Best Time to Drive from Dorchester to Worcester

Right now (8:03 pm EDT): about 53 minutes via I-90 West, usually 53 at this time.

Only 58% 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 Dorchester 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	51	51	54	59	58	57	57	58	56	59	65	73	71	63	53	52	54
Tue	51	52	55	63	62	58	56	55	56	61	72	89	84	70	57	52	54
Wed	52	52	55	63	62	59	56	55	55	61	76	90	83	72	58	53	54
Thu	52	52	55	62	60	58	57	57	58	64	82	95	90	77	58	53	54
Fri	52	50	52	56	55	56	64	66	71	83	101	110	93	73	57	54	53
Sat	53	50	50	50	51	59	68	65	61	57	56	54	53	52	52	52	51
Sun	53	50	49	49	49	53	61	67	62	60	57	56	55	52	52	52	53

About this drive

On weekdays the 48-mile drive from Dorchester to Worcester (via I-90 West) usually takes as little as 50 minutes and up to 110 minutes, when leaving around 4 pm on Fridays. The fastest times to leave are before 7:30 am or after 7:30 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 60 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 11 am on Saturdays (68 minutes).

About 42 miles of it is freeway, where times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors, and about 6 miles surface streets (10 to 24 minutes on weekdays), estimated from how jammed the freeways around them are at that time. Drive times are measured from central Dorchester 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 Dorchester to Worcester?

On weekdays, leave before 7:30 am or after 7:30 pm. The drive usually takes about 50 minutes then, versus up to 110 minutes at the worst times.

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

The 48-mile drive usually takes 50 to 110 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 60 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from Dorchester to Worcester?

Leaving around 4 pm on Fridays is usually slowest, about 110 minutes.

Freeways on this drive

I-90 West in Boston (42 miles)

Boston traffic right now · Boston traffic tomorrow

More drives

Worcester to Dorchester (return trip)

Open the live traffic map →

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	51	51	54	59	58	57	57	58	56	59	65	73	71	63	53	52	54
Tue	51	52	55	63	62	58	56	55	56	61	72	89	84	70	57	52	54
Wed	52	52	55	63	62	59	56	55	55	61	76	90	83	72	58	53	54
Thu	52	52	55	62	60	58	57	57	58	64	82	95	90	77	58	53	54
Fri	52	50	52	56	55	56	64	66	71	83	101	110	93	73	57	54	53
Sat	53	50	50	50	51	59	68	65	61	57	56	54	53	52	52	52	51
Sun	53	50	49	49	49	53	61	67	62	60	57	56	55	52	52	52	53

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	51	51	54	59	58	57	57	58	56	59	65	73	71	63	53	52	54
Tue	51	52	55	63	62	58	56	55	56	61	72	89	84	70	57	52	54
Wed	52	52	55	63	62	59	56	55	55	61	76	90	83	72	58	53	54
Thu	52	52	55	62	60	58	57	57	58	64	82	95	90	77	58	53	54
Fri	52	50	52	56	55	56	64	66	71	83	101	110	93	73	57	54	53
Sat	53	50	50	50	51	59	68	65	61	57	56	54	53	52	52	52	51
Sun	53	50	49	49	49	53	61	67	62	60	57	56	55	52	52	52	53

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	51	51	54	59	58	57	57	58	56	59	65	73	71	63	53	52	54
Tue	51	52	55	63	62	58	56	55	56	61	72	89	84	70	57	52	54
Wed	52	52	55	63	62	59	56	55	55	61	76	90	83	72	58	53	54
Thu	52	52	55	62	60	58	57	57	58	64	82	95	90	77	58	53	54
Fri	52	50	52	56	55	56	64	66	71	83	101	110	93	73	57	54	53
Sat	53	50	50	50	51	59	68	65	61	57	56	54	53	52	52	52	51
Sun	53	50	49	49	49	53	61	67	62	60	57	56	55	52	52	52	53