Origin
Worcester, MA
Afternoon in Worcester on Friday
Local time
12:46 PM
EDT
Current temp
64°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Worcester, MA to Acton, MA
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 17, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
43m
Distance
32.2 mi
52 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$5
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 40m
★
6 AM
0h 43m
8 AM
0h 51m
10 AM
0h 46m
12 PM
0h 45m
3 PM
0h 46m
5 PM
0h 50m
8 PM
0h 41m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Worcester, MA
Wikimedia Commons
Acton, MA
Italo Melo
Trip Overview
The drive from Worcester, MA to Acton, MA covers 32.2 miles and takes about 43m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on I 495, I 290, Captain Isaac Davis Highway for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is highway-focused drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 12 miles on I 495. At current regular gas prices, budget about $5.15 one way before food or hotel costs.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 43m. Total distance: 32.2 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
43m 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 43m highway drive covering 32.2 miles, with most of the trip on I 495 and I 290. The longest continuous stretch is about 12 miles on I 495.
Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 16 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 12 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 13.9 miles in.
Driving Effort
9/10
Focused - lots of decisions in a short distance, but it is over quickly
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 13 decision points packed into just 32.2 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 43m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 13.9 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early; at 26.5 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 26.6 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 13 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
5
13.9 mi into trip
|
~17m in
Take the exit toward I 495 North: Lowell
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early
Exit 32B
Toward I 495 North: Lowell
6
26.5 mi into trip
|
~33m in
Take the exit toward MA 2 East: Boston, Leominster
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Exit 29A-B
Toward MA 2 East: Boston, Leominster
6
26.6 mi into trip
|
~34m in
Keep slight right at fork toward MA 2 East: Boston
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
Exit 78A
Toward MA 2 East: Boston
5
27.1 mi into trip
|
~35m in
|
MA 2 / Captain Isaac Davis Highway
Merge onto MA 2 / Captain Isaac Davis Highway
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
30.9 mi into trip
|
~40m in
Take the exit toward MA 27: Acton, Maynard
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 117
Toward MA 27: Acton, Maynard
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 Worcester, MA to Acton, MA, road signs begin pointing toward Leominster along the way.
Leominster
26.5 mi in
|
~33m
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 495 | 12 mi | 13m |
| I 290 | 11.5 mi | 13m |
| Captain Isaac Davis Highway | 3.9 mi | 5m |
| Main Street | 1.6 mi | 3m |
| Lincoln Street | 1.5 mi | 2m |
| Concord Road | <0.1 mi | <1m |
| Lincoln Square | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
I 495
— 12 mi, about 13m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Worcester, MA and Acton, MA.
1
Start on Main Street
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
Main Street
2
Turn right onto MA 9
154 ft
·
4 sec
·
Lincoln Square
3
Turn left onto MA 70
1.1 mi
·
2 min
·
Lincoln Street
4
Keep slight right at fork onto MA 70
0.4 mi
·
42 sec
·
Lincoln Street
5
Take the ramp
0.2 mi
·
28 sec
Toward I 290: Marlboro
6
Merge onto I 290
11 mi
·
13 min
·
I 290
7
Take the exit
0.7 mi
·
2 min
Exit 32B
Toward I 495 North: Lowell
8
Merge onto I 495
12 mi
·
13 min
·
I 495
9
Take the exit
0.1 mi
·
18 sec
Exit 29A-B
Toward MA 2 East: Boston, Leominster
10
Keep slight right at fork
0.4 mi
·
1 min
Exit 78A
Toward MA 2 East: Boston
11
Merge onto MA 2
3.9 mi
·
5 min
·
Captain Isaac Davis Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
21 sec
Exit 117
Toward MA 27: Acton, Maynard
Use the slight right lane.
13
Keep slight left at fork
165 ft
·
7 sec
14
Turn left onto MA 27
1.0 mi
·
2 min
·
Main Street
15
Turn right onto Concord Road
326 ft
·
9 sec
·
Concord Road
16
Arrive at destination
Concord Road
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$5.15 one way
$10.31 round trip
$4.07/gal
25.4 MPG avg
11 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.43 | $5.62 | $11.24 |
| premium | $4.82 | $6.11 | $12.23 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $7.11 | $14.22 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$5
Estimated CO2 emission: 11.3 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $3 in charging · 0 stops · 64% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 9.7 | 0 | $3.38 | $1.55 |
| Efficient EV | 8.1 | 0 | $2.82 | $1.29 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 12.9 | 0 | $4.51 | $2.06 |
Gas CO2
11 kg
EV CO2
4 kg (64% 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
Acton, MA
Afternoon in Acton on Friday
Local time
12:46 PM
EDT
Current temp
55°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
9 degrees cooler at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
43m 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 Worcester, MA to Acton, MA covers 32.2 miles and takes about 43m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are I 495, I 290, Captain Isaac Davis Highway. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 16.1 miles from Worcester, MA. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $5.15 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 is a short but busy drive. With 13 decision points packed into just 32.2 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 43m.
The main spots that need attention: at 13.9 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early; at 26.5 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 26.6 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully.
On the drive from Worcester, MA to Acton, MA, road signs begin pointing toward Leominster along the way.
Yes. Nearby national parks include Minute Man National Historical Park, Lowell National Historical Park and Boston National Historical Park. 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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