Best Route Boston- Montreal
 

I'm confused looking at various on-line maps - as they all give conflicting routes - which is fastest?
1. 93 - 89
2. 93 - 91
3. 90 - 87 (this looks a lot longer)
Also the various map sites list anything from 5 to 7.5 hours for routes 1 or 2 - why the differences????
Any information on 89 vs. 91 would be a great help - are they both highway all the way? Which offers the best border crossing ...
Thank you very much

I think the 93-89 route is the quickest. It should take 5-5 1/2 hours.I-89 is a traffic free, very scenic interstate. If you need a quick lunch break, exit 20 in New Hampshire (just before Vermont) has a string of fast food places, and a good brew pub. I-91 would be better for Quebec City but longer for Montreal. Both the I-89 and I-91 border crossings are usually hassle free going into Canada, a bit slower coming back. Once you come to the end of I-89 at the border, you are less than 1 hour to Montreal, provided you don't hit construction delays or rush hour traffic. Just follow Rte 10 over the Champlain bridge, and it will take you to the heart of downtown.

I drive Montreal-Boston quite frequently. I can assure you that 93-91, is both more scenic and faster, if only for the wait at the border whisch is always much shorter at Derby Line than at Highgate Center. Also, it is interstate/autoroute all the way, If you take I-89, you'll have to take Quebec road 133, which is not a four-lane highway.
However, if snow is in the forecast, avoid I-91 as Franconia Notch can get quite dangerous.

Hmmmm - I took the I-91 route to Montreal once, and it took longer. However, I'm starting at White River Jct. Vermont. LouisP, in looking at a map, I can see that from Boston you are probably correct.
However, The nice thing about I-89 to 133 is that 133 passes thru farm country, with several stands selling strawberries, corn, cheese, etc. There are also lots of used furniture and antique shops on this route.

Mileage is exactly the same either way. Believe me, I have checked! Much less traffic on I-93/I-91, that's all. If you start from WRJ/Lebanon, I-89 is indeed shorter, but starting from Concord NH, it is the same.

Hi,

Just got back to Boston from Quebec City - we took 93-91-55-20 (the last two are in Canada). Took 7 hours up in BAD Thanksgiving traffic and 5 1/2 back.

Bon voyage!!

-msm4

OOOPS! I am an idiot, officially! I had misread Montreal for Quebec...well, in case you ever want to go to Quebec City, um, well...

Sorry!

I literally just got back. My GPS took me 91-93 there and 93 89 back. Going there took much longer but maybe its because I has to take regular breaks.

Either way, 93-89 had at least a half hour wait at the border going back while I'm guessing 93-91 never has a wait. So if the border will be busy, 93-91 will be faster, assuming driving time is the same for both. I thought 93-89 was more scenic though. The part through quebec is longer this way though and the roads are bad compared to the US so that is also a consideration. I'd probably do 89-93 unless I thought there'd be a big wait at the border, like sunday mid afternoon/evening.

I was there at 4pm sunday afternoon returning to canada after the Canada day long weekend.

hope this helps