Best Time to Drive from Rochester to Boston

Right now (8:34 pm EDT): about 94 minutes via I-95 South and I-93 South, usually 86 at this time.

Only 55% 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 Rochester 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	88	105	114	103	93	87	90	89	95	101	97	96	94	86	85	87	88
Tue	89	118	135	122	104	90	88	88	97	104	103	105	101	87	86	87	86
Wed	88	110	130	121	101	92	88	88	97	107	107	107	103	89	86	87	87
Thu	88	110	126	115	98	92	88	90	100	111	106	109	105	91	86	87	87
Fri	86	93	96	91	88	90	89	93	103	102	102	99	96	90	86	86	85
Sat	83	83	83	84	88	89	92	94	94	94	95	93	93	89	87	85	84
Sun	83	82	82	82	85	87	91	94	93	94	93	91	91	89	86	86	85

About this drive

On weekdays the 81-mile drive from Rochester to Boston (via I-95 South and I-93 South) usually takes as little as 85 minutes and up to 135 minutes, when leaving around 7 am on Tuesdays. The fastest times to leave are before 5:30 am or after 6 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 95 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 2:30 pm on Saturdays (97 minutes).

About 50 miles of it is freeway, where times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors, and about 31 miles surface streets (about 12 minutes), estimated from how jammed the freeways around them are at that time. Drive times are measured from central Rochester 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 Rochester to Boston?

On weekdays, leave before 5:30 am or after 6 pm. The drive usually takes about 85 minutes then, versus up to 135 minutes at the worst times.

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

The 81-mile drive usually takes 85 to 135 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 95 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from Rochester to Boston?

Leaving around 7 am on Tuesdays is usually slowest, about 135 minutes.

Freeways on this drive

I-95 South in Boston (32 miles) · I-93 South in Boston (18 miles)

Boston traffic right now · Boston traffic tomorrow

More drives

Boston to Rochester (return trip) · Rochester 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	88	105	114	103	93	87	90	89	95	101	97	96	94	86	85	87	88
Tue	89	118	135	122	104	90	88	88	97	104	103	105	101	87	86	87	86
Wed	88	110	130	121	101	92	88	88	97	107	107	107	103	89	86	87	87
Thu	88	110	126	115	98	92	88	90	100	111	106	109	105	91	86	87	87
Fri	86	93	96	91	88	90	89	93	103	102	102	99	96	90	86	86	85
Sat	83	83	83	84	88	89	92	94	94	94	95	93	93	89	87	85	84
Sun	83	82	82	82	85	87	91	94	93	94	93	91	91	89	86	86	85

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	88	105	114	103	93	87	90	89	95	101	97	96	94	86	85	87	88
Tue	89	118	135	122	104	90	88	88	97	104	103	105	101	87	86	87	86
Wed	88	110	130	121	101	92	88	88	97	107	107	107	103	89	86	87	87
Thu	88	110	126	115	98	92	88	90	100	111	106	109	105	91	86	87	87
Fri	86	93	96	91	88	90	89	93	103	102	102	99	96	90	86	86	85
Sat	83	83	83	84	88	89	92	94	94	94	95	93	93	89	87	85	84
Sun	83	82	82	82	85	87	91	94	93	94	93	91	91	89	86	86	85

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	88	105	114	103	93	87	90	89	95	101	97	96	94	86	85	87	88
Tue	89	118	135	122	104	90	88	88	97	104	103	105	101	87	86	87	86
Wed	88	110	130	121	101	92	88	88	97	107	107	107	103	89	86	87	87
Thu	88	110	126	115	98	92	88	90	100	111	106	109	105	91	86	87	87
Fri	86	93	96	91	88	90	89	93	103	102	102	99	96	90	86	86	85
Sat	83	83	83	84	88	89	92	94	94	94	95	93	93	89	87	85	84
Sun	83	82	82	82	85	87	91	94	93	94	93	91	91	89	86	86	85