Origin
Andover, MA
Late night in Andover on Friday
Local time
4:18 AM
EDT
Current temp
64°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Andover, MA to Worcester, MA
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 17, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 1m
Distance
50.5 mi
81 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$8
one way
EV Charging
Good
8 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 57m
★
6 AM
1h 2m
8 AM
1h 12m
10 AM
1h 5m
12 PM
1h 4m
3 PM
1h 6m
5 PM
1h 11m
8 PM
0h 59m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Andover, MA
Wikimedia Commons
Worcester, MA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
This 50.5-mile journey from Andover to Worcester, Massachusetts, is designed for a single day of travel, taking approximately 1 hour and 1 minute to complete. The route is heavily focused on highway driving, with 90% of the trip utilizing major interstates like I-495 and I-290, making it a straightforward and efficient drive. With an estimated fuel cost of $8, this trip is quite budget-friendly. Given its short duration and highway-centric profile, it's an easy day trip without the need for an overnight stay. You'll be traveling within the Northeast region, staying within the state of Massachusetts for the entire duration.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 1m. Total distance: 50.5 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 1m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (90%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Drive Character
Expect a highway-focused drive for the majority of this route, with 90% of your travel on interstates. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is 32.7 miles on I-495, offering a consistent pace. This profile suggests a drive characterized by smooth, high-speed travel for extended periods. While primarily interstate, the final leg into Worcester will involve transitions onto local roads like North Main Street, marking a change from the open highway to a more urban approach.
Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 18 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
I 495 is the longest continuous segment at about 32.7 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 495 and I 290. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 0.1 miles in near Elm Street.
Driving Effort
10/10
Demanding - stay alert through the decision-heavy sections
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 50.5 miles you will encounter 14 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (Elm Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 2.3 miles (I 495): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 11.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 14 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
6
0.1 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
Elm Street
Turn left onto Elm Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
5
2.3 mi into trip
|
~4m in
|
I 495
Merge onto I 495
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
11.6 mi into trip
|
~15m in
Take the exit toward US 3: Burlington, Nashua New Hampshire
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 89C-B-A
Toward US 3: Burlington, Nashua New Hampshire
7
11.8 mi into trip
|
~15m in
Keep slight left at fork toward US 3: Burlington, Nashua New Hampshire
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward US 3: Burlington, Nashua New Hampshire
6
49.4 mi into trip
|
~59m in
Take the exit toward Ware, Framingham
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Exit 21
Toward Ware, Framingham
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
On the drive from Andover, MA to Worcester, MA, road signs begin pointing toward Nashua New Hampshire along the way.
Nashua New Hampshire
11.6 mi in
|
~15m
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 495 | 32.7 mi | 37m |
| I 290 | 12.7 mi | 15m |
| North Main Street | 1.4 mi | 2m |
| Main Street | 0.6 mi | 1m |
| Union Street | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| Lincoln Street | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| Elm Street | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| Summer Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
I 495
— 32.7 mi, about 37m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Andover, MA and Worcester, MA.
1
Start on Summer Street
435 ft
·
18 sec
·
Summer Street
2
Turn left onto Elm Street
0.2 mi
·
17 sec
·
Elm Street
Use the right lane.
3
Turn right onto MA 28
1.4 mi
·
2 min
·
North Main Street
Use the straight lane.
4
Continue on MA 28
0.3 mi
·
37 sec
·
Union Street
Use the straight lane.
5
Take the ramp
0.4 mi
·
51 sec
Toward I 495 South: Lowell, Marlboro
6
Merge onto I 495
9.2 mi
·
10 min
·
I 495
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
14 sec
Exit 89C-B-A
Toward US 3: Burlington, Nashua New Hampshire
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Keep slight left at fork
0.2 mi
·
17 sec
Toward US 3: Burlington, Nashua New Hampshire
9
Keep slight left at fork
0.4 mi
·
25 sec
10
Keep slight left at fork
0.5 mi
·
33 sec
Toward I 495 South: Marlboro
11
Merge onto I 495
23 mi
·
27 min
·
I 495
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
1 min
Exit 65B
Toward I 290 West: Worcester
13
Merge onto I 290
13 mi
·
15 min
·
I 290
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
14
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
20 sec
Exit 21
Toward Ware, Framingham
15
Turn right onto MA 70
0.3 mi
·
28 sec
·
Lincoln Street
16
Turn right onto MA 9
158 ft
·
2 sec
·
Lincoln Square
17
Turn left onto Main Street
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
Main Street
18
Arrive at destination
Main Street
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 25.3 mi from Andover, MA · 30m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
25 mi into the route
Best for: Lunch, fuel, and a longer reset
This sits close to the middle of the route, so it works well for the longest stop of the day.
Pacing Suggestions
Fuel and coffee
A short stop after about 11 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 25.3 miles from Andover, MA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Worcester, MA
The final approach into Worcester, MA usually feels slower than the middle of the drive, so avoid planning your tightest schedule at the very end.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$8.08 one way
$16.16 round trip
$4.07/gal
25.4 MPG avg
18 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.43 | $8.81 | $17.63 |
| premium | $4.82 | $9.59 | $19.18 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $11.15 | $22.30 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$8
Estimated CO2 emission: 17.7 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $5 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 15.1 | 0 | $5.30 | $2.42 |
| Efficient EV | 12.6 | 0 | $4.42 | $2.02 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 20.2 | 0 | $7.07 | $3.23 |
Gas CO2
18 kg
EV CO2
6 kg (67% less)
This trip is well within single-charge range for most EVs. No charging stops needed if you start fully charged.
DC fast charging avg $0.35/kWh. Home charging avg $0.16/kWh. US grid CO2: 0.39 kg/kWh.
Travel Intel
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Destination
Worcester, MA
Late night in Worcester on Friday
Local time
4:18 AM
EDT
Current temp
64°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
54°F
Bolton, MA
25 mi in
Time zone
Same local time
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
Very similar conditions
Both ends of the route are sitting at about the same temperature right now.
Road read
1h 1m on the road
Use the two city cards together: check the sky where you start, then compare it with the local time and temperature at arrival.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
Frequently Asked Questions
The drive from Andover, MA to Worcester, MA covers 50.5 miles and takes about 1h 1m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are I 495, I 290, North Main Street. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 25.3 miles from Andover, MA. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $8.08 one way. This estimate uses 25.4 MPG — your actual cost will vary with your vehicle's fuel efficiency and current gas prices.
Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch. Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 50.5 miles you will encounter 14 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.
The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (Elm Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 2.3 miles (I 495): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 11.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
On the drive from Andover, MA to Worcester, MA, road signs begin pointing toward Nashua New Hampshire along the way.
Yes. Nearby national parks include Lowell National Historical Park, Minute Man National Historical Park and Salem Maritime National Historical Park. There are 6 parks within detour distance of this route.
How this page is built
Compiled and maintained by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy (Helsinki). Each route is built from authoritative open government and mapping datasets rather than crowdsourced reviews. Distances and geometry come from OSRM over OpenStreetMap. Fuel cost uses EIA weekly regional averages. National park proximity is from the NPS API. Pages are published only after passing our data-quality checks; our methodology page documents refresh cadence, editorial standards, and known limitations.
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