Best Time to Drive from Worcester to Salem

Right now (6:21 pm EST): about 58 minutes via I-495 North, usually 53 at this time.

Typical drive time by departure time

Minutes from Worcester to Salem 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	55	57	61	64	60	57	57	57	56	59	68	77	71	58	55	54	56
Tue	55	57	62	71	62	58	57	56	56	59	71	83	80	63	54	54	56
Wed	55	56	63	70	64	61	57	57	56	60	77	87	80	62	55	54	57
Thu	55	57	63	67	62	59	58	57	58	64	85	96	89	67	55	54	56
Fri	54	55	56	57	57	59	61	65	70	84	100	97	83	69	56	54	54
Sat	54	53	52	53	53	57	62	62	62	60	57	56	54	53	53	53	53
Sun	54	53	52	51	52	53	54	58	60	56	55	54	55	54	54	54	56

About this drive

On weekdays the 57-mile drive from Worcester to Salem (via I-495 North) usually takes as little as 54 minutes and up to 100 minutes, when leaving around 3 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 60 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 12:30 pm on Saturdays (63 minutes).

About 53 miles of it is freeway, where times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors, and about 4 miles surface streets (5 to 12 minutes on weekdays), estimated from how jammed the freeways around them are at that time. Drive times are measured from central Worcester to central Salem 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 Salem?

On weekdays, leave before 7 am or after 6:30 pm. The drive usually takes about 54 minutes then, versus up to 100 minutes at the worst times.

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

The 57-mile drive usually takes 54 to 100 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 60 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from Worcester to Salem?

Leaving around 3 pm on Fridays is usually slowest, about 100 minutes.

Freeways on this drive

I-495 North in Boston (33 miles) · I-290 East in Boston (9 miles) · I-93 North in Boston (7 miles) · I-290 West in Boston (4 miles)

Boston traffic right now · Boston traffic tomorrow

More drives

Salem 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	55	57	61	64	60	57	57	57	56	59	68	77	71	58	55	54	56
Tue	55	57	62	71	62	58	57	56	56	59	71	83	80	63	54	54	56
Wed	55	56	63	70	64	61	57	57	56	60	77	87	80	62	55	54	57
Thu	55	57	63	67	62	59	58	57	58	64	85	96	89	67	55	54	56
Fri	54	55	56	57	57	59	61	65	70	84	100	97	83	69	56	54	54
Sat	54	53	52	53	53	57	62	62	62	60	57	56	54	53	53	53	53
Sun	54	53	52	51	52	53	54	58	60	56	55	54	55	54	54	54	56

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	55	57	61	64	60	57	57	57	56	59	68	77	71	58	55	54	56
Tue	55	57	62	71	62	58	57	56	56	59	71	83	80	63	54	54	56
Wed	55	56	63	70	64	61	57	57	56	60	77	87	80	62	55	54	57
Thu	55	57	63	67	62	59	58	57	58	64	85	96	89	67	55	54	56
Fri	54	55	56	57	57	59	61	65	70	84	100	97	83	69	56	54	54
Sat	54	53	52	53	53	57	62	62	62	60	57	56	54	53	53	53	53
Sun	54	53	52	51	52	53	54	58	60	56	55	54	55	54	54	54	56

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	55	57	61	64	60	57	57	57	56	59	68	77	71	58	55	54	56
Tue	55	57	62	71	62	58	57	56	56	59	71	83	80	63	54	54	56
Wed	55	56	63	70	64	61	57	57	56	60	77	87	80	62	55	54	57
Thu	55	57	63	67	62	59	58	57	58	64	85	96	89	67	55	54	56
Fri	54	55	56	57	57	59	61	65	70	84	100	97	83	69	56	54	54
Sat	54	53	52	53	53	57	62	62	62	60	57	56	54	53	53	53	53
Sun	54	53	52	51	52	53	54	58	60	56	55	54	55	54	54	54	56