Best Time to Drive from Tewksbury to Worcester

Right now (8:50 pm EDT): about 43 minutes via I-495 South and I-290 West, usually 42 at this time.

Only 48% 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 Tewksbury 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	40	41	42	45	45	43	43	44	44	45	52	56	54	44	41	41	43
Tue	41	42	44	49	48	44	44	44	43	45	53	59	59	47	42	42	43
Wed	40	41	44	48	48	44	44	44	44	46	56	60	60	47	42	42	42
Thu	41	41	44	47	46	44	44	43	44	48	59	65	60	49	43	42	42
Fri	41	40	41	42	42	43	45	49	50	59	70	72	65	50	43	41	42
Sat	41	39	39	39	40	41	46	47	47	45	45	42	41	41	40	41	41
Sun	41	39	39	39	39	40	44	48	45	44	44	42	42	41	41	42	42

About this drive

On weekdays the 44-mile drive from Tewksbury to Worcester (via I-495 South and I-290 West) usually takes as little as 40 minutes and up to 72 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 45 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 12:30 pm on Sundays (48 minutes).

About 41 miles of it is freeway, where times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors, and about 3 miles surface streets (4 to 8 minutes on weekdays), estimated from how jammed the freeways around them are at that time. Drive times are measured from central Tewksbury 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 Tewksbury to Worcester?

On weekdays, leave before 7:30 am or after 6:30 pm. The drive usually takes about 40 minutes then, versus up to 72 minutes at the worst times.

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

The 44-mile drive usually takes 40 to 72 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 45 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from Tewksbury to Worcester?

Leaving around 4 pm on Fridays is usually slowest, about 72 minutes.

Freeways on this drive

I-495 South in Boston (30 miles) · I-290 West in Boston (12 miles)

Boston traffic right now · Boston traffic tomorrow

More drives

Worcester to Tewksbury (return trip) · Tewksbury 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	40	41	42	45	45	43	43	44	44	45	52	56	54	44	41	41	43
Tue	41	42	44	49	48	44	44	44	43	45	53	59	59	47	42	42	43
Wed	40	41	44	48	48	44	44	44	44	46	56	60	60	47	42	42	42
Thu	41	41	44	47	46	44	44	43	44	48	59	65	60	49	43	42	42
Fri	41	40	41	42	42	43	45	49	50	59	70	72	65	50	43	41	42
Sat	41	39	39	39	40	41	46	47	47	45	45	42	41	41	40	41	41
Sun	41	39	39	39	39	40	44	48	45	44	44	42	42	41	41	42	42

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	40	41	42	45	45	43	43	44	44	45	52	56	54	44	41	41	43
Tue	41	42	44	49	48	44	44	44	43	45	53	59	59	47	42	42	43
Wed	40	41	44	48	48	44	44	44	44	46	56	60	60	47	42	42	42
Thu	41	41	44	47	46	44	44	43	44	48	59	65	60	49	43	42	42
Fri	41	40	41	42	42	43	45	49	50	59	70	72	65	50	43	41	42
Sat	41	39	39	39	40	41	46	47	47	45	45	42	41	41	40	41	41
Sun	41	39	39	39	39	40	44	48	45	44	44	42	42	41	41	42	42

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	40	41	42	45	45	43	43	44	44	45	52	56	54	44	41	41	43
Tue	41	42	44	49	48	44	44	44	43	45	53	59	59	47	42	42	43
Wed	40	41	44	48	48	44	44	44	44	46	56	60	60	47	42	42	42
Thu	41	41	44	47	46	44	44	43	44	48	59	65	60	49	43	42	42
Fri	41	40	41	42	42	43	45	49	50	59	70	72	65	50	43	41	42
Sat	41	39	39	39	40	41	46	47	47	45	45	42	41	41	40	41	41
Sun	41	39	39	39	39	40	44	48	45	44	44	42	42	41	41	42	42