Best Time to Drive from Salem to Boston

Right now (8:03 pm EDT): about 35 minutes via I-93 South, usually 35 at this time.

Typical drive time by departure time

Minutes from Salem 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	32	44	54	59	47	39	36	39	37	45	50	45	45	41	34	33	35
Tue	32	48	69	77	64	47	38	36	36	47	54	52	58	50	36	34	35
Wed	32	45	65	76	63	46	39	36	37	48	56	57	58	52	37	35	35
Thu	32	45	61	69	58	44	38	36	39	50	59	56	58	53	38	35	36
Fri	32	37	43	43	39	37	38	38	42	52	53	52	48	43	38	35	34
Sat	32	32	32	32	33	37	38	41	41	41	43	42	41	41	37	35	34
Sun	32	31	31	32	32	35	36	40	42	43	42	40	38	38	36	35	35

About this drive

On weekdays the 34-mile drive from Salem to Boston (via I-93 South) usually takes as little as 32 minutes and up to 77 minutes, when leaving around 8 am on Tuesdays. The fastest times to leave are before 5:30 am. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 40 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 2:30 pm on Sundays (43 minutes).

About 30 miles of it is freeway, where times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors, and about 4 miles surface streets (5 to 9 minutes on weekdays), estimated from how jammed the freeways around them are at that time. Drive times are measured from central Salem 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 Salem to Boston?

On weekdays, leave before 5:30 am. The drive usually takes about 32 minutes then, versus up to 77 minutes at the worst times.

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

The 34-mile drive usually takes 32 to 77 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 40 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from Salem to Boston?

Leaving around 8 am on Tuesdays is usually slowest, about 77 minutes.

Freeways on this drive

I-93 South in Boston (30 miles)

Boston traffic right now · Boston traffic tomorrow

More drives

Boston to Salem (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	32	44	54	59	47	39	36	39	37	45	50	45	45	41	34	33	35
Tue	32	48	69	77	64	47	38	36	36	47	54	52	58	50	36	34	35
Wed	32	45	65	76	63	46	39	36	37	48	56	57	58	52	37	35	35
Thu	32	45	61	69	58	44	38	36	39	50	59	56	58	53	38	35	36
Fri	32	37	43	43	39	37	38	38	42	52	53	52	48	43	38	35	34
Sat	32	32	32	32	33	37	38	41	41	41	43	42	41	41	37	35	34
Sun	32	31	31	32	32	35	36	40	42	43	42	40	38	38	36	35	35

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	32	44	54	59	47	39	36	39	37	45	50	45	45	41	34	33	35
Tue	32	48	69	77	64	47	38	36	36	47	54	52	58	50	36	34	35
Wed	32	45	65	76	63	46	39	36	37	48	56	57	58	52	37	35	35
Thu	32	45	61	69	58	44	38	36	39	50	59	56	58	53	38	35	36
Fri	32	37	43	43	39	37	38	38	42	52	53	52	48	43	38	35	34
Sat	32	32	32	32	33	37	38	41	41	41	43	42	41	41	37	35	34
Sun	32	31	31	32	32	35	36	40	42	43	42	40	38	38	36	35	35

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	32	44	54	59	47	39	36	39	37	45	50	45	45	41	34	33	35
Tue	32	48	69	77	64	47	38	36	36	47	54	52	58	50	36	34	35
Wed	32	45	65	76	63	46	39	36	37	48	56	57	58	52	37	35	35
Thu	32	45	61	69	58	44	38	36	39	50	59	56	58	53	38	35	36
Fri	32	37	43	43	39	37	38	38	42	52	53	52	48	43	38	35	34
Sat	32	32	32	32	33	37	38	41	41	41	43	42	41	41	37	35	34
Sun	32	31	31	32	32	35	36	40	42	43	42	40	38	38	36	35	35