Best Time to Drive from Cambridge to Natick

Right now (4:17 pm EDT): about 71 minutes via I-90 West, usually 69 at this time.

Only 28% 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 16-mile drive from Cambridge to Natick (via I-90 West) usually takes as little as 28 minutes and up to 82 minutes, when leaving around 5 pm on Thursdays. The fastest times to leave are before 6:30 am. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 35 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 2 pm on Saturdays (39 minutes).

⇄ Reverse trip: Natick to Cambridge

Drive times are measured from central Cambridge (Ellery Street) to central Natick (West Central 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 Cambridge to Natick 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	28	28	34	50	47	36	32	32	31	36	42	50	51	44	31	29	31
Tue	28	28	37	66	63	47	35	32	33	39	49	66	72	62	35	30	32
Wed	28	28	38	64	62	48	36	32	33	40	56	68	70	64	39	31	33
Thu	28	29	37	60	57	43	35	33	33	42	60	79	82	68	38	30	33
Fri	28	28	31	36	36	33	33	36	40	53	69	77	62	51	39	30	30
Sat	30	29	28	29	29	29	32	36	37	39	39	37	35	34	30	29	30
Sun	30	28	28	28	28	28	29	32	35	36	33	32	32	29	29	30	33

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 Cambridge to Natick?

On weekdays, leave before 6:30 am. The drive usually takes about 28 minutes then, versus up to 82 minutes at the worst times.

How long does it take to drive from Cambridge to Natick?

The 16-mile drive usually takes 28 to 82 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 35 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from Cambridge to Natick?

Leaving around 5 pm on Thursdays is usually slowest, about 82 minutes.

Estimate this drive for any day and departure time →

Freeways on this drive

I-90 West in Boston (8 miles)

Boston traffic right now · Boston traffic tomorrow

More drives

Natick to Cambridge (return trip) · Cambridge to Quincy · Cambridge to Newton · Cambridge to Framingham · Cambridge to Worcester · Cambridge to Lowell · Cambridge to Braintree · Cambridge to Peabody · Cambridge to Andover · Cambridge to Brockton · Cambridge to Plymouth MA · Cambridge to BOS

Open the live traffic map →

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	28	28	34	50	47	36	32	32	31	36	42	50	51	44	31	29	31
Tue	28	28	37	66	63	47	35	32	33	39	49	66	72	62	35	30	32
Wed	28	28	38	64	62	48	36	32	33	40	56	68	70	64	39	31	33
Thu	28	29	37	60	57	43	35	33	33	42	60	79	82	68	38	30	33
Fri	28	28	31	36	36	33	33	36	40	53	69	77	62	51	39	30	30
Sat	30	29	28	29	29	29	32	36	37	39	39	37	35	34	30	29	30
Sun	30	28	28	28	28	28	29	32	35	36	33	32	32	29	29	30	33

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	28	28	34	50	47	36	32	32	31	36	42	50	51	44	31	29	31
Tue	28	28	37	66	63	47	35	32	33	39	49	66	72	62	35	30	32
Wed	28	28	38	64	62	48	36	32	33	40	56	68	70	64	39	31	33
Thu	28	29	37	60	57	43	35	33	33	42	60	79	82	68	38	30	33
Fri	28	28	31	36	36	33	33	36	40	53	69	77	62	51	39	30	30
Sat	30	29	28	29	29	29	32	36	37	39	39	37	35	34	30	29	30
Sun	30	28	28	28	28	28	29	32	35	36	33	32	32	29	29	30	33

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	28	28	34	50	47	36	32	32	31	36	42	50	51	44	31	29	31
Tue	28	28	37	66	63	47	35	32	33	39	49	66	72	62	35	30	32
Wed	28	28	38	64	62	48	36	32	33	40	56	68	70	64	39	31	33
Thu	28	29	37	60	57	43	35	33	33	42	60	79	82	68	38	30	33
Fri	28	28	31	36	36	33	33	36	40	53	69	77	62	51	39	30	30
Sat	30	29	28	29	29	29	32	36	37	39	39	37	35	34	30	29	30
Sun	30	28	28	28	28	28	29	32	35	36	33	32	32	29	29	30	33