Best Time to Drive from Worcester to Lowell

Right now (3:50 am EST): about 40 minutes via I-495 North and I-290 East, usually 41 at this time.

Typical drive time by departure time

Minutes from Worcester to Lowell 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	42	45	47	44	41	42	42	41	42	45	49	47	42	40	40	41
Tue	40	42	46	53	46	42	41	41	40	41	47	50	51	45	40	40	41
Wed	40	41	46	52	47	44	42	41	41	42	49	52	51	44	40	40	41
Thu	40	42	46	49	46	43	42	42	42	44	52	57	56	47	40	40	41
Fri	40	40	41	42	41	43	44	46	48	53	59	59	55	48	41	40	40
Sat	40	39	38	39	39	41	44	44	44	43	42	41	40	40	39	39	39
Sun	40	39	38	38	38	39	40	43	43	41	40	40	41	40	40	40	41

About this drive

On weekdays the 40-mile drive from Worcester to Lowell (via I-495 North and I-290 East) usually takes as little as 39 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 43 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 11 am on Saturdays (44 minutes).

About 36 miles of it is freeway, where times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors, and about 4 miles surface streets (7 to 14 minutes on weekdays), estimated from how jammed the freeways around them are at that time. Drive times are measured from central Worcester (Main Street) to central Lowell (Hale Street) 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 Lowell?

On weekdays, leave before 7 am or after 6:30 pm. The drive usually takes about 39 minutes then, versus up to 60 minutes at the worst times.

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

The 40-mile drive usually takes 39 to 60 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 43 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from Worcester to Lowell?

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

Freeways on this drive

I-495 North in Boston (25 miles) · I-290 East in Boston (11 miles)

Boston traffic right now · Boston traffic tomorrow

More drives

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

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	42	45	47	44	41	42	42	41	42	45	49	47	42	40	40	41
Tue	40	42	46	53	46	42	41	41	40	41	47	50	51	45	40	40	41
Wed	40	41	46	52	47	44	42	41	41	42	49	52	51	44	40	40	41
Thu	40	42	46	49	46	43	42	42	42	44	52	57	56	47	40	40	41
Fri	40	40	41	42	41	43	44	46	48	53	59	59	55	48	41	40	40
Sat	40	39	38	39	39	41	44	44	44	43	42	41	40	40	39	39	39
Sun	40	39	38	38	38	39	40	43	43	41	40	40	41	40	40	40	41

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	40	42	45	47	44	41	42	42	41	42	45	49	47	42	40	40	41
Tue	40	42	46	53	46	42	41	41	40	41	47	50	51	45	40	40	41
Wed	40	41	46	52	47	44	42	41	41	42	49	52	51	44	40	40	41
Thu	40	42	46	49	46	43	42	42	42	44	52	57	56	47	40	40	41
Fri	40	40	41	42	41	43	44	46	48	53	59	59	55	48	41	40	40
Sat	40	39	38	39	39	41	44	44	44	43	42	41	40	40	39	39	39
Sun	40	39	38	38	38	39	40	43	43	41	40	40	41	40	40	40	41

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	40	42	45	47	44	41	42	42	41	42	45	49	47	42	40	40	41
Tue	40	42	46	53	46	42	41	41	40	41	47	50	51	45	40	40	41
Wed	40	41	46	52	47	44	42	41	41	42	49	52	51	44	40	40	41
Thu	40	42	46	49	46	43	42	42	42	44	52	57	56	47	40	40	41
Fri	40	40	41	42	41	43	44	46	48	53	59	59	55	48	41	40	40
Sat	40	39	38	39	39	41	44	44	44	43	42	41	40	40	39	39	39
Sun	40	39	38	38	38	39	40	43	43	41	40	40	41	40	40	40	41