Origin
Chelsea, MA
Late night in Chelsea on Sunday
Local time
12:18 AM
EDT
Current temp
40°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Chelsea, MA to Worcester, MA
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 4m
Distance
48.8 mi
79 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$8
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 0m
★
6 AM
1h 5m
8 AM
1h 15m
10 AM
1h 9m
12 PM
1h 8m
3 PM
1h 9m
5 PM
1h 15m
8 PM
1h 2m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Chelsea, MA
Italo Melo
Worcester, MA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Chelsea, MA to Worcester, MA is 48.8 miles and takes about 1h 4m via Massachusetts Turnpike, with a fuel budget near $8 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This straightforward drive stays within Massachusetts, moving you from the Northeast region to another part of the Northeast. It's a practical, highway-focused journey perfect for a quick trip or as a segment of a larger New England adventure. You'll mainly be on major roadways, making it an efficient way to cover the distance.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Massachusetts Turnpike | 37.6 mi | 45m |
| Tobin Bridge | 4 mi | 6m |
| Grafton Street | 3.6 mi | 4m |
| Grafton Road | 0.4 mi | <1m |
| Foster Street | 0.4 mi | <1m |
| Main Street | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| Front Street | 0.1 mi | <1m |
| Northeast Expressway | 0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Massachusetts Turnpike
— 37.6 mi, about 45m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Chelsea, MA and Worcester, MA.
1
Start on Shawmut Street
212 ft
·
13 sec
·
Shawmut Street
2
Turn right onto Chester Avenue
526 ft
·
25 sec
·
Chester Avenue
3
At end of road, turn right onto Hawthorn Street
403 ft
·
6 sec
·
Hawthorn Street
4
Continue on Broadway
450 ft
·
7 sec
·
Broadway
5
Turn left onto City Hall Avenue
434 ft
·
19 sec
·
City Hall Avenue
6
Turn left onto Chestnut Street
0.1 mi
·
16 sec
·
Chestnut Street
7
Turn right onto Fifth Street
0.1 mi
·
19 sec
·
Fifth Street
8
Take the ramp
0.2 mi
·
25 sec
Toward US 1 South: Boston
9
Merge onto US 1
0.1 mi
·
8 sec
·
Northeast Expressway
10
Continue on US 1
4.0 mi
·
6 min
·
Tobin Bridge
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Take the exit
0.1 mi
·
14 sec
Exit 16A
Toward I 90 West: Mass Pike, South Station
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Keep slight left at fork
0.6 mi
·
1 min
Toward I 90 Toll West: Albany Street
Use the slight left lane.
13
Keep slight right at fork
0.1 mi
·
13 sec
Toward I 90 West: Albany Street, Mass Pike
14
Keep slight right at fork
0.2 mi
·
20 sec
Toward I 90 West: Mass Pike, Worcester
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
15
Merge onto I 90
38 mi
·
45 min
·
Massachusetts Turnpike
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
16
Take the exit
0.6 mi
·
1 min
Exit 96
Toward MA 122: Millbury, Worcester
17
Keep slight left at fork
173 ft
·
10 sec
18
Turn left onto MA 122
0.4 mi
·
53 sec
·
Grafton Road
19
Continue on MA 122
2.9 mi
·
3 min
·
Grafton Street
20
Enter roundabout onto MA 122
123 ft
·
1 sec
·
Grafton Street
21
Continue on MA 122
0.5 mi
·
39 sec
·
Grafton Street
22
Continue on MA 122
0.3 mi
·
31 sec
·
Grafton Street
23
Enter roundabout onto Front Street
277 ft
·
4 sec
·
Front Street
24
Continue on Front Street
427 ft
·
11 sec
·
Front Street
25
Turn right onto Foster Street
0.4 mi
·
44 sec
·
Foster Street
26
Turn left onto Main Street
0.2 mi
·
16 sec
·
Main Street
27
Arrive at destination
Main Street
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
24 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 24.4 miles from Chelsea, MA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 195 decision points cluster between mile 0.1 and 5.7 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
6
0.1 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
Hawthorn Street
At end of road, turn right onto Hawthorn Street
Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch
8
4.9 mi into trip
|
~8m in
Take the exit toward I 90 West: Mass Pike, South Station
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 16A
Toward I 90 West: Mass Pike, South Station
7
5.1 mi into trip
|
~8m in
Keep slight left at fork toward I 90 Toll West: Albany Street
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left lane.
Toward I 90 Toll West: Albany Street
6
5.6 mi into trip
|
~9m in
Keep slight right at fork toward I 90 West: Albany Street, Mass Pike
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward I 90 West: Albany Street, Mass Pike
9
5.7 mi into trip
|
~10m in
Keep slight right at fork toward I 90 West: Mass Pike, Worcester
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
Toward I 90 West: Mass Pike, Worcester
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$7.81 one way
$15.62 round trip
$4.07/gal
25.4 MPG avg
17 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.43 | $8.52 | $17.03 |
| premium | $4.82 | $9.27 | $18.53 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $10.77 | $21.55 |
Estimated Tolls: $2.25
Massachusetts Turnpike
(37.6 mi)
$2.25
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$8
Tolls
$2
Total
$10
Estimated CO2 emission: 17.1 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $5 in charging · 0 stops · 65% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 14.6 | 0 | $5.12 | $2.34 |
| Efficient EV | 12.2 | 0 | $4.27 | $1.95 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 19.5 | 0 | $6.83 | $3.12 |
Gas CO2
17 kg
EV CO2
6 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
Late night in Worcester on Sunday
Local time
12:18 AM
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
24 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 4m 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.
What kind of drive is this?
This is a highway-focused drive, with 77% of the route utilizing major highways. Expect a good portion of your time behind the wheel to be on the Massachusetts Turnpike, including a continuous stretch of 37.6 miles. The Tobin Bridge also features in this drive. The character is predominantly fast-paced, with limited interaction with local roads until you approach your destination. It’s designed for efficient travel rather than leisurely sightseeing.
77% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
27 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 37.6 mi on Massachusetts Turnpike.
How Hard Is This Drive?
9/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Massachusetts Turnpike and Tobin Bridge. 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 Hawthorn Street.
Driving Effort
9/10
Demanding - stay alert through the decision-heavy sections
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 48.8 miles you will encounter 19 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 (Hawthorn Street): Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch; at 4.9 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 5.1 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
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 Chelsea, MA to Worcester, MA, road signs begin pointing toward Station along the way.
Station
4.9 mi in
|
~8m
About the Cities
Starting in Chelsea, MA
Full guide →Everett is a city in Massachusetts with a population of 49,000 (2020). Chelsea is a city with a population of 41,000 (2020).
Arriving in Worcester, MA
Full guide →Explore fine arts, history, and take in a show in Worcester, a medium sized city in Central Massachusetts about an hour's drive west of Boston. Worcester's seven hills and their valleys contain top notch museums, nine colleges and universities, beautiful parks, and food from all over the globe.
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 4m. Total distance: 48.8 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 4m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (77%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 37.6 miles on Massachusetts Turnpike. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Expect about $2.25 in tolls one way, starting with Massachusetts Turnpike. Most Northeast and Midwest toll agencies accept E-ZPass; in the West and Texas, transponders like TxTag or FasTrak apply. If you do not have a transponder, cashless tolling plates will mail a bill to the vehicle's registered address — usually with a surcharge, so a rental-car toll pass is often cheaper than paying by mail.
It helps. This route has a higher-than-average number of complex decision points, which get harder in the dark. If the last hour of the trip is on surface roads or mountain grades, aim to arrive at Worcester, MA before sunset when you can. Check the Trip Plan for departure windows that land you in daylight.
Yes. At under 2 hours behind the wheel, this works well for families — plan one quick stop if you have younger kids.
The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (Hawthorn Street): Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch; at 4.9 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 5.1 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Worcester, MA before heading back.
How this page is built
Compiled by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy from open government datasets — OSRM over OpenStreetMap for geometry, and EIA for fuel prices. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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