Best Time to Drive from New Bedford to South Boston

Right now (9:17 pm EDT): about 52 minutes via MA-24 North and MA-140 North and I-93 North, usually 53 at this time.

Only 79% 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 South 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	59	75	84	81	72	65	60	60	62	69	68	66	69	64	53	52	53
Tue	58	80	92	95	84	71	62	58	60	67	68	69	73	65	55	53	53
Wed	57	77	92	92	83	70	63	60	60	66	69	69	72	66	56	53	54
Thu	59	78	90	92	80	71	63	61	63	70	71	72	73	66	56	53	54
Fri	56	67	69	68	65	66	66	66	70	76	78	75	74	70	60	53	54
Sat	49	50	50	51	54	61	66	68	67	67	64	62	61	61	55	53	53
Sun	50	49	49	50	51	57	61	63	65	65	61	58	58	60	56	55	55

About this drive

On weekdays the 56-mile drive from New Bedford to South Boston (via MA-24 North and MA-140 North and I-93 North) usually takes as little as 52 minutes and up to 96 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 63 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 12:30 pm on Saturdays (68 minutes).

About 54 miles of it is freeway, where times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors, and about 2 miles surface streets (2 to 3 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 South 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 South Boston?

On weekdays, leave after 7 pm. The drive usually takes about 52 minutes then, versus up to 96 minutes at the worst times.

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

The 56-mile drive usually takes 52 to 96 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 63 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from New Bedford to South Boston?

Leaving around 7:30 am on Tuesdays is usually slowest, about 96 minutes.

Freeways on this drive

MA-24 North in Boston (18 miles) · I-93 North in Boston (15 miles)

Boston traffic right now · Boston traffic tomorrow

More drives

South Boston to New Bedford (return trip) · New Bedford to 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	59	75	84	81	72	65	60	60	62	69	68	66	69	64	53	52	53
Tue	58	80	92	95	84	71	62	58	60	67	68	69	73	65	55	53	53
Wed	57	77	92	92	83	70	63	60	60	66	69	69	72	66	56	53	54
Thu	59	78	90	92	80	71	63	61	63	70	71	72	73	66	56	53	54
Fri	56	67	69	68	65	66	66	66	70	76	78	75	74	70	60	53	54
Sat	49	50	50	51	54	61	66	68	67	67	64	62	61	61	55	53	53
Sun	50	49	49	50	51	57	61	63	65	65	61	58	58	60	56	55	55

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	59	75	84	81	72	65	60	60	62	69	68	66	69	64	53	52	53
Tue	58	80	92	95	84	71	62	58	60	67	68	69	73	65	55	53	53
Wed	57	77	92	92	83	70	63	60	60	66	69	69	72	66	56	53	54
Thu	59	78	90	92	80	71	63	61	63	70	71	72	73	66	56	53	54
Fri	56	67	69	68	65	66	66	66	70	76	78	75	74	70	60	53	54
Sat	49	50	50	51	54	61	66	68	67	67	64	62	61	61	55	53	53
Sun	50	49	49	50	51	57	61	63	65	65	61	58	58	60	56	55	55

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	59	75	84	81	72	65	60	60	62	69	68	66	69	64	53	52	53
Tue	58	80	92	95	84	71	62	58	60	67	68	69	73	65	55	53	53
Wed	57	77	92	92	83	70	63	60	60	66	69	69	72	66	56	53	54
Thu	59	78	90	92	80	71	63	61	63	70	71	72	73	66	56	53	54
Fri	56	67	69	68	65	66	66	66	70	76	78	75	74	70	60	53	54
Sat	49	50	50	51	54	61	66	68	67	67	64	62	61	61	55	53	53
Sun	50	49	49	50	51	57	61	63	65	65	61	58	58	60	56	55	55