Best Time to Drive from Arlington to Worcester

Right now (10:48 pm EDT): about 46 minutes via I-90 West.

Typical drive time by departure time

Minutes from Arlington to Worcester by day and time you leave (local time)
Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	41	41	42	44	44	44	46	47	46	45	52	56	57	52	43	42	43
Tue	42	41	42	46	46	44	44	44	45	46	56	65	67	58	46	42	43
Wed	42	41	42	46	46	45	44	45	45	46	58	67	67	59	47	42	43
Thu	42	41	42	45	45	44	45	46	46	49	60	68	70	61	48	42	42
Fri	42	41	41	43	44	44	50	54	56	63	76	81	75	58	46	43	42
Sat	42	40	40	40	41	47	54	54	49	47	44	42	41	41	41	42	41
Sun	42	40	40	39	40	42	49	55	52	50	46	45	45	43	42	42	42

About this drive

On weekdays the 45-mile drive from Arlington to Worcester (via I-90 West) usually takes as little as 41 minutes and up to 81 minutes, when leaving around 4 pm on Fridays. The fastest times to leave are before 8 am or after 7:30 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 47 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 12 pm on Sundays (55 minutes).

About 43 miles of it is freeway, where times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors, and about 1.5 miles surface streets (2 to 4 minutes on weekdays), estimated from how jammed the freeways around them are at that time. Drive times are measured from central Arlington to central Worcester along the route on the map. Starting or ending elsewhere in a big city can add or save several minutes.

Simulated from typical freeway speeds at each point of the drive for the time you would reach it, from every 5-minute reading we have recorded. We don't have sensors on surface streets yet, so the time on them is estimated from how congested the freeways around each end of the drive are at that time, in both directions: streets jam when the freeways do.

Questions

What is the best time to drive from Arlington to Worcester?

On weekdays, leave before 8 am or after 7:30 pm. The drive usually takes about 41 minutes then, versus up to 81 minutes at the worst times.

How long does it take to drive from Arlington to Worcester?

The 45-mile drive usually takes 41 to 81 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 47 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from Arlington to Worcester?

Leaving around 4 pm on Fridays is usually slowest, about 81 minutes.

Freeways on this drive

I-90 West in Boston (35 miles) · I-95 South in Boston (2 miles)

Boston traffic right now · Boston traffic tomorrow

More drives

Worcester to Arlington (return trip) · Arlington to Boston · Arlington to South Boston

Open the live traffic map →

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	41	41	42	44	44	44	46	47	46	45	52	56	57	52	43	42	43
Tue	42	41	42	46	46	44	44	44	45	46	56	65	67	58	46	42	43
Wed	42	41	42	46	46	45	44	45	45	46	58	67	67	59	47	42	43
Thu	42	41	42	45	45	44	45	46	46	49	60	68	70	61	48	42	42
Fri	42	41	41	43	44	44	50	54	56	63	76	81	75	58	46	43	42
Sat	42	40	40	40	41	47	54	54	49	47	44	42	41	41	41	42	41
Sun	42	40	40	39	40	42	49	55	52	50	46	45	45	43	42	42	42

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	41	41	42	44	44	44	46	47	46	45	52	56	57	52	43	42	43
Tue	42	41	42	46	46	44	44	44	45	46	56	65	67	58	46	42	43
Wed	42	41	42	46	46	45	44	45	45	46	58	67	67	59	47	42	43
Thu	42	41	42	45	45	44	45	46	46	49	60	68	70	61	48	42	42
Fri	42	41	41	43	44	44	50	54	56	63	76	81	75	58	46	43	42
Sat	42	40	40	40	41	47	54	54	49	47	44	42	41	41	41	42	41
Sun	42	40	40	39	40	42	49	55	52	50	46	45	45	43	42	42	42

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	41	41	42	44	44	44	46	47	46	45	52	56	57	52	43	42	43
Tue	42	41	42	46	46	44	44	44	45	46	56	65	67	58	46	42	43
Wed	42	41	42	46	46	45	44	45	45	46	58	67	67	59	47	42	43
Thu	42	41	42	45	45	44	45	46	46	49	60	68	70	61	48	42	42
Fri	42	41	41	43	44	44	50	54	56	63	76	81	75	58	46	43	42
Sat	42	40	40	40	41	47	54	54	49	47	44	42	41	41	41	42	41
Sun	42	40	40	39	40	42	49	55	52	50	46	45	45	43	42	42	42