Best Time to Drive from Natick to Lowell

Right now (4:02 pm EDT): about 96 minutes via I-95 North, usually 91 at this time.

Only 32% 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 35-mile drive from Natick to Lowell (via I-95 North) usually takes as little as 51 minutes and up to 100 minutes, when leaving around 5 pm on Tuesdays. The fastest times to leave are before 7:30 am or after 6:30 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 56 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 5 am on Sundays (53 minutes).

Freeway, about 11 miles: times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors. Surface streets, about 24 miles: 41 to 85 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 Natick (West Central 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 Natick 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	53	53	53	53	53	53	53	53	53	62	87	91	83	70	52	52	55
Tue	51	52	62	94	90	72	62	79	64	69	92	94	100	84	53	53	53
Wed	53	53	53	53	53	53	53	53	53	53	53	53	53	53	53	53	53
Thu	53	53	53	53	53	53	53	53	53	53	53	53	53	53	53	53	53
Fri	53	53	53	53	53	53	53	53	53	53	53	53	53	53	53	53	53
Sat	53	53	53	53	53	53	53	53	53	53	53	53	53	53	53	53	53
Sun	53	53	53	53	53	53	53	53	53	53	53	53	53	53	53	53	53

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 Natick to Lowell?

On weekdays, leave before 7:30 am or after 6:30 pm. The drive usually takes about 51 minutes then, versus up to 100 minutes at the worst times.

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

The 35-mile drive usually takes 51 to 100 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 56 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from Natick to Lowell?

Leaving around 5 pm on Tuesdays is usually slowest, about 100 minutes.

Estimate this drive for any day and departure time →

Freeways on this drive

I-95 North in Boston (9 miles) · I-90 East in Boston (2 miles)

Boston traffic right now

More drives

Natick to Boston · Natick to Cambridge · Natick to Quincy · Natick to Burlington MA · Natick to Braintree · Natick to Peabody · Natick to Andover · Natick to Brockton · Natick to Plymouth MA · Natick 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	53	53	53	53	53	53	53	53	53	62	87	91	83	70	52	52	55
Tue	51	52	62	94	90	72	62	79	64	69	92	94	100	84	53	53	53
Wed	53	53	53	53	53	53	53	53	53	53	53	53	53	53	53	53	53
Thu	53	53	53	53	53	53	53	53	53	53	53	53	53	53	53	53	53
Fri	53	53	53	53	53	53	53	53	53	53	53	53	53	53	53	53	53
Sat	53	53	53	53	53	53	53	53	53	53	53	53	53	53	53	53	53
Sun	53	53	53	53	53	53	53	53	53	53	53	53	53	53	53	53	53

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	53	53	53	53	53	53	53	53	53	62	87	91	83	70	52	52	55
Tue	51	52	62	94	90	72	62	79	64	69	92	94	100	84	53	53	53
Wed	53	53	53	53	53	53	53	53	53	53	53	53	53	53	53	53	53
Thu	53	53	53	53	53	53	53	53	53	53	53	53	53	53	53	53	53
Fri	53	53	53	53	53	53	53	53	53	53	53	53	53	53	53	53	53
Sat	53	53	53	53	53	53	53	53	53	53	53	53	53	53	53	53	53
Sun	53	53	53	53	53	53	53	53	53	53	53	53	53	53	53	53	53

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	53	53	53	53	53	53	53	53	53	62	87	91	83	70	52	52	55
Tue	51	52	62	94	90	72	62	79	64	69	92	94	100	84	53	53	53
Wed	53	53	53	53	53	53	53	53	53	53	53	53	53	53	53	53	53
Thu	53	53	53	53	53	53	53	53	53	53	53	53	53	53	53	53	53
Fri	53	53	53	53	53	53	53	53	53	53	53	53	53	53	53	53	53
Sat	53	53	53	53	53	53	53	53	53	53	53	53	53	53	53	53	53
Sun	53	53	53	53	53	53	53	53	53	53	53	53	53	53	53	53	53