Best Time to Drive from Salem to Worcester

Right now (8:50 pm EDT): about 54 minutes via I-495 South and I-290 West, usually 53 at this time.

Only 54% 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 Salem 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	54	56	61	56	54	55	56	55	59	67	70	64	56	53	53	54
Tue	51	57	59	69	63	56	56	55	55	57	68	76	71	59	53	53	55
Wed	51	55	60	67	62	55	55	55	56	60	71	75	71	59	53	54	54
Thu	51	55	59	63	59	55	55	55	55	61	73	79	72	60	54	53	55
Fri	51	52	53	54	54	54	57	60	63	72	84	84	76	59	54	53	53
Sat	51	50	50	51	51	53	57	59	58	56	56	54	54	53	52	52	52
Sun	52	50	50	50	50	51	56	60	57	57	57	55	53	53	53	53	53

About this drive

On weekdays the 57-mile drive from Salem to Worcester (via I-495 South and I-290 West) usually takes as little as 51 minutes and up to 84 minutes, when leaving around 4 pm on Fridays. The fastest times to leave are before 6:30 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 Sundays (60 minutes).

About 53 miles of it is freeway, where times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors, and about 4 miles surface streets (5 to 8 minutes on weekdays), estimated from how jammed the freeways around them are at that time. Drive times are measured from central Salem 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 Salem to Worcester?

On weekdays, leave before 6:30 am or after 6:30 pm. The drive usually takes about 51 minutes then, versus up to 84 minutes at the worst times.

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

The 57-mile drive usually takes 51 to 84 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 57 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from Salem to Worcester?

Leaving around 4 pm on Fridays is usually slowest, about 84 minutes.

Freeways on this drive

I-495 South in Boston (35 miles) · I-290 West in Boston (12 miles) · I-93 South in Boston (6 miles)

Boston traffic right now · Boston traffic tomorrow

More drives

Worcester to Salem (return trip) · Salem to 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	51	54	56	61	56	54	55	56	55	59	67	70	64	56	53	53	54
Tue	51	57	59	69	63	56	56	55	55	57	68	76	71	59	53	53	55
Wed	51	55	60	67	62	55	55	55	56	60	71	75	71	59	53	54	54
Thu	51	55	59	63	59	55	55	55	55	61	73	79	72	60	54	53	55
Fri	51	52	53	54	54	54	57	60	63	72	84	84	76	59	54	53	53
Sat	51	50	50	51	51	53	57	59	58	56	56	54	54	53	52	52	52
Sun	52	50	50	50	50	51	56	60	57	57	57	55	53	53	53	53	53

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	51	54	56	61	56	54	55	56	55	59	67	70	64	56	53	53	54
Tue	51	57	59	69	63	56	56	55	55	57	68	76	71	59	53	53	55
Wed	51	55	60	67	62	55	55	55	56	60	71	75	71	59	53	54	54
Thu	51	55	59	63	59	55	55	55	55	61	73	79	72	60	54	53	55
Fri	51	52	53	54	54	54	57	60	63	72	84	84	76	59	54	53	53
Sat	51	50	50	51	51	53	57	59	58	56	56	54	54	53	52	52	52
Sun	52	50	50	50	50	51	56	60	57	57	57	55	53	53	53	53	53

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	51	54	56	61	56	54	55	56	55	59	67	70	64	56	53	53	54
Tue	51	57	59	69	63	56	56	55	55	57	68	76	71	59	53	53	55
Wed	51	55	60	67	62	55	55	55	56	60	71	75	71	59	53	54	54
Thu	51	55	59	63	59	55	55	55	55	61	73	79	72	60	54	53	55
Fri	51	52	53	54	54	54	57	60	63	72	84	84	76	59	54	53	53
Sat	51	50	50	51	51	53	57	59	58	56	56	54	54	53	52	52	52
Sun	52	50	50	50	50	51	56	60	57	57	57	55	53	53	53	53	53