Origin
New Bedford, MA
Night in New Bedford on Tuesday
Local time
11:48 PM
EDT
Current temp
75°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from New Bedford, MA to Athol, MA
Data updated 1 hour ago
Drive Time
2h 31m
Distance
111.2 mi
179 km
Drive Score
9/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$18
one way
EV Charging
Loading...
station data
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
2h 21m
★
6 AM
2h 32m
8 AM
2h 52m
10 AM
2h 39m
12 PM
2h 37m
3 PM
2h 40m
5 PM
2h 51m
8 PM
2h 26m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
New Bedford, MA
Wikimedia Commons
Athol, MA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
The drive from New Bedford, MA to Athol, MA covers 111.2 miles and takes about 2h 31m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on I 195, MA 2, I 190 for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is mixed drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 28.1 miles on I 195. At current regular gas prices, budget about $17.80 one way before food or hotel costs.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Break Rhythm
1 planned break
A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.
Midpoint
55.6 miles from New Bedford, MA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 1h 8m into the drive .
Loading map...
Drive Character
The drive from New Bedford, MA to Athol, MA covers 111.2 miles and takes about 2h 31m, using a mix of highways and local roads.
Expect a mix of faster highway mileage and slower local approaches near the beginning or end.
There are about 47 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
I 195 is the longest continuous segment at about 28.1 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. 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.
Route Complexity
10/10
High effort - long or complex enough to need steady focus all day
This is a demanding drive. With 25 significant decision points across 111.2 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.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 25 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
6
12.6 mi into trip
|
~16m in
|
I 195
Keep slight left at fork onto I 195
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
29.9 mi into trip
|
~38m in
|
US 6
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
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward I 95 North, US 6 West: Boston Massachuse...
6
30 mi into trip
|
~39m in
|
US 6
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
Toward I 95 North, US 6 West: Boston Massachuse...
8
31.1 mi into trip
|
~40m in
Keep slight right at fork toward RI 146 North: State Offices
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 38A-B
Toward RI 146 North: State Offices
7
71.7 mi into trip
|
~1h 31m in
Keep slight left at fork toward I 190 North: Sterling, Leominster
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Exit 22
Toward I 190 North: Sterling, Leominster
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between New Bedford, MA and Athol, MA, road signs point toward Marlboro, Leominster and Princeton.
Marlboro
68.5 mi in
|
~1h 26m
Leominster
71.5 mi in
|
~1h 30m
Princeton
80.4 mi in
|
~1h 41m
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 195 | 28.1 mi | 35m |
| MA 2 | 12.3 mi | 16m |
| I 190 | 8.4 mi | 9m |
| 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 |
| Redemption Rock Trail | 4.8 mi | 7m |
Longest stretch:
I 195
— 28.1 mi, about 35m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between New Bedford, MA and Athol, MA.
1
Start on Pleasant Street
0.3 mi
·
32 sec
·
Pleasant Street
2
Continue on Purchase Street
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
Purchase Street
3
Turn left onto Linden Street
0.1 mi
·
28 sec
·
Linden Street
4
Turn right onto County Street
0.3 mi
·
35 sec
·
County Street
5
Turn left onto Cedar Grove Street
0.1 mi
·
15 sec
·
Cedar Grove Street
6
Take the ramp
0.1 mi
·
14 sec
Toward I 195 West: Fall River
7
Merge onto I 195
11 mi
·
13 min
·
I 195
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Keep slight left at fork onto I 195
17 mi
·
22 min
·
I 195
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Keep slight right at fork onto US 6
0.1 mi
·
16 sec
·
US 6
Toward I 95 North, US 6 West: Boston Massachusetts
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Keep slight left at fork onto US 6
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
US 6
Toward I 95 North, US 6 West: Boston Massachusetts
11
Keep slight left at fork onto I 95
0.1 mi
·
12 sec
·
I 95
12
Keep slight right at fork
0.7 mi
·
45 sec
Exit 38A-B
Toward RI 146 North: State Offices
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13
Continue on RI 146
3.0 mi
·
3 min
·
Old Louisquisset Pike
Exit 38A
Toward RI 146 North: Woonsocket
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
14
Continue on RI 146
4.7 mi
·
5 min
·
Eddie Dowling Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
15
Keep slight left at fork onto RI 146
2.8 mi
·
2 min
·
Eddie Dowling Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
16
Continue on RI 146
5.7 mi
·
6 min
·
North Smithfield Expressway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
17
Continue on MA 146
0.2 mi
·
17 sec
·
Purple Heart Highway
18
Continue on MA 146
7.7 mi
·
8 min
·
Providence Pike
19
Continue on MA 146
0.3 mi
·
18 sec
·
Purple Heart Highway
20
Continue on MA 146
7.0 mi
·
9 min
·
Worcester Providence Road
21
Continue on MA 146
0.9 mi
·
1 min
·
Purple Heart Highway
22
Continue on MA 146
2.1 mi
·
3 min
·
Worcester-Providence Turnpike
23
Continue on MA 122A; MA 146
2.2 mi
·
2 min
·
Purple Heart Highway
24
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
42 sec
Exit 13
Toward I 290 East: Shrewsbury, Marlboro
25
Merge onto I 290
2.7 mi
·
4 min
·
I 290
26
Take the exit
0.1 mi
·
13 sec
Exit 19; 20
Toward I 190 North, MA 70: Sterling, Leominster, Burncoat Street, Lincoln Street
27
Keep slight left at fork
0.4 mi
·
32 sec
Exit 22
Toward I 190 North: Sterling, Leominster
28
Continue on I 190
8.4 mi
·
9 min
·
I 190
29
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
41 sec
Exit 9
Toward MA 140: West Boylston, Princeton
30
Turn left onto MA 140
4.8 mi
·
7 min
·
Redemption Rock Trail
31
Continue on MA 140
1.1 mi
·
1 min
·
Main Street
32
Enter roundabout onto MA 31; MA 140
34 ft
·
0 sec
·
Redemption Rock Trail North
33
Continue on MA 31; MA 140
2.9 mi
·
5 min
·
Redemption Rock Trail North
34
Continue on MA 140
2.1 mi
·
4 min
·
Worcester Road
35
Continue on MA 140
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
Hager Park Road
36
Continue on MA 2A; MA 140
0.2 mi
·
26 sec
·
State Road East
37
Take the ramp onto MA 140
3.0 mi
·
4 min
·
MA 140
38
Continue on MA 2
12 mi
·
16 min
·
MA 2
39
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
57 sec
Exit 77
Toward MA 2A: Athol, Phillipston
40
Turn left onto MA 2A
1.2 mi
·
2 min
·
Templeton Road
41
Continue on MA 2A; MA 32
1.4 mi
·
3 min
·
Main Street
42
Turn right onto MA 32
0.2 mi
·
20 sec
·
Chestnut Hill Avenue
43
Turn left onto MA 32
269 ft
·
5 sec
·
Bridge Street
44
Turn straight onto MA 32
0.3 mi
·
41 sec
·
Crescent Street
45
Turn sharp right onto Fish Street
89 ft
·
5 sec
·
Fish Street
46
Turn right
43 ft
·
3 sec
47
Arrive at destination
Trip Plan
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.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 55.6 miles from New Bedford, MA, or about 1h 8m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 28.1 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 80 miles or 1h 40m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 55.6 miles or 1h 8m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 2h
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Athol, MA than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
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 111.2 miles and 2h 31m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 80 miles from New Bedford, MA.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
Plan about 1 real break rather than only quick fuel stops.
The longest stretch is on I 195 for about 28.1 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 55.6 mi from New Bedford, MA · 1h 8m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
56 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.
Pacing Suggestions
Fuel and coffee
A short stop after about 80 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 55.6 miles from New Bedford, MA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Athol, MA
The final approach into Athol, MA usually feels slower than the middle of the drive, so avoid planning your tightest schedule at the very end.
Try to arrive with enough fuel left to skip an immediate station stop unless you already know the area around Athol, MA.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$17.80 one way
$35.59 round trip
$4.07/gal
25.4 MPG avg
39 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.43 | $19.41 | $38.81 |
| premium | $4.82 | $21.11 | $42.23 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $24.55 | $49.10 |
Estimated Tolls: $0.15
Worcester-Providence Turnpike
(2.1 mi)
$0.15
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
$18
Tolls
$0
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$43–$68
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 38.9 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $12 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 33.4 | 0 | $11.68 | $5.34 |
| Efficient EV | 27.8 | 0 | $9.73 | $4.45 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 44.5 | 0 | $15.57 | $7.12 |
Gas CO2
39 kg
EV CO2
13 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.
Travel Intel
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Destination
Athol, MA
Night in Athol on Tuesday
Local time
11:48 PM
EDT
Current temp
71°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
49°F
Brookhaven, NY
56 mi in
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
4 degrees cooler at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
2h 31m 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.
Frequently Asked Questions
The drive from New Bedford, MA to Athol, MA covers 111.2 miles and takes about 2h 31m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are I 195, MA 2, I 190. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 55.6 miles from New Bedford, MA. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $17.80 one way. This estimate uses 25.4 MPG — your actual cost will vary with your vehicle's fuel efficiency and current gas prices.
Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch. Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.
Plan about 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, or rest. A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.
This is a demanding drive. With 25 significant decision points across 111.2 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.
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.
Between New Bedford, MA and Athol, MA, road signs point toward Marlboro, Leominster and Princeton.
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