Best Time to Drive from Worcester to Chelmsford

Right now (6:20 pm EST): about 37 minutes via I-495 North and I-290 East, usually 35 at this time.

Typical drive time by departure time

Minutes from Worcester to Chelmsford 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	35	37	39	42	39	37	37	37	37	37	42	48	46	38	36	35	36
Tue	35	37	40	46	41	37	37	36	36	37	42	49	50	41	35	35	36
Wed	36	36	40	46	42	39	37	37	36	37	46	52	50	40	36	35	36
Thu	36	37	40	43	41	38	38	37	38	39	49	57	54	43	35	35	36
Fri	35	36	36	37	37	38	40	42	45	51	59	59	54	47	37	35	35
Sat	35	35	34	34	35	36	40	40	40	39	38	37	35	35	34	34	35
Sun	36	35	34	33	34	34	35	38	40	37	36	36	36	36	35	35	36

About this drive

On weekdays the 38-mile drive from Worcester to Chelmsford (via I-495 North and I-290 East) usually takes as little as 35 minutes and up to 60 minutes, when leaving around 3:30 pm on Fridays. The fastest times to leave are before 7 am or after 6:30 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 38 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 12 pm on Saturdays (40 minutes).

About 37 miles of it is freeway, where times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors, and about 0.9 miles surface streets (1 to 3 minutes on weekdays), estimated from how jammed the freeways around them are at that time. Drive times are measured from central Worcester to central Chelmsford 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 Worcester to Chelmsford?

On weekdays, leave before 7 am or after 6:30 pm. The drive usually takes about 35 minutes then, versus up to 60 minutes at the worst times.

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

The 38-mile drive usually takes 35 to 60 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 38 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from Worcester to Chelmsford?

Leaving around 3:30 pm on Fridays is usually slowest, about 60 minutes.

Freeways on this drive

I-495 North in Boston (24 miles) · I-290 East in Boston (9 miles) · I-290 West in Boston (4 miles)

Boston traffic right now · Boston traffic tomorrow

More drives

Chelmsford to Worcester (return trip) · Worcester to Boston · Worcester to Cambridge · Worcester to Quincy · Worcester to Newton · Worcester to Waltham · Worcester to Framingham · Worcester to Lowell · Worcester to Burlington MA · Worcester to Woburn · Worcester to Braintree · Worcester to Dedham

Open the live traffic map →

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	35	37	39	42	39	37	37	37	37	37	42	48	46	38	36	35	36
Tue	35	37	40	46	41	37	37	36	36	37	42	49	50	41	35	35	36
Wed	36	36	40	46	42	39	37	37	36	37	46	52	50	40	36	35	36
Thu	36	37	40	43	41	38	38	37	38	39	49	57	54	43	35	35	36
Fri	35	36	36	37	37	38	40	42	45	51	59	59	54	47	37	35	35
Sat	35	35	34	34	35	36	40	40	40	39	38	37	35	35	34	34	35
Sun	36	35	34	33	34	34	35	38	40	37	36	36	36	36	35	35	36

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	35	37	39	42	39	37	37	37	37	37	42	48	46	38	36	35	36
Tue	35	37	40	46	41	37	37	36	36	37	42	49	50	41	35	35	36
Wed	36	36	40	46	42	39	37	37	36	37	46	52	50	40	36	35	36
Thu	36	37	40	43	41	38	38	37	38	39	49	57	54	43	35	35	36
Fri	35	36	36	37	37	38	40	42	45	51	59	59	54	47	37	35	35
Sat	35	35	34	34	35	36	40	40	40	39	38	37	35	35	34	34	35
Sun	36	35	34	33	34	34	35	38	40	37	36	36	36	36	35	35	36

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	35	37	39	42	39	37	37	37	37	37	42	48	46	38	36	35	36
Tue	35	37	40	46	41	37	37	36	36	37	42	49	50	41	35	35	36
Wed	36	36	40	46	42	39	37	37	36	37	46	52	50	40	36	35	36
Thu	36	37	40	43	41	38	38	37	38	39	49	57	54	43	35	35	36
Fri	35	36	36	37	37	38	40	42	45	51	59	59	54	47	37	35	35
Sat	35	35	34	34	35	36	40	40	40	39	38	37	35	35	34	34	35
Sun	36	35	34	33	34	34	35	38	40	37	36	36	36	36	35	35	36