Best Time to Drive from Portsmouth to Boston

Right now (9:48 pm EDT): about 66 minutes via MA-24 North and I-93 North, usually 65 at this time.

Only 58% 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 Portsmouth 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	77	92	100	95	86	79	76	76	76	84	83	81	82	76	66	65	67
Tue	78	102	113	108	96	86	76	72	75	83	84	86	88	78	66	66	67
Wed	77	99	114	109	96	86	78	74	76	82	85	86	87	80	67	65	68
Thu	78	98	107	104	94	85	79	76	80	86	88	89	88	80	68	66	68
Fri	73	85	84	83	81	83	84	83	87	92	92	90	88	84	69	66	67
Sat	63	63	64	65	71	78	83	84	83	83	79	78	76	76	69	67	67
Sun	63	62	62	63	66	73	77	80	80	81	76	73	72	73	71	69	68

About this drive

On weekdays the 63-mile drive from Portsmouth to Boston (via MA-24 North and I-93 North) usually takes as little as 65 minutes and up to 114 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 79 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 12 pm on Saturdays (84 minutes).

About 51 miles of it is freeway, where times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors, and about 12 miles surface streets (8 to 9 minutes on weekdays), estimated from how jammed the freeways around them are at that time. Drive times are measured from central Portsmouth 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 Portsmouth to Boston?

On weekdays, leave after 7 pm. The drive usually takes about 65 minutes then, versus up to 114 minutes at the worst times.

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

The 63-mile drive usually takes 65 to 114 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 79 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from Portsmouth to Boston?

Leaving around 7:30 am on Tuesdays is usually slowest, about 114 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 Portsmouth (return trip)

Open the live traffic map →

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	77	92	100	95	86	79	76	76	76	84	83	81	82	76	66	65	67
Tue	78	102	113	108	96	86	76	72	75	83	84	86	88	78	66	66	67
Wed	77	99	114	109	96	86	78	74	76	82	85	86	87	80	67	65	68
Thu	78	98	107	104	94	85	79	76	80	86	88	89	88	80	68	66	68
Fri	73	85	84	83	81	83	84	83	87	92	92	90	88	84	69	66	67
Sat	63	63	64	65	71	78	83	84	83	83	79	78	76	76	69	67	67
Sun	63	62	62	63	66	73	77	80	80	81	76	73	72	73	71	69	68

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	77	92	100	95	86	79	76	76	76	84	83	81	82	76	66	65	67
Tue	78	102	113	108	96	86	76	72	75	83	84	86	88	78	66	66	67
Wed	77	99	114	109	96	86	78	74	76	82	85	86	87	80	67	65	68
Thu	78	98	107	104	94	85	79	76	80	86	88	89	88	80	68	66	68
Fri	73	85	84	83	81	83	84	83	87	92	92	90	88	84	69	66	67
Sat	63	63	64	65	71	78	83	84	83	83	79	78	76	76	69	67	67
Sun	63	62	62	63	66	73	77	80	80	81	76	73	72	73	71	69	68

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	77	92	100	95	86	79	76	76	76	84	83	81	82	76	66	65	67
Tue	78	102	113	108	96	86	76	72	75	83	84	86	88	78	66	66	67
Wed	77	99	114	109	96	86	78	74	76	82	85	86	87	80	67	65	68
Thu	78	98	107	104	94	85	79	76	80	86	88	89	88	80	68	66	68
Fri	73	85	84	83	81	83	84	83	87	92	92	90	88	84	69	66	67
Sat	63	63	64	65	71	78	83	84	83	83	79	78	76	76	69	67	67
Sun	63	62	62	63	66	73	77	80	80	81	76	73	72	73	71	69	68