Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Sep 2, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
4h 1m
Distance
182.8 mi
294 km
Drive Score
9/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$30
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
New Bedford, MA
Wikimedia Commons
Williamstown, MA
Wikimedia Commons
New Bedford to Williamstown is 182.8 miles and takes about 4 hours and 1 minute via I-195 and Massachusetts Turnpike, with a fuel budget near $30 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within Massachusetts, moving from the southeastern part of the state to the western edge. You'll encounter a mostly highway profile for the majority of the drive. Given the relatively short duration and single recommended day, this is a straightforward point-to-point excursion ideal for a single day trip.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is possible, but it will make for a full day on the road.
Break Rhythm
1 planned break
Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
Midpoint
91.4 miles from New Bedford, MA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 1h 53m into the drive .
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Massachusetts Turnpike | 82.8 mi | 1h 35m |
| I 195 | 28.1 mi | 35m |
| Providence Pike | 7.7 mi | 8m |
| Eddie Dowling Highway | 7.5 mi | 8m |
| Worcester Providence Road | 7 mi | 9m |
| North Smithfield Expressway | 5.7 mi | 6m |
| Cold Spring Road | 4.1 mi | 7m |
| Williamstown Road | 3.8 mi | 5m |
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 170 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
4 PM
~3,478 veh/hr typical · worst 4,151
Quietest
2 AM
~179 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
19.4×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
Averaged across 105 weeks of 2023 FHWA Travel Monitoring Analysis System data. Weekday hours only (Mon–Fri).
Step-by-step road directions between New Bedford, MA and Williamstown, MA.
Start on Pleasant Street
Continue on Purchase Street
Turn left onto Linden Street
Turn right onto County Street
Turn left onto Cedar Grove Street
Take the ramp
Merge onto I 195
Keep slight left at fork onto I 195
Keep slight right at fork onto US 6
Keep slight left at fork onto US 6
Keep slight left at fork onto I 95
Keep slight right at fork
Continue on RI 146
Continue on RI 146
Keep slight left at fork onto RI 146
Continue on RI 146
Continue on MA 146
Continue on MA 146
Continue on MA 146
Continue on MA 146
Continue on MA 146
Continue on MA 146
Take the exit
Turn left
Keep slight left at fork
Merge onto I 90
Keep slight left at fork onto I 90
Take the exit
Keep slight right at fork
Merge onto US 20
Continue on US 20
Turn slight right onto US 20
Turn left onto US 20
Continue on US 20
Continue on US 20
Continue on US 7; US 20
Continue on US 7; US 20
Continue on US 7; US 20
Keep slight right at fork onto US 7
Turn left onto US 7
Continue on US 7
Continue on US 7
Continue on US 7
Continue on US 7
Continue on US 7
Continue on US 7
Continue on US 7
Continue on MA 2; US 7
Continue on MA 2
Turn right onto Spring Street
Arrive at destination
To make the most of this 4-hour drive, consider leaving New Bedford in the morning to avoid potential traffic congestion around urban areas. With only one recommended stop and a manageable distance, you have flexibility in pacing. Keep an eye on your fuel gauge, as the estimated cost is $30, and refueling opportunities may be more spread out on the highway sections. Plan to take a break during your 82.8-mile stretch on the Massachusetts Turnpike to stretch your legs.
Morning Departure
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.
Evening Departure
A late afternoon start means arriving after dark. Morning is better.
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 40 miles or 50m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 91.4 miles or 1h 53m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 3h 1m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Williamstown, MA than in the middle of the route.
Open the route before leaving New Bedford, MA so your first major turns are already loaded.
Leave with enough water and a charging cable within reach, not packed away.
Check your fuel range against the first long segment, especially if you are starting outside city service areas.
Day 1
Settle into the route from New Bedford, MA
This is one driving day of about 182.8 miles and 4h 1m.
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
91 mi into the route
Best for: Lunch, fuel, and a longer reset
This sits close to the middle of the route, so it works well for the longest stop of the day.
A short stop after about 40 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
The midpoint is around 91.4 miles from New Bedford, MA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Before the longest stretch
Fuel checkTop up before Massachusetts Turnpike if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 82.8 miles.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
5 decision points cluster between mile 12.6 and 39.5 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
Keep slight left at fork onto I 195
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Keep slight right at fork onto US 6 toward I 95 North, US 6 West: Boston Massachusetts
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Keep slight left at fork onto US 6 toward I 95 North, US 6 West: Boston Massachusetts
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Keep slight right at fork toward RI 146 North: State Offices
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Keep slight left at fork onto RI 146 / Eddie Dowling Highway
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Regular Gas
$30.49 one way
$60.99 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.67 | $33.57 | $67.15 |
| premium | $5.06 | $36.39 | $72.79 |
| diesel | $5.60 | $40.30 | $80.59 |
Estimated Tolls: $5.09
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$30
Tolls
$5
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$61–$86
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 64 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-08-31.
Driving Electric?
About $19 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 54.8 | 0 | $19.19 | $8.77 |
| Efficient EV | 45.7 | 0 | $16.00 | $7.31 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 73.1 | 0 | $25.59 | $11.70 |
Gas CO2
64 kg
EV CO2
21 kg (67% 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.
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Origin
Late night in New Bedford on Wednesday
Local time
2:44 AM
EDT
Current temp
65°F
Mostly Cloudy
Destination
Late night in Williamstown on Wednesday
Local time
2:44 AM
EDT
Current temp
56°F
Patchy Fog
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
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
This drive is predominantly highway, with 67% of the route on major roadways like I-195 and the Massachusetts Turnpike. You'll experience an 82.8-mile stretch on the Massachusetts Turnpike without needing to exit. Expect a significant amount of highway cruising, with an urban merging feel as you navigate out of the New Bedford area and a transition to more open highway travel.
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Massachusetts Turnpike and I 195. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 12.6 miles in near I 195.
High effort - long or complex enough to need steady focus all day
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a demanding drive. With 24 significant decision points across 182.8 miles, you will need to stay alert - especially through interchange areas and urban stretches. Consider splitting it into segments if you are not comfortable with fast highway navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 12.6 miles (I 195): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 29.9 miles (US 6): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 30 miles (US 6): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Gently rolling terrain
Total Climb
1,958 ft
Total Descent
1,335 ft
Highest Point
1,399 ft
~143.6 mi in
Elevation Range
1,369 ft
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between New Bedford, MA and Williamstown, MA, road signs point toward Springfield and Pittsfield.
Springfield
Pittsfield
Founded 1640
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
Founded 1749
Williamstown is a town in the Berkshires at the northwest corner of Massachusetts. It shares a border with New York and Vermont. It is a true college town, having hosted Williams College since 1793.
Top landmarks
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 4h 1m. Total distance: 182.8 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
4h 1m drive, comfortable solo distance.
Compiled by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy from open government datasets — OSRM over OpenStreetMap for geometry, EIA for fuel prices, USGS 3DEP for elevation, and FHWA TMAS for hourly traffic volumes. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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