Best Time to Drive from New Bedford to Boston

Right now (9:17 pm EDT): about 55 minutes via MA-24 North and MA-140 North and I-93 North, usually 57 at this time.

Only 78% 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 New Bedford 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	62	79	89	86	77	69	64	65	67	73	73	71	74	66	57	56	57
Tue	62	85	98	100	89	76	67	63	65	73	74	76	79	69	59	56	57
Wed	60	82	98	98	88	75	68	65	65	72	75	76	78	70	59	56	57
Thu	62	83	95	98	86	76	68	66	69	76	78	79	79	71	60	56	58
Fri	59	72	73	72	70	72	72	73	76	82	84	80	79	74	64	56	57
Sat	52	52	53	54	59	67	72	74	73	73	70	67	66	66	59	56	56
Sun	53	52	52	53	55	61	65	70	70	70	66	62	62	64	60	59	58

About this drive

On weekdays the 59-mile drive from New Bedford to Boston (via MA-24 North and MA-140 North and I-93 North) usually takes as little as 55 minutes and up to 103 minutes, when leaving around 7:30 am on Tuesdays. The fastest times to leave are after 7 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 69 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 12 pm on Saturdays (74 minutes).

About 56 miles of it is freeway, where times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors, and about 3 miles surface streets (3 to 4 minutes on weekdays), estimated from how jammed the freeways around them are at that time. Drive times are measured from central New Bedford 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 New Bedford to Boston?

On weekdays, leave after 7 pm. The drive usually takes about 55 minutes then, versus up to 103 minutes at the worst times.

How long does it take to drive from New Bedford to Boston?

The 59-mile drive usually takes 55 to 103 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 69 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from New Bedford to Boston?

Leaving around 7:30 am on Tuesdays is usually slowest, about 103 minutes.

Freeways on this drive

MA-24 North in Boston (18 miles) · I-93 North in Boston (17 miles)

Boston traffic right now · Boston traffic tomorrow

More drives

Boston to New Bedford (return trip) · New Bedford to South Boston

Open the live traffic map →

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	62	79	89	86	77	69	64	65	67	73	73	71	74	66	57	56	57
Tue	62	85	98	100	89	76	67	63	65	73	74	76	79	69	59	56	57
Wed	60	82	98	98	88	75	68	65	65	72	75	76	78	70	59	56	57
Thu	62	83	95	98	86	76	68	66	69	76	78	79	79	71	60	56	58
Fri	59	72	73	72	70	72	72	73	76	82	84	80	79	74	64	56	57
Sat	52	52	53	54	59	67	72	74	73	73	70	67	66	66	59	56	56
Sun	53	52	52	53	55	61	65	70	70	70	66	62	62	64	60	59	58

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	62	79	89	86	77	69	64	65	67	73	73	71	74	66	57	56	57
Tue	62	85	98	100	89	76	67	63	65	73	74	76	79	69	59	56	57
Wed	60	82	98	98	88	75	68	65	65	72	75	76	78	70	59	56	57
Thu	62	83	95	98	86	76	68	66	69	76	78	79	79	71	60	56	58
Fri	59	72	73	72	70	72	72	73	76	82	84	80	79	74	64	56	57
Sat	52	52	53	54	59	67	72	74	73	73	70	67	66	66	59	56	56
Sun	53	52	52	53	55	61	65	70	70	70	66	62	62	64	60	59	58

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	62	79	89	86	77	69	64	65	67	73	73	71	74	66	57	56	57
Tue	62	85	98	100	89	76	67	63	65	73	74	76	79	69	59	56	57
Wed	60	82	98	98	88	75	68	65	65	72	75	76	78	70	59	56	57
Thu	62	83	95	98	86	76	68	66	69	76	78	79	79	71	60	56	58
Fri	59	72	73	72	70	72	72	73	76	82	84	80	79	74	64	56	57
Sat	52	52	53	54	59	67	72	74	73	73	70	67	66	66	59	56	56
Sun	53	52	52	53	55	61	65	70	70	70	66	62	62	64	60	59	58