Andover, MA to New Bedford, MA is 81.2 miles and takes about 1h 46m via Amvets Highway and I-93, with a fuel budget near $13 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This highway-focused drive will take you south through the Northeast region, staying within Massachusetts for the entire trip. It's a straightforward journey, making it a convenient option if you're looking for a direct route between these two points without extensive planning. Consider this drive for its efficiency, especially if you're aiming to reach your destination quickly.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Midpoint
40.6 miles from Andover, MA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 55m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
Amvets Highway
23.3 mi
26m
I 93
20.2 mi
24m
MA 140
15.9 mi
18m
Southeast Expressway
8 mi
10m
John F. Fitzgerald Expressway
3 mi
4m
Interstate 93 HOV lane
2.5 mi
3m
Purchase Street
1.8 mi
3m
Dascomb Road
1.6 mi
3m
Longest stretch:
Amvets Highway
— 23.3 mi, about 26m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Andover, MA and New Bedford, MA.
1
Start on Summer Street
435 ft·18 sec·Summer Street
2
Turn left onto Elm Street
0.2 mi·22 sec·Elm Street
Use the right lane.
3
Continue on Central Street
1.0 mi·2 min·Central Street
4
At end of road, turn left onto Andover Street
0.6 mi·1 min·Andover Street
5
Keep slight right at fork onto Dascomb Road
1.6 mi·3 min·Dascomb Road
Use the straight lane.
6
Turn right onto Frontage Road
450 ft·8 sec·Frontage Road
7
Take the ramp
0.2 mi·27 sec
Toward I 93 South: Boston
8
Merge onto I 93
17 mi·19 min·I 93
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Keep slight left at fork onto I 93
1.7 mi·1 min·Interstate 93 HOV lane
Use the slight left lane.
10
Keep slight left at fork onto I 93
0.8 mi·1 min·Interstate 93 HOV lane
11
Merge onto I 93; US 1
3.0 mi·4 min·John F. Fitzgerald Expressway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Continue on I 93; US 1; MA 3
8.0 mi·10 min·Southeast Expressway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13
Keep slight right at fork onto I 93; US 1
3.4 mi·4 min·I 93; US 1
Toward I 93 South, US 1 South: Providence Rhode Island
14
Take the exit
0.7 mi·1 min
Exit 4Toward MA 24 South: Fall RiverUse the slight left / straight lanes.
15
Continue on MA 24
23 mi·26 min·Amvets Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
16
Take the exit
0.2 mi·37 sec
Exit 17AToward MA 140 South: New BedfordUse the right lane.
17
Turn straight onto MA 140
16 mi·18 min·MA 140
Use the straight / right lanes.
18
Take the exit
0.2 mi·22 sec
Exit 4Toward Mount Pleasant Street, Airport RoadUse the straight / slight right lanes.
19
Turn left onto Mount Pleasant Street
1.1 mi·2 min·Mount Pleasant Street
20
Turn left onto Nauset Street
0.3 mi·41 sec·Nauset Street
21
Continue on Purchase Street
1.8 mi·3 min·Purchase Street
22
Continue on Pleasant Street
432 ft·10 sec·Pleasant Street
23
Continue on Sixth Street
0.2 mi·31 sec·Sixth Street
24
Turn left onto Market Street
237 ft·15 sec·Market Street
25
Turn left onto Pleasant Street
172 ft·3 sec·Pleasant Street
26
Arrive at destination
Pleasant Street
Trip Plan
Given the relatively short duration of just under two hours, this trip is best suited for a single-day excursion. You won't need to worry about breaking up the drive with overnight stays. Aim to depart mid-morning to avoid the worst of any local rush hour traffic. With a fuel cost estimated at $13, keeping your tank topped up should be straightforward. A practical tip for this route: pay attention to the transition points between Amvets Highway and I-93, as these can sometimes be busy.
Morning Departure
Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch.
Evening Departure
Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
You may only need one short stretch break if traffic stays light.
The halfway point lands around 40.6 miles from Andover, MA, or about 55m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 23.3 miles.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
Departure
Before you leave
Start with fuel, water, and navigation already sorted so the first hour feels easy.
First stop
Around 18 miles or 24m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 40.6 miles or 55m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 1h 28m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near New Bedford, MA than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Andover, MA so your first major turns are already loaded.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Andover, MA
This is one driving day of about 81.2 miles and 1h 46m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 18 miles from Andover, MA.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
The longest stretch is on Amvets Highway for about 23.3 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Place data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 18
5 decision points cluster between mile 0.1 and 77.5 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
6
0.1 mi into trip|~0m in|Elm Street
Turn left onto Elm Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
6
1.8 mi into trip|~4m in|Dascomb Road
Keep slight right at fork onto Dascomb Road
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight lane.
7
37.4 mi into trip|~51m in
Take the exit toward MA 24 South: Fall River
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left / straight lanes.
Exit 4
Toward MA 24 South: Fall River
7
61.4 mi into trip|~1h 19m in
Take the exit toward MA 140 South: New Bedford
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
Exit 17A
Toward MA 140 South: New Bedford
8
77.5 mi into trip|~1h 38m in
Take the exit toward Mount Pleasant Street, Airport Road
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 4
Toward Mount Pleasant Street, Airport Road
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$13.00 one way
$25.99 round trip
$4.07/gal25.4 MPG avg28 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.43
$14.17
$28.34
premium
$4.82
$15.42
$30.84
diesel
$5.61
$17.93
$35.86
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$13
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$38–$63
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 28.4 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $9 in charging
· 0 stops
· 64% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
24.4
0
$8.53
$3.90
Efficient EV
20.3
0
$7.10
$3.25
EV Truck/SUV
32.5
0
$11.37
$5.20
Gas CO2
28 kg
EV CO2
10 kg (64% less)
This trip is well within single-charge range for most EVs. No charging stops needed if you start fully charged.
DC fast charging avg $0.35/kWh. Home charging avg $0.16/kWh. US grid CO2: 0.39 kg/kWh.
Travel Intel
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Forecast as of Apr 21, 2026
Origin
Andover, MA
Morning
in Andover on Tuesday
Local time
7:09 AM
EDT
Current temp
62°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
New Bedford, MA
Morning
in New Bedford on Tuesday
Local time
7:09 AM
EDT
Current temp
75°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Seasonal Notes
Summer travel usually means heavier construction, hotter rest stops, and busier weekend traffic around major cities.
Winter travel shortens daylight, so a route that looks manageable on paper can feel much longer after dark.
Holiday weekends tend to make both departure and arrival windows slower than the raw route time suggests.
Time zone
Same local time
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
13 degrees warmer at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
1h 46m on the road
Use the two city cards together: check the sky where you start, then compare it with the local time and temperature at arrival.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
National Parks Near This Route
Worth a detour if your schedule allows.
New Bedford Whaling National Historical Park
National Historical Park
"The town itself is perhaps the dearest place to live in, in all New England..nowhere in all America will you find more patrician-like houses, parks and gardens more opulent, than in New Bedford…all t...
From the sweet little farm at the foot of Penn’s Hill to the gentleman’s country estate at Peace field, Adams National Historical Park is the story of “heroes, statesmen, philosophers…and learned wome...
Discover how one city could be the Cradle of Liberty, site of the first major battle of American Revolution, and home to many who espoused that freedom can be extended to all.
. . . where you can walk a Civil War-era fort, view historic lighthouses, explore tide pools, hike lush trails, camp under the stars, or relax while fishing, picnicking, or swimming—all within reach o...
Lowell’s water-powered textile mills catapulted the nation – including immigrant families and early female factory workers – into an uncertain new industrial era. Nearly 200 years later, the changes t...
At Minute Man National Historical Park the opening battle of the Revolution is brought to life as visitors explore the battlefields and structures associated with April 19, 1775, and witness the Ameri...
10 mi from route
~25 min detour
Free
near mile 15.5
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
This route leans heavily towards highway travel, with 61% of the drive on major roads like Amvets Highway and I-93. You'll experience stretches of consistent speed, including a notable 23.3-mile segment on Amvets Highway where you can maintain momentum. The profile suggests a generally faster-paced journey, allowing for steady progress. Expect a driving experience characterized by efficient travel on well-maintained roadways, rather than winding scenic byways.
61% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
26 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 23.3 mi on Amvets Highway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
10/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Amvets Highway and I 93. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 0.1 miles in near Elm Street.
Driving Effort10/10
Demanding - stay alert through the decision-heavy sections
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 81.2 miles you will encounter 18 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (Elm Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 1.8 miles (Dascomb Road): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 37.4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
Andover is a town in Massachusetts with a population of 37,000 (2020). It is situated at the crossroads of I-495 and I-93 in the heart of the Merrimack Valley.
North Andover is a small town on the banks of the Merrimack River. It has a population of about 31,000 (2020) and is 25 miles north of Boston.
New Bedford is in Massachusetts on the southern coast. New Bedford's excellent harbor made it a natural fishing and whaling center. It was the world's premier whaling port in the 19th century, and, for a time, "the richest city in the world" and "the city that lit the world" because of whale oil production.
New Bedford neighbor Acushnet is the birthplace of the Titleist golf ball.
Top landmarks
•Effie M. Morrissey — museum ship in Massachusetts
•New Bedford Whaling National Historical Park — national Historical Park of the United States
•Central New Bedford Historic District — historic district in Massachusetts, United States
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 46m. Total distance: 81.2 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 46m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (61%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 23.3 miles on Amvets Highway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
It helps. This route has a higher-than-average number of complex decision points, which get harder in the dark. If the last hour of the trip is on surface roads or mountain grades, aim to arrive at New Bedford, MA before sunset when you can. Check the Trip Plan for departure windows that land you in daylight.
Yes. At under 2 hours behind the wheel, this works well for families — plan one quick stop if you have younger kids.
The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (Elm Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 1.8 miles (Dascomb Road): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 37.4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes — New Bedford Whaling National Historical Park, Adams National Historical Park and Boston National Historical Park (6 total within detour distance). See the National Parks section for detour distances and tips on detours.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at New Bedford, MA before heading back.
