Best Time to Drive from Natick to Cambridge

Right now (4:02 pm EDT): about 68 minutes via I-90 East, usually 49 at this time.

Only 42% 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 20-mile drive from Natick to Cambridge (via I-90 East) usually takes as little as 31 minutes and up to 92 minutes, when leaving around 8 am on Tuesdays. The fastest times to leave are before 7 am or after 7 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 33 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 5 am on Sundays (32 minutes).

Freeway, about 8 miles: times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors. Surface streets, about 12 miles: 23 to 71 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 Natick (West Central Street) to central Cambridge (Ellery 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 Natick to Cambridge 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	32	32	32	32	32	32	32	33	33	36	38	49	62	55	32	31	32
Tue	31	32	51	92	85	60	37	33	34	39	48	65	66	68	33	32	32
Wed	32	32	32	32	32	32	32	32	32	32	32	32	32	32	32	32	32
Thu	32	32	32	32	32	32	32	32	32	32	32	32	32	32	32	32	32
Fri	32	32	32	32	32	32	32	32	32	32	32	32	32	32	32	32	32
Sat	32	32	32	32	32	32	32	32	32	32	32	32	32	32	32	32	32
Sun	32	32	32	32	32	32	32	32	32	32	32	32	32	32	32	32	32

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 Natick to Cambridge?

On weekdays, leave before 7 am or after 7 pm. The drive usually takes about 31 minutes then, versus up to 92 minutes at the worst times.

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

The 20-mile drive usually takes 31 to 92 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 33 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from Natick to Cambridge?

Leaving around 8 am on Tuesdays is usually slowest, about 92 minutes.

Estimate this drive for any day and departure time →

Freeways on this drive

I-90 East in Boston (8 miles)

Boston traffic right now

More drives

Natick to Boston · Natick to Quincy · Natick to Lowell · Natick to Burlington MA · Natick to Braintree · Natick to Peabody · Natick to Andover · Natick to Brockton · Natick to Plymouth MA · Natick 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	32	32	32	32	32	32	32	33	33	36	38	49	62	55	32	31	32
Tue	31	32	51	92	85	60	37	33	34	39	48	65	66	68	33	32	32
Wed	32	32	32	32	32	32	32	32	32	32	32	32	32	32	32	32	32
Thu	32	32	32	32	32	32	32	32	32	32	32	32	32	32	32	32	32
Fri	32	32	32	32	32	32	32	32	32	32	32	32	32	32	32	32	32
Sat	32	32	32	32	32	32	32	32	32	32	32	32	32	32	32	32	32
Sun	32	32	32	32	32	32	32	32	32	32	32	32	32	32	32	32	32

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	32	32	32	32	32	32	32	33	33	36	38	49	62	55	32	31	32
Tue	31	32	51	92	85	60	37	33	34	39	48	65	66	68	33	32	32
Wed	32	32	32	32	32	32	32	32	32	32	32	32	32	32	32	32	32
Thu	32	32	32	32	32	32	32	32	32	32	32	32	32	32	32	32	32
Fri	32	32	32	32	32	32	32	32	32	32	32	32	32	32	32	32	32
Sat	32	32	32	32	32	32	32	32	32	32	32	32	32	32	32	32	32
Sun	32	32	32	32	32	32	32	32	32	32	32	32	32	32	32	32	32

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	32	32	32	32	32	32	32	33	33	36	38	49	62	55	32	31	32
Tue	31	32	51	92	85	60	37	33	34	39	48	65	66	68	33	32	32
Wed	32	32	32	32	32	32	32	32	32	32	32	32	32	32	32	32	32
Thu	32	32	32	32	32	32	32	32	32	32	32	32	32	32	32	32	32
Fri	32	32	32	32	32	32	32	32	32	32	32	32	32	32	32	32	32
Sat	32	32	32	32	32	32	32	32	32	32	32	32	32	32	32	32	32
Sun	32	32	32	32	32	32	32	32	32	32	32	32	32	32	32	32	32