Best Time to Drive from New Bedford to Boston

Right now (10:20 pm EST): about 54 minutes via MA-24 North and MA-140 North and I-93 North.

Only 68% 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	81	91	89	78	68	63	64	66	72	72	71	74	66	57	55	57
Tue	62	87	101	100	89	76	66	62	65	72	73	75	78	69	59	56	56
Wed	62	85	100	100	88	75	67	64	65	71	75	76	79	71	59	56	57
Thu	62	84	98	98	85	75	67	65	68	75	78	79	80	71	60	56	58
Fri	59	73	75	73	70	72	71	72	76	82	83	80	78	75	64	57	57
Sat	52	53	53	54	58	66	71	72	72	72	70	68	67	67	60	56	56
Sun	53	52	52	53	54	61	66	70	70	70	66	63	62	65	61	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 105 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 68 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 2 pm on Saturdays (72 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 105 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 105 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 68 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from New Bedford to Boston?

Leaving around 7:30 am on Tuesdays is usually slowest, about 105 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 · New Bedford to Worcester · New Bedford to Providence · New Bedford to Brockton · New Bedford to Fall River · New Bedford to Quincy · New Bedford to Lynn · New Bedford to Newton · New Bedford to Warwick · New Bedford to Pawtucket · New Bedford to Framingham

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	81	91	89	78	68	63	64	66	72	72	71	74	66	57	55	57
Tue	62	87	101	100	89	76	66	62	65	72	73	75	78	69	59	56	56
Wed	62	85	100	100	88	75	67	64	65	71	75	76	79	71	59	56	57
Thu	62	84	98	98	85	75	67	65	68	75	78	79	80	71	60	56	58
Fri	59	73	75	73	70	72	71	72	76	82	83	80	78	75	64	57	57
Sat	52	53	53	54	58	66	71	72	72	72	70	68	67	67	60	56	56
Sun	53	52	52	53	54	61	66	70	70	70	66	63	62	65	61	59	58

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	62	81	91	89	78	68	63	64	66	72	72	71	74	66	57	55	57
Tue	62	87	101	100	89	76	66	62	65	72	73	75	78	69	59	56	56
Wed	62	85	100	100	88	75	67	64	65	71	75	76	79	71	59	56	57
Thu	62	84	98	98	85	75	67	65	68	75	78	79	80	71	60	56	58
Fri	59	73	75	73	70	72	71	72	76	82	83	80	78	75	64	57	57
Sat	52	53	53	54	58	66	71	72	72	72	70	68	67	67	60	56	56
Sun	53	52	52	53	54	61	66	70	70	70	66	63	62	65	61	59	58

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	62	81	91	89	78	68	63	64	66	72	72	71	74	66	57	55	57
Tue	62	87	101	100	89	76	66	62	65	72	73	75	78	69	59	56	56
Wed	62	85	100	100	88	75	67	64	65	71	75	76	79	71	59	56	57
Thu	62	84	98	98	85	75	67	65	68	75	78	79	80	71	60	56	58
Fri	59	73	75	73	70	72	71	72	76	82	83	80	78	75	64	57	57
Sat	52	53	53	54	58	66	71	72	72	72	70	68	67	67	60	56	56
Sun	53	52	52	53	54	61	66	70	70	70	66	63	62	65	61	59	58