Best Time to Drive from Boston to Worcester

Right now (2:47 pm EDT): about 45 minutes via I-90 West, usually 53 at this time.

Only 64% of this drive is measured by working traffic sensors right now. The rest is estimated from nearby sensors, typical speeds and street traffic, so times can be off. Why so few sensors work.

On weekdays the 44-mile drive from Boston to Worcester (via I-90 West) usually takes as little as 40 minutes and up to 87 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 12:30 pm on Sundays (56 minutes).

⇄ Reverse trip: Worcester to Boston

Freeway, about 42 miles: times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors. Surface streets, about 1.7 miles: 3 to 6 minutes on weekdays, estimated from how jammed the freeways around them are at that time (we don't have street sensors yet). Drive times are measured from central Boston (Franklin Avenue) to central Worcester (Main Street) along the route shown. Starting or ending elsewhere in a big city can add or save several minutes.

Typical drive time by departure time

Minutes from Boston 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	45	47	45	44	49	55	56	50	43	42	44
Tue	41	41	42	46	47	44	44	43	43	46	53	68	67	57	45	42	43
Wed	42	41	42	46	47	44	44	44	44	45	55	69	63	57	46	43	43
Thu	42	41	42	46	46	44	45	45	46	48	57	72	72	61	46	42	43
Fri	42	40	41	43	43	44	50	55	55	63	77	87	76	57	44	42	42
Sat	43	40	40	41	41	47	56	53	48	45	43	42	41	41	41	41	41
Sun	43	40	39	39	40	42	50	54	53	50	46	44	43	41	40	41	42

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 Boston to Worcester?

On weekdays, leave before 8 am or after 7:30 pm. The drive usually takes about 40 minutes then, versus up to 87 minutes at the worst times.

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

The 44-mile drive usually takes 40 to 87 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 47 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from Boston to Worcester?

Leaving around 4 pm on Fridays is usually slowest, about 87 minutes.

Estimate this drive for any day and departure time →

Freeways on this drive

I-90 West in Boston (42 miles)

Boston traffic right now · Boston traffic tomorrow

More drives

Worcester to Boston (return trip) · Boston to Quincy · Boston to Framingham · Boston to Lowell · Boston to Burlington MA · Boston to Woburn · Boston to Braintree · Boston to Andover · Boston to Brockton · Boston to Plymouth MA · Boston to Natick

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	45	47	45	44	49	55	56	50	43	42	44
Tue	41	41	42	46	47	44	44	43	43	46	53	68	67	57	45	42	43
Wed	42	41	42	46	47	44	44	44	44	45	55	69	63	57	46	43	43
Thu	42	41	42	46	46	44	45	45	46	48	57	72	72	61	46	42	43
Fri	42	40	41	43	43	44	50	55	55	63	77	87	76	57	44	42	42
Sat	43	40	40	41	41	47	56	53	48	45	43	42	41	41	41	41	41
Sun	43	40	39	39	40	42	50	54	53	50	46	44	43	41	40	41	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	45	47	45	44	49	55	56	50	43	42	44
Tue	41	41	42	46	47	44	44	43	43	46	53	68	67	57	45	42	43
Wed	42	41	42	46	47	44	44	44	44	45	55	69	63	57	46	43	43
Thu	42	41	42	46	46	44	45	45	46	48	57	72	72	61	46	42	43
Fri	42	40	41	43	43	44	50	55	55	63	77	87	76	57	44	42	42
Sat	43	40	40	41	41	47	56	53	48	45	43	42	41	41	41	41	41
Sun	43	40	39	39	40	42	50	54	53	50	46	44	43	41	40	41	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	45	47	45	44	49	55	56	50	43	42	44
Tue	41	41	42	46	47	44	44	43	43	46	53	68	67	57	45	42	43
Wed	42	41	42	46	47	44	44	44	44	45	55	69	63	57	46	43	43
Thu	42	41	42	46	46	44	45	45	46	48	57	72	72	61	46	42	43
Fri	42	40	41	43	43	44	50	55	55	63	77	87	76	57	44	42	42
Sat	43	40	40	41	41	47	56	53	48	45	43	42	41	41	41	41	41
Sun	43	40	39	39	40	42	50	54	53	50	46	44	43	41	40	41	42