Best Time to Drive from Nashua to Worcester

Right now (9:18 pm EDT): about 53 minutes via I-495 South and I-290 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 Nashua 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	50	51	53	56	55	53	54	54	54	57	65	68	62	54	51	52	53
Tue	50	52	55	61	58	55	54	54	54	56	66	72	69	57	52	52	52
Wed	50	51	55	61	58	55	54	54	55	58	69	73	68	57	52	52	53
Thu	51	51	55	59	56	55	55	54	55	61	74	79	69	59	53	52	53
Fri	51	50	51	52	52	53	56	60	63	75	87	89	75	58	53	51	52
Sat	51	49	49	49	49	52	57	60	60	56	56	52	51	50	50	51	51
Sun	52	49	49	49	49	50	56	60	55	54	54	52	51	50	50	52	51

About this drive

On weekdays the 53-mile drive from Nashua to Worcester (via I-495 South and I-290 West) usually takes as little as 50 minutes and up to 89 minutes, when leaving around 4 pm on Fridays. The fastest times to leave are before 7:30 am or after 6:30 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 57 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 12 pm on Saturdays (60 minutes).

About 49 miles of it is freeway, where times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors, and about 4 miles surface streets (5 to 12 minutes on weekdays), estimated from how jammed the freeways around them are at that time. Drive times are measured from central Nashua 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 Nashua to Worcester?

On weekdays, leave before 7:30 am or after 6:30 pm. The drive usually takes about 50 minutes then, versus up to 89 minutes at the worst times.

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

The 53-mile drive usually takes 50 to 89 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 57 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from Nashua to Worcester?

Leaving around 4 pm on Fridays is usually slowest, about 89 minutes.

Freeways on this drive

I-495 South in Boston (29 miles) · I-290 West in Boston (12 miles) · US-3 South in Boston (8 miles)

Boston traffic right now · Boston traffic tomorrow

More drives

Worcester to Nashua (return trip) · Nashua to Boston · Nashua to South Boston

Open the live traffic map →

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	50	51	53	56	55	53	54	54	54	57	65	68	62	54	51	52	53
Tue	50	52	55	61	58	55	54	54	54	56	66	72	69	57	52	52	52
Wed	50	51	55	61	58	55	54	54	55	58	69	73	68	57	52	52	53
Thu	51	51	55	59	56	55	55	54	55	61	74	79	69	59	53	52	53
Fri	51	50	51	52	52	53	56	60	63	75	87	89	75	58	53	51	52
Sat	51	49	49	49	49	52	57	60	60	56	56	52	51	50	50	51	51
Sun	52	49	49	49	49	50	56	60	55	54	54	52	51	50	50	52	51

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	50	51	53	56	55	53	54	54	54	57	65	68	62	54	51	52	53
Tue	50	52	55	61	58	55	54	54	54	56	66	72	69	57	52	52	52
Wed	50	51	55	61	58	55	54	54	55	58	69	73	68	57	52	52	53
Thu	51	51	55	59	56	55	55	54	55	61	74	79	69	59	53	52	53
Fri	51	50	51	52	52	53	56	60	63	75	87	89	75	58	53	51	52
Sat	51	49	49	49	49	52	57	60	60	56	56	52	51	50	50	51	51
Sun	52	49	49	49	49	50	56	60	55	54	54	52	51	50	50	52	51

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	50	51	53	56	55	53	54	54	54	57	65	68	62	54	51	52	53
Tue	50	52	55	61	58	55	54	54	54	56	66	72	69	57	52	52	52
Wed	50	51	55	61	58	55	54	54	55	58	69	73	68	57	52	52	53
Thu	51	51	55	59	56	55	55	54	55	61	74	79	69	59	53	52	53
Fri	51	50	51	52	52	53	56	60	63	75	87	89	75	58	53	51	52
Sat	51	49	49	49	49	52	57	60	60	56	56	52	51	50	50	51	51
Sun	52	49	49	49	49	50	56	60	55	54	54	52	51	50	50	52	51