Best Time to Drive from Cambridge to Worcester

Right now (2:47 pm EDT): about 43 minutes via I-90 West, usually 49 at this time.

Only 68% 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 41-mile drive from Cambridge to Worcester (via I-90 West) usually takes as little as 38 minutes and up to 83 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 45 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 12:30 pm on Sundays (54 minutes).

⇄ Reverse trip: Worcester to Cambridge

Freeway, about 39 miles: times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors. Surface streets, about 2 miles: 3 to 7 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 Cambridge (Ellery Street) 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 Cambridge 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	40	39	39	42	42	42	43	45	43	42	46	51	53	47	41	40	42
Tue	39	39	40	44	44	41	41	41	41	44	49	64	62	53	42	40	41
Wed	40	39	40	44	45	42	42	42	42	43	50	65	59	53	44	41	41
Thu	40	39	40	44	44	42	43	43	44	46	51	66	67	57	44	40	41
Fri	40	39	39	40	41	42	48	53	53	60	73	83	71	56	42	40	40
Sat	41	39	38	39	39	45	54	51	46	43	41	40	39	39	39	39	40
Sun	41	38	38	37	38	41	48	52	51	48	44	41	41	39	38	39	40

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 Worcester?

On weekdays, leave before 8 am or after 7:30 pm. The drive usually takes about 38 minutes then, versus up to 83 minutes at the worst times.

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

The 41-mile drive usually takes 38 to 83 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 45 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from Cambridge to Worcester?

Leaving around 4 pm on Fridays is usually slowest, about 83 minutes.

Estimate this drive for any day and departure time →

Freeways on this drive

I-90 West in Boston (39 miles)

Boston traffic right now · Boston traffic tomorrow

More drives

Worcester to Cambridge (return trip) · Cambridge to Quincy · Cambridge to Newton · Cambridge to Framingham · Cambridge to Lowell · Cambridge to Braintree · Cambridge to Peabody · Cambridge to Andover · Cambridge to Brockton · Cambridge to Plymouth MA · Cambridge to Natick · 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	40	39	39	42	42	42	43	45	43	42	46	51	53	47	41	40	42
Tue	39	39	40	44	44	41	41	41	41	44	49	64	62	53	42	40	41
Wed	40	39	40	44	45	42	42	42	42	43	50	65	59	53	44	41	41
Thu	40	39	40	44	44	42	43	43	44	46	51	66	67	57	44	40	41
Fri	40	39	39	40	41	42	48	53	53	60	73	83	71	56	42	40	40
Sat	41	39	38	39	39	45	54	51	46	43	41	40	39	39	39	39	40
Sun	41	38	38	37	38	41	48	52	51	48	44	41	41	39	38	39	40

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	40	39	39	42	42	42	43	45	43	42	46	51	53	47	41	40	42
Tue	39	39	40	44	44	41	41	41	41	44	49	64	62	53	42	40	41
Wed	40	39	40	44	45	42	42	42	42	43	50	65	59	53	44	41	41
Thu	40	39	40	44	44	42	43	43	44	46	51	66	67	57	44	40	41
Fri	40	39	39	40	41	42	48	53	53	60	73	83	71	56	42	40	40
Sat	41	39	38	39	39	45	54	51	46	43	41	40	39	39	39	39	40
Sun	41	38	38	37	38	41	48	52	51	48	44	41	41	39	38	39	40

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	40	39	39	42	42	42	43	45	43	42	46	51	53	47	41	40	42
Tue	39	39	40	44	44	41	41	41	41	44	49	64	62	53	42	40	41
Wed	40	39	40	44	45	42	42	42	42	43	50	65	59	53	44	41	41
Thu	40	39	40	44	44	42	43	43	44	46	51	66	67	57	44	40	41
Fri	40	39	39	40	41	42	48	53	53	60	73	83	71	56	42	40	40
Sat	41	39	38	39	39	45	54	51	46	43	41	40	39	39	39	39	40
Sun	41	38	38	37	38	41	48	52	51	48	44	41	41	39	38	39	40