Best Time to Drive from New Bedford to Worcester

Right now (10:18 pm EDT): about 81 minutes via I-495 North and MA-140 North.

Only 66% 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 New Bedford 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	78	80	83	85	83	83	84	84	85	86	94	93	85	79	79	79	80
Tue	78	80	85	91	85	84	84	84	83	87	97	105	89	80	79	81	81
Wed	78	79	85	90	84	82	83	83	83	90	103	107	92	80	79	80	80
Thu	78	79	84	87	84	83	82	83	83	90	101	107	92	79	80	79	80
Fri	78	79	82	81	83	83	88	91	94	102	104	106	98	81	80	79	80
Sat	78	77	77	77	78	82	83	82	80	78	79	77	77	78	77	79	78
Sun	79	77	77	76	77	78	82	85	80	78	78	78	78	77	79	80	79

About this drive

On weekdays the 80-mile drive from New Bedford to Worcester (via I-495 North and MA-140 North) usually takes as little as 78 minutes and up to 107 minutes, when leaving around 3:30 pm on Thursdays. The fastest times to leave are before 7:30 am or after 5:30 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 86 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 12 pm on Sundays (85 minutes).

About 65 miles of it is freeway, where times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors, and about 16 miles surface streets (21 to 44 minutes on weekdays), estimated from how jammed the freeways around them are at that time. Drive times are measured from central New Bedford 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 New Bedford to Worcester?

On weekdays, leave before 7:30 am or after 5:30 pm. The drive usually takes about 78 minutes then, versus up to 107 minutes at the worst times.

How long does it take to drive from New Bedford to Worcester?

The 80-mile drive usually takes 78 to 107 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 86 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from New Bedford to Worcester?

Leaving around 3:30 pm on Thursdays is usually slowest, about 107 minutes.

Freeways on this drive

I-495 North in Boston (40 miles) · MA-24 North in Boston (2 miles)

Boston traffic right now · Boston traffic tomorrow

More drives

Worcester to New Bedford (return trip) · New Bedford to Boston · New Bedford 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	78	80	83	85	83	83	84	84	85	86	94	93	85	79	79	79	80
Tue	78	80	85	91	85	84	84	84	83	87	97	105	89	80	79	81	81
Wed	78	79	85	90	84	82	83	83	83	90	103	107	92	80	79	80	80
Thu	78	79	84	87	84	83	82	83	83	90	101	107	92	79	80	79	80
Fri	78	79	82	81	83	83	88	91	94	102	104	106	98	81	80	79	80
Sat	78	77	77	77	78	82	83	82	80	78	79	77	77	78	77	79	78
Sun	79	77	77	76	77	78	82	85	80	78	78	78	78	77	79	80	79

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	78	80	83	85	83	83	84	84	85	86	94	93	85	79	79	79	80
Tue	78	80	85	91	85	84	84	84	83	87	97	105	89	80	79	81	81
Wed	78	79	85	90	84	82	83	83	83	90	103	107	92	80	79	80	80
Thu	78	79	84	87	84	83	82	83	83	90	101	107	92	79	80	79	80
Fri	78	79	82	81	83	83	88	91	94	102	104	106	98	81	80	79	80
Sat	78	77	77	77	78	82	83	82	80	78	79	77	77	78	77	79	78
Sun	79	77	77	76	77	78	82	85	80	78	78	78	78	77	79	80	79

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	78	80	83	85	83	83	84	84	85	86	94	93	85	79	79	79	80
Tue	78	80	85	91	85	84	84	84	83	87	97	105	89	80	79	81	81
Wed	78	79	85	90	84	82	83	83	83	90	103	107	92	80	79	80	80
Thu	78	79	84	87	84	83	82	83	83	90	101	107	92	79	80	79	80
Fri	78	79	82	81	83	83	88	91	94	102	104	106	98	81	80	79	80
Sat	78	77	77	77	78	82	83	82	80	78	79	77	77	78	77	79	78
Sun	79	77	77	76	77	78	82	85	80	78	78	78	78	77	79	80	79