Best Time to Drive from Cambridge to Worcester

Right now (5:04 pm EDT): about 60 minutes via I-90 West, usually 54 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.

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	40	42	42	42	43	44	43	42	47	52	54	47	41	40	42
Tue	40	39	40	44	45	42	42	42	42	44	49	64	63	54	43	40	41
Wed	40	39	40	44	45	42	42	42	42	43	50	66	62	54	44	40	41
Thu	40	39	40	43	44	42	43	43	44	45	53	67	67	59	45	40	40
Fri	40	39	39	41	42	42	47	52	53	61	74	85	76	57	44	41	40
Sat	41	39	38	39	39	44	50	50	45	43	41	40	39	39	39	39	39
Sun	41	38	38	37	38	40	47	52	50	48	44	42	43	41	40	40	40

About this drive

On weekdays the 41-mile drive from Cambridge to Worcester (via I-90 West) usually takes as little as 39 minutes and up to 85 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 pm on Sundays (52 minutes).

About 39 miles of it is freeway, where times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors, and about 2 miles surface streets (3 to 7 minutes on weekdays), estimated from how jammed the freeways around them are at that time. Drive times are measured from central Cambridge (Ellery Street) to central Worcester (Main Street) 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 Cambridge to Worcester?

On weekdays, leave before 8 am or after 7:30 pm. The drive usually takes about 39 minutes then, versus up to 85 minutes at the worst times.

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

The 41-mile drive usually takes 39 to 85 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 85 minutes.

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	40	42	42	42	43	44	43	42	47	52	54	47	41	40	42
Tue	40	39	40	44	45	42	42	42	42	44	49	64	63	54	43	40	41
Wed	40	39	40	44	45	42	42	42	42	43	50	66	62	54	44	40	41
Thu	40	39	40	43	44	42	43	43	44	45	53	67	67	59	45	40	40
Fri	40	39	39	41	42	42	47	52	53	61	74	85	76	57	44	41	40
Sat	41	39	38	39	39	44	50	50	45	43	41	40	39	39	39	39	39
Sun	41	38	38	37	38	40	47	52	50	48	44	42	43	41	40	40	40

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	40	39	40	42	42	42	43	44	43	42	47	52	54	47	41	40	42
Tue	40	39	40	44	45	42	42	42	42	44	49	64	63	54	43	40	41
Wed	40	39	40	44	45	42	42	42	42	43	50	66	62	54	44	40	41
Thu	40	39	40	43	44	42	43	43	44	45	53	67	67	59	45	40	40
Fri	40	39	39	41	42	42	47	52	53	61	74	85	76	57	44	41	40
Sat	41	39	38	39	39	44	50	50	45	43	41	40	39	39	39	39	39
Sun	41	38	38	37	38	40	47	52	50	48	44	42	43	41	40	40	40

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	40	39	40	42	42	42	43	44	43	42	47	52	54	47	41	40	42
Tue	40	39	40	44	45	42	42	42	42	44	49	64	63	54	43	40	41
Wed	40	39	40	44	45	42	42	42	42	43	50	66	62	54	44	40	41
Thu	40	39	40	43	44	42	43	43	44	45	53	67	67	59	45	40	40
Fri	40	39	39	41	42	42	47	52	53	61	74	85	76	57	44	41	40
Sat	41	39	38	39	39	44	50	50	45	43	41	40	39	39	39	39	39
Sun	41	38	38	37	38	40	47	52	50	48	44	42	43	41	40	40	40