Best Time to Drive from Worcester to Needham

Right now (8:50 pm EDT): about 40 minutes via I-90 East, usually 42 at this time.

Only 44% 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 Worcester to Needham 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	39	44	58	61	53	46	44	44	43	44	47	51	50	43	41	41	42
Tue	39	46	76	77	64	51	44	43	43	45	48	52	55	46	42	41	42
Wed	40	47	68	76	63	49	46	45	45	46	51	56	55	49	41	41	43
Thu	40	47	68	69	57	48	46	44	44	47	52	58	61	50	43	41	43
Fri	40	42	47	48	45	44	45	46	48	52	56	61	57	52	43	42	41
Sat	40	39	40	40	39	41	43	44	44	43	44	43	42	41	40	40	40
Sun	40	39	39	39	39	39	40	43	44	42	42	41	42	42	41	41	42

About this drive

On weekdays the 38-mile drive from Worcester to Needham (via I-90 East) usually takes as little as 39 minutes and up to 79 minutes, when leaving around 7:30 am on Tuesdays. The fastest times to leave are before 6 am or after 7 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 45 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 12:30 pm on Saturdays (44 minutes).

About 29 miles of it is freeway, where times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors, and about 9 miles surface streets (13 to 30 minutes on weekdays), estimated from how jammed the freeways around them are at that time. Drive times are measured from central Worcester to central Needham 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 Needham?

On weekdays, leave before 6 am or after 7 pm. The drive usually takes about 39 minutes then, versus up to 79 minutes at the worst times.

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

The 38-mile drive usually takes 39 to 79 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 45 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from Worcester to Needham?

Leaving around 7:30 am on Tuesdays is usually slowest, about 79 minutes.

Freeways on this drive

I-90 East in Boston (29 miles)

Boston traffic right now · Boston traffic tomorrow

More drives

Needham 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	39	44	58	61	53	46	44	44	43	44	47	51	50	43	41	41	42
Tue	39	46	76	77	64	51	44	43	43	45	48	52	55	46	42	41	42
Wed	40	47	68	76	63	49	46	45	45	46	51	56	55	49	41	41	43
Thu	40	47	68	69	57	48	46	44	44	47	52	58	61	50	43	41	43
Fri	40	42	47	48	45	44	45	46	48	52	56	61	57	52	43	42	41
Sat	40	39	40	40	39	41	43	44	44	43	44	43	42	41	40	40	40
Sun	40	39	39	39	39	39	40	43	44	42	42	41	42	42	41	41	42

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	39	44	58	61	53	46	44	44	43	44	47	51	50	43	41	41	42
Tue	39	46	76	77	64	51	44	43	43	45	48	52	55	46	42	41	42
Wed	40	47	68	76	63	49	46	45	45	46	51	56	55	49	41	41	43
Thu	40	47	68	69	57	48	46	44	44	47	52	58	61	50	43	41	43
Fri	40	42	47	48	45	44	45	46	48	52	56	61	57	52	43	42	41
Sat	40	39	40	40	39	41	43	44	44	43	44	43	42	41	40	40	40
Sun	40	39	39	39	39	39	40	43	44	42	42	41	42	42	41	41	42

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	39	44	58	61	53	46	44	44	43	44	47	51	50	43	41	41	42
Tue	39	46	76	77	64	51	44	43	43	45	48	52	55	46	42	41	42
Wed	40	47	68	76	63	49	46	45	45	46	51	56	55	49	41	41	43
Thu	40	47	68	69	57	48	46	44	44	47	52	58	61	50	43	41	43
Fri	40	42	47	48	45	44	45	46	48	52	56	61	57	52	43	42	41
Sat	40	39	40	40	39	41	43	44	44	43	44	43	42	41	40	40	40
Sun	40	39	39	39	39	39	40	43	44	42	42	41	42	42	41	41	42