Best Time to Drive from Southbridge to Worcester

Right now (3:51 am EST): about 30 minutes via I-290 East, usually 30 at this time.

Only 24% 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 Southbridge 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	30	30	35	44	36	33	32	33	33	32	33	33	32	31	31	31	31
Tue	30	30	36	52	41	34	32	31	31	32	34	34	34	32	31	31	31
Wed	30	30	36	54	44	33	32	31	31	32	35	34	34	32	31	31	31
Thu	30	31	36	47	39	33	32	32	32	32	35	35	35	32	31	31	31
Fri	30	30	34	37	33	32	35	38	39	43	48	46	45	40	33	31	31
Sat	30	29	29	29	29	32	37	36	34	32	31	31	31	30	30	31	31
Sun	30	29	29	29	29	29	33	39	41	36	34	33	33	31	31	31	30

About this drive

On weekdays the 21-mile drive from Southbridge to Worcester (via I-290 East) usually takes as little as 30 minutes and up to 54 minutes, when leaving around 8 am on Wednesdays. The fastest times to leave are before 7 am or after 6:30 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 33 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 12:30 pm on Sundays (42 minutes).

About 7 miles of it is freeway, where times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors, and about 14 miles surface streets (23 to 41 minutes on weekdays), estimated from how jammed the freeways around them are at that time. Drive times are measured from central Southbridge 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 Southbridge to Worcester?

On weekdays, leave before 7 am or after 6:30 pm. The drive usually takes about 30 minutes then, versus up to 54 minutes at the worst times.

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

The 21-mile drive usually takes 30 to 54 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 33 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from Southbridge to Worcester?

Leaving around 8 am on Wednesdays is usually slowest, about 54 minutes.

Freeways on this drive

I-290 East in Boston (7 miles)

Boston traffic right now · Boston traffic tomorrow

More drives

Southbridge to Boston · Southbridge 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	30	30	35	44	36	33	32	33	33	32	33	33	32	31	31	31	31
Tue	30	30	36	52	41	34	32	31	31	32	34	34	34	32	31	31	31
Wed	30	30	36	54	44	33	32	31	31	32	35	34	34	32	31	31	31
Thu	30	31	36	47	39	33	32	32	32	32	35	35	35	32	31	31	31
Fri	30	30	34	37	33	32	35	38	39	43	48	46	45	40	33	31	31
Sat	30	29	29	29	29	32	37	36	34	32	31	31	31	30	30	31	31
Sun	30	29	29	29	29	29	33	39	41	36	34	33	33	31	31	31	30

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	30	30	35	44	36	33	32	33	33	32	33	33	32	31	31	31	31
Tue	30	30	36	52	41	34	32	31	31	32	34	34	34	32	31	31	31
Wed	30	30	36	54	44	33	32	31	31	32	35	34	34	32	31	31	31
Thu	30	31	36	47	39	33	32	32	32	32	35	35	35	32	31	31	31
Fri	30	30	34	37	33	32	35	38	39	43	48	46	45	40	33	31	31
Sat	30	29	29	29	29	32	37	36	34	32	31	31	31	30	30	31	31
Sun	30	29	29	29	29	29	33	39	41	36	34	33	33	31	31	31	30

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	30	30	35	44	36	33	32	33	33	32	33	33	32	31	31	31	31
Tue	30	30	36	52	41	34	32	31	31	32	34	34	34	32	31	31	31
Wed	30	30	36	54	44	33	32	31	31	32	35	34	34	32	31	31	31
Thu	30	31	36	47	39	33	32	32	32	32	35	35	35	32	31	31	31
Fri	30	30	34	37	33	32	35	38	39	43	48	46	45	40	33	31	31
Sat	30	29	29	29	29	32	37	36	34	32	31	31	31	30	30	31	31
Sun	30	29	29	29	29	29	33	39	41	36	34	33	33	31	31	31	30