Cape Cod isn’t incredibly far from Boston, taking only 1 hour and 15 minutes with no traffic. However, it’s rare to completely forgo traffic, especially in the summer months. Only two bridges stretch over the Cape Cod Canal, including the Sagamore Bridge and the Bourne Bridge, making the roads highly congested during peak travel months. Below we’ve outlined the travel time with various modes of transportation and the benefits of each.
Driving
Many people will choose to bring their cars to the Cape, despite the heavy traffic in the summertime, since you will need it to go between the various towns. However, you can bypass a lot of the traffic by leaving early or heading down the Cape during the week.
If you travel in the off-season, you should have less of a problem with traffic. Below is the estimated travel times (no traffic) between Boston and major cities:
- Boston to Sandwich: 1 hour, 15 minutes
- Boston to Hyannis: 1 hour, 30 minutes
- Provincetown: 2 hours, 30 minutes
CapeFLYER Train
During the summertime, the CapeFLYER train connects Boston to Cape Cod. It includes the following stops:
- South Station (Boston)
- Braintree
- Brockton
- Lakeville
- Wareham Village
- Buzzards Bay
- Bourne
- Hyannis
The train will take you 2 hours and 30 minutes to get to Hyannis from South Station. However, traffic during peak hours could take even longer to get here, particularly if you are visiting Cape Code in months such as August or July.
While the CapeFLYER does allow you to bypass traffic, it only operates on weekends, making it less convenient depending on when you are planning to leave. You will likely still need a car when going to the Cape (depending on your plans). However, the train does allow you to take your bike for free.
Ferry
The ferry from Boston operates between Massachusetts’ capital and Provincetown. This is a great option, particularly if you are making your way to the tail end of the Cape. The fast ferry only takes about an hour and a half and saves you from all the Boston traffic.
Final Thoughts
There are numerous ways to get from Boston to Cape Cod, including the ferry, driving, and the train. If you are a tourist and looking to get to the Cape, you could also consider taking a plane (there is an airport in Hyannis). Any tips for making it down to the Cape? Leave it in the comments below.
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