Best way to drive from Newport RI to Salem MA?
 

Never been in this area, renting a car and worried about driving through Boston in the middle of the day. Would it be better to drive around Boston, or go the direct route through the tunnel to Salem? Thank you to anyone who can give me some advise.

So why renting a car in Newport and where headed after Salem? Why wouldn't you take I-95 all the way? That's what I'd do.

I-95 goes through Boston in the middle of the day, and I heard driving is very bad in Boston, it is even comparable to NY, I've heard. We are flying in to this area and driving to 6 different areas on the east coast. Have you experienced the tunnel at noon?

I would go 24 North, to 93 North, which takes you through Boston, then over the Tobin Bridge to Rt. 1 North, to 128 East, to 114 to Salem. Taking 1A to Salem from the airport is shorter but travel is on local streets, which can be slow.

95 is an option but traffic there can be quite jammed too. Midday you should be fine either way but listen to traffic reports on the 3's on radio 1030 AM.

There is no toll outbound on the Tobin Bridge but there is on the way back to Boston and the unmanned tolls accept only transponders. If you don't have one, the license plate is photographed and a bill sent, in this case to the rental agency. But you won't be affected driving to Salem.

I would listen to the local news stations that give regular traffic reports or use a site like WAZE for information on real time traffic. We've done both routes and both can have bad traffic.

If you choose to do 95 to 93 and then back to 95, stay in the second lane from the left as you go along 93 until you cross the bridge, so you don't wind up in an exit only lane on either the right or the left through the city. 95 is a couple miles longer but often was faster and less confusing in terms of both left and right exits and entrances.

I just routed it on Mapquest. I would not do the route they suggest. Look at the site - drag the route west to I95 (which everyone here calls 128) and go that way.

I have found traffic reports are almost impossible for non-locals to follow. They talk about "Central Artery" and "back to the gas tanks" and "at the merge" which mean nothing to non-locals.

Try to leave Newport before lunchtime so you do not hit 95/128 after 3 PM

Thank you everyone, You have given me GREAT advise that I will follow.

I 95 goes around Boston past lots of built up office parks, making for very congested rush hours. I 93 goes through Boston, well actually UNDER Boston via a series of tunnels. The route cw suggests is good, but route 128 "officially" runs north and south, so be sure to exit from rte 1 north to rte 128 north to rte 114 east

cw has given the route I would take.

The issue is that, while 93 can get backed up at times, 128 is no picnic either and that is your other option. The best option is to make sure you are truly traveling the middle of the day (leave Newport between 10am and 2pm) and just accepting any traffic that may come.

And be sure to laugh if you are on the route where Rte93 north is the same as Rte 95 south - or maybe it is the other way around, but in any case, it makes no sense. Pick a route - it is really almost chance what traffic will be on any given day, travel before 3 PM, find a good station on the radio, and follow your GPS. You will be fine.

(And if you take the Tobin Bridge and don't have the toll transponder, latest news story was that although they say they photo your plate and send you a bill, in reality the "send you a bill" part is still not operational. Enjoy our free bridge)

Thanks everybody!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!