Origin
Swampscott, MA
Afternoon in Swampscott on Friday
Local time
1:30 PM
EDT
Current temp
62°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Swampscott, 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 16m
Distance
56.2 mi
90 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$9
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 11m
★
6 AM
1h 17m
8 AM
1h 29m
10 AM
1h 21m
12 PM
1h 20m
3 PM
1h 22m
5 PM
1h 28m
8 PM
1h 13m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Swampscott, MA
David Kanigan
Worcester, MA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
The drive from Swampscott, MA to Worcester, MA covers 56.2 miles and takes about 1h 16m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on Massachusetts Turnpike, Grafton Street, North Shore Road for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is highway-focused drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 39.8 miles on Massachusetts Turnpike. At current regular gas prices, budget about $8.99 one way before food or hotel costs.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 16m. Total distance: 56.2 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 16m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (73%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Drive Character
This is a 1h 16m highway drive covering 56.2 miles, with most of the trip on Massachusetts Turnpike and Grafton Street. The longest continuous stretch is about 39.8 miles on Massachusetts Turnpike.
Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 32 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Massachusetts Turnpike is the longest continuous segment at about 39.8 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Massachusetts Turnpike and Grafton Street. You will hit about 17 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 0.1 miles in near Monument Avenue.
Driving Effort
6/10
Moderate - straightforward overall, but long enough or busy enough to require pacing
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 56.2 miles you will encounter 17 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 (Monument Avenue): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering; at 0.2 miles (MA 129 / Humphrey Street): Navigation decision point; at 9.5 miles (I 90 / Massachusetts Turnpike): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 17 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
5
0.1 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
Monument Avenue
Enter roundabout onto Monument Avenue
Roundabout - know your exit number before entering
5
0.2 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
MA 129 / Humphrey Street
At end of road, turn right onto MA 129 / Humphrey Street
Navigation decision point
8
9.5 mi into trip
|
~16m in
|
I 90 / Massachusetts Turnpike
Keep slight left at fork onto I 90 / Massachusetts Turnpike toward I 90 Toll West: Williams Tunnel, Logan Airport
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight left lane.
Toward I 90 Toll West: Williams Tunnel, Logan A...
6
50.8 mi into trip
|
~1h 8m in
Take the exit toward MA 122: Millbury, Worcester
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Exit 96
Toward MA 122: Millbury, Worcester
5
54.8 mi into trip
|
~1h 14m in
|
MA 122 / Grafton Street
Enter roundabout onto MA 122 / Grafton Street
Roundabout - know your exit number before entering
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 Swampscott, MA to Worcester, MA, road signs begin pointing toward Logan Airport along the way.
Logan Airport
9.5 mi in
|
~16m
|
via I 90
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Massachusetts Turnpike | 39.8 mi | 49m |
| Grafton Street | 3.6 mi | 4m |
| North Shore Road | 2.6 mi | 4m |
| Lynnway | 2.2 mi | 3m |
| Ted Williams Tunnel | 1.5 mi | 2m |
| Lynn Shore Drive | 1.1 mi | 1m |
| McClellan Highway | 1 mi | 1m |
| Lee Burbank Highway | 1 mi | 2m |
Longest stretch:
Massachusetts Turnpike
— 39.8 mi, about 49m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Swampscott, MA and Worcester, MA.
1
Start on Hardy Road
212 ft
·
10 sec
·
Hardy Road
2
Turn right onto Monument Avenue
373 ft
·
12 sec
·
Monument Avenue
3
Enter roundabout onto Monument Avenue
72 ft
·
2 sec
·
Monument Avenue
4
Continue on Monument Avenue
447 ft
·
20 sec
·
Monument Avenue
5
At end of road, turn right onto MA 129
0.1 mi
·
13 sec
·
Humphrey Street
6
Keep slight left at fork onto Lynn Shore Drive
1.1 mi
·
1 min
·
Lynn Shore Drive
7
Enter roundabout onto Lynnway
85 ft
·
1 sec
·
Lynnway
8
Continue on Lynnway
2.2 mi
·
3 min
·
Lynnway
9
Continue on MA 1A
2.6 mi
·
4 min
·
North Shore Road
10
Enter roundabout onto MA 1A
108 ft
·
1 sec
·
Veterans of Foreign Wars Parkway
11
Continue on MA 1A
0.4 mi
·
36 sec
·
Veterans of Foreign Wars Parkway
12
Enter roundabout onto MA 1A
377 ft
·
8 sec
·
MA 1A
13
Continue on MA 1A
215 ft
·
7 sec
·
MA 1A
14
Merge onto MA 1A
53 ft
·
1 sec
·
Lee Burbank Highway
15
Keep slight left at fork onto MA 1A
1.0 mi
·
2 min
·
Lee Burbank Highway
16
Continue on MA 1A
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
McClellan Highway
17
Continue on MA 1A
0.6 mi
·
56 sec
·
East Boston Expressway
18
Keep slight left at fork onto I 90
0.9 mi
·
1 min
·
Massachusetts Turnpike
Toward I 90 Toll West: Williams Tunnel, Logan Airport
Use the slight left lane.
19
Continue on I 90
1.5 mi
·
2 min
·
Ted Williams Tunnel
20
Continue on I 90
39 mi
·
48 min
·
Massachusetts Turnpike
Use the straight / right lanes.
21
Take the exit
0.6 mi
·
1 min
Exit 96
Toward MA 122: Millbury, Worcester
22
Keep slight left at fork
173 ft
·
10 sec
23
Turn left onto MA 122
0.4 mi
·
53 sec
·
Grafton Road
24
Continue on MA 122
2.9 mi
·
3 min
·
Grafton Street
25
Enter roundabout onto MA 122
123 ft
·
1 sec
·
Grafton Street
26
Continue on MA 122
0.5 mi
·
39 sec
·
Grafton Street
27
Continue on MA 122
0.3 mi
·
31 sec
·
Grafton Street
28
Enter roundabout onto Front Street
277 ft
·
4 sec
·
Front Street
29
Continue on Front Street
427 ft
·
11 sec
·
Front Street
30
Turn right onto Foster Street
0.4 mi
·
44 sec
·
Foster Street
31
Turn left onto Main Street
0.2 mi
·
16 sec
·
Main Street
32
Arrive at destination
Main Street
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 28.1 mi from Swampscott, MA · 40m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
28 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 12 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 28.1 miles from Swampscott, 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
$8.99 one way
$17.99 round trip
$4.07/gal
25.4 MPG avg
20 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.43 | $9.81 | $19.62 |
| premium | $4.82 | $10.67 | $21.34 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $12.41 | $24.82 |
Estimated Tolls: $2.39
Massachusetts Turnpike
(39.8 mi)
$2.39
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$9
Tolls
$2
Total
$11
Estimated CO2 emission: 19.7 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $6 in charging · 0 stops · 65% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 16.9 | 0 | $5.90 | $2.70 |
| Efficient EV | 14.1 | 0 | $4.92 | $2.25 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 22.5 | 0 | $7.87 | $3.60 |
Gas CO2
20 kg
EV CO2
7 kg (65% 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
Afternoon in Worcester on Friday
Local time
1:30 PM
EDT
Current temp
64°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
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
2 degrees warmer at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
1h 16m 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 Swampscott, MA to Worcester, MA covers 56.2 miles and takes about 1h 16m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Massachusetts Turnpike, Grafton Street, North Shore Road. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 28.1 miles from Swampscott, MA. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $8.99 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 56.2 miles you will encounter 17 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 (Monument Avenue): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering; at 0.2 miles (MA 129 / Humphrey Street): Navigation decision point; at 9.5 miles (I 90 / Massachusetts Turnpike): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
On the drive from Swampscott, MA to Worcester, MA, road signs begin pointing toward Logan Airport along the way.
Yes. Nearby national parks include Boston National Historical Park, Salem Maritime National Historical Park and Boston Harbor Islands National Recreation Area. There are 6 parks within detour distance of this route.
How this page is built
Compiled by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy from open government datasets — OSRM over OpenStreetMap for geometry, EIA for fuel prices, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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