Lowell to Boston?

Leaving around 8 am on Tuesdays is usually slowest, about 68 minutes.

Estimate this drive for any day and departure time →

Freeways on this drive

I-93 South in Boston (16 miles) · I-495 North in Boston (3 miles)

Boston traffic right now

More drives

Boston to Lowell (return trip) · Lowell to Cambridge · Lowell to Quincy · Lowell to Newton · Lowell to Waltham · Lowell to Framingham · Lowell to Braintree · Lowell to Dedham · Lowell to Peabody · Lowell to Brockton · Lowell to Plymouth MA · Lowell 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	41	41	41	41	41	41	41	46	41	42	47	60	58	45	39	39	52
Tue	39	54	55	68	62	49	42	40	40	42	48	47	51	57	43	41	41
Wed	41	41	41	41	41	41	41	41	41	41	41	41	41	41	41	41	41
Thu	41	41	41	41	41	41	41	41	41	41	41	41	41	41	41	41	41
Fri	41	41	41	41	41	41	41	41	41	41	41	41	41	41	41	41	41
Sat	41	41	41	41	41	41	41	41	41	41	41	41	41	41	41	41	41
Sun	41	41	41	41	41	41	41	41	41	41	41	41	41	41	41	41	41

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	41	41	41	41	41	41	41	46	41	42	47	60	58	45	39	39	52
Tue	39	54	55	68	62	49	42	40	40	42	48	47	51	57	43	41	41
Wed	41	41	41	41	41	41	41	41	41	41	41	41	41	41	41	41	41
Thu	41	41	41	41	41	41	41	41	41	41	41	41	41	41	41	41	41
Fri	41	41	41	41	41	41	41	41	41	41	41	41	41	41	41	41	41
Sat	41	41	41	41	41	41	41	41	41	41	41	41	41	41	41	41	41
Sun	41	41	41	41	41	41	41	41	41	41	41	41	41	41	41	41	41

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	41	41	41	41	41	41	41	46	41	42	47	60	58	45	39	39	52
Tue	39	54	55	68	62	49	42	40	40	42	48	47	51	57	43	41	41
Wed	41	41	41	41	41	41	41	41	41	41	41	41	41	41	41	41	41
Thu	41	41	41	41	41	41	41	41	41	41	41	41	41	41	41	41	41
Fri	41	41	41	41	41	41	41	41	41	41	41	41	41	41	41	41	41
Sat	41	41	41	41	41	41	41	41	41	41	41	41	41	41	41	41	41
Sun	41	41	41	41	41	41	41	41	41	41	41	41	41	41	41	41	41