Origin
Ludlow, MA
Late night in Ludlow on Sunday
Local time
2:00 AM
EDT
Current temp
41°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Ludlow, 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
56m
Distance
43.7 mi
70 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$7
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 52m
★
6 AM
0h 57m
8 AM
1h 6m
10 AM
1h 0m
12 PM
0h 59m
3 PM
1h 1m
5 PM
1h 6m
8 PM
0h 54m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Ludlow, MA
Wikimedia Commons
Worcester, MA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
This 43.7-mile drive from Ludlow, MA to Worcester, MA takes approximately 56 minutes and is a straightforward, highway-focused trip. Given its short duration and the minimal fuel cost estimated at $7, it's an ideal candidate for a day trip. You'll spend most of your time on major roadways, including the Massachusetts Turnpike and I-290, with a high highway share of 91%. This route is perfect for a quick transition between two points within Massachusetts, offering efficiency rather than extensive scenic detours. Its direct nature makes it a practical choice for those prioritizing speed and ease of travel.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Massachusetts Turnpike | 34.7 mi | 39m |
| I 290 | 5.1 mi | 6m |
| Green Street | 0.4 mi | <1m |
| Center Street | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| Sewall Street | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| Franklin Street | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| Oak Street | 0.1 mi | <1m |
| Howard Street | 0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Massachusetts Turnpike
— 34.7 mi, about 39m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Ludlow, MA and Worcester, MA.
1
Start on this road
130 ft
·
11 sec
·
this road
2
Turn right
181 ft
·
14 sec
3
Turn right
73 ft
·
11 sec
4
Turn left onto Walnut Street
285 ft
·
14 sec
·
Walnut Street
5
Turn right onto Oak Street
0.1 mi
·
39 sec
·
Oak Street
6
At end of road, turn left onto Howard Street
0.1 mi
·
30 sec
·
Howard Street
7
Turn right onto Sewall Street
0.3 mi
·
45 sec
·
Sewall Street
8
At end of road, turn right onto MA 21
0.3 mi
·
49 sec
·
Center Street
Use the right lane.
9
Take the ramp
0.1 mi
·
18 sec
Use the right lane.
10
Keep slight left at fork
0.8 mi
·
1 min
Use the slight left lane.
11
Merge onto I 90
35 mi
·
39 min
·
Massachusetts Turnpike
12
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
1 min
Exit 90
Toward I 395, MA 12, I 290: Auburn, Worcester
Use the slight right lane.
13
Keep slight left at fork
0.2 mi
·
19 sec
Toward I 395, MA 12 North, I 290
14
Keep slight left at fork
0.2 mi
·
30 sec
Toward I 395, I 290
15
Keep slight left at fork
0.3 mi
·
41 sec
Toward I 290
16
Continue on I 290
5.1 mi
·
6 min
·
I 290
17
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
36 sec
Exit 17
Toward MA 122A: Kelly Square
18
Turn left onto MA 122A
423 ft
·
10 sec
·
Vernon Street
Use the straight lane.
19
Enter roundabout onto Green Street
205 ft
·
3 sec
·
Green Street
20
Continue on Green Street
0.3 mi
·
35 sec
·
Green Street
21
Continue on Franklin Street
0.3 mi
·
48 sec
·
Franklin Street
22
At end of road, turn right onto Main Street
135 ft
·
2 sec
·
Main Street
23
Arrive at destination
Main Street
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
22 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 10 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 21.9 miles from Ludlow, 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 185 decision points cluster between mile 0.3 and 37.1 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
6
0.3 mi into trip
|
~1m in
|
Howard Street
At end of road, turn left onto Howard Street
Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch
7
0.7 mi into trip
|
~2m in
|
MA 21 / Center Street
At end of road, turn right onto MA 21 / Center Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
6
1 mi into trip
|
~3m in
Take the ramp
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
8
36.5 mi into trip
|
~45m in
Take the exit toward I 395, MA 12, I 290: Auburn, Worcester
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 90
Toward I 395, MA 12, I 290: Auburn, Worcester
7
37.1 mi into trip
|
~46m in
Keep slight left at fork toward I 395, I 290
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward I 395, I 290
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$6.99 one way
$13.99 round trip
$4.07/gal
25.4 MPG avg
15 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.43 | $7.63 | $15.25 |
| premium | $4.82 | $8.30 | $16.60 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $9.65 | $19.30 |
Estimated Tolls: $2.08
Massachusetts Turnpike
(34.7 mi)
$2.08
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$7
Tolls
$2
Total
$9
Estimated CO2 emission: 15.3 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 | 13.1 | 0 | $4.59 | $2.10 |
| Efficient EV | 10.9 | 0 | $3.82 | $1.75 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 17.5 | 0 | $6.12 | $2.80 |
Gas CO2
15 kg
EV CO2
5 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 Sunday
Local time
2:00 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
23 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
56m 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?
Expect a predominantly highway experience on this 56-minute journey, with 91% of the drive taking place on major interstates. The longest uninterrupted stretch is 34.7 miles on the Massachusetts Turnpike, offering a continuous, fast-paced segment. As you transition to I-290, the road maintains its highway character, designed for efficient travel. This profile means you'll encounter consistent speeds and minimal distractions, making it a predictable drive for most of its length. The focus is clearly on covering distance smoothly rather than experiencing varied road types.
91% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
23 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 34.7 mi on Massachusetts Turnpike.
How Hard Is This Drive?
8/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Massachusetts Turnpike and I 290. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 0.3 miles in near Howard Street.
Driving Effort
8/10
Focused - busy navigation packed into a short drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 18 decision points packed into just 43.7 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 56m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.3 miles (Howard Street): Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch; at 0.7 miles (MA 21 / Center Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 1 miles: Lane positioning matters here.
About the Cities
Starting in Ludlow, MA
Full guide →Ludlow is a town in central Massachusetts, about a 15- to 20-minute drive to downtown Springfield.
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 56m. Total distance: 43.7 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
56m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (91%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 34.7 miles on Massachusetts Turnpike. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Expect about $2.08 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.
Yes — we found about 4 rest areas or service plazas within a short detour of the route (from OpenStreetMap). See the Rest Stops tab under Nearby Places for locations and mile markers. Plan to stretch, use the bathroom, and top off fluids every 2–3 hours on longer drives.
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 0.3 miles (Howard Street): Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch; at 0.7 miles (MA 21 / Center Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 1 miles: Lane positioning matters here.
Yes — New England National Scenic Trail and Minute Man National Historical Park. See the National Parks section for detour distances and tips on detours.
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, EIA for fuel prices, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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