Origin
Worcester, MA
Late night in Worcester on Sunday
Local time
12:14 AM
EDT
Current temp
64°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Worcester, MA to Ashburnham, MA
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
48m
Distance
30.2 mi
49 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$5
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 44m
★
6 AM
0h 48m
8 AM
0h 56m
10 AM
0h 51m
12 PM
0h 50m
3 PM
0h 52m
5 PM
0h 56m
8 PM
0h 46m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Worcester, MA
Wikimedia Commons
Ashburnham, MA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
If you are looking for a quick escape from Worcester to Ashburnham, this 30.2-mile trek is a straightforward option that typically takes about 48 minutes to complete. It serves as an ideal day trip, meaning you won't need to worry about booking overnight accommodations. Budgeting approximately $5 for fuel should cover the trip comfortably, making it a budget-friendly way to navigate the Northeast. Because the distance is relatively short, you have plenty of flexibility to plan your schedule around local traffic patterns. This route keeps you within Massachusetts, transitioning from the urban center of Worcester toward the quieter northern reaches of the state.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 190 | 8.4 mi | 9m |
| Fitchburg Road | 5 mi | 8m |
| Redemption Rock Trail | 4.8 mi | 7m |
| Ashburnham State Road | 2.3 mi | 4m |
| Main Street | 1.7 mi | 2m |
| Redemption Rock Trail North | 1.6 mi | 3m |
| Princeton Road | 1.5 mi | 2m |
| Ashburnham Street | 1.3 mi | 2m |
Longest stretch:
I 190
— 8.4 mi, about 9m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Worcester, MA and Ashburnham, 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
0.3 mi
·
30 sec
·
Lincoln Street
4
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
32 sec
Toward I 290 East: Marlboro
5
Merge onto I 290
0.6 mi
·
55 sec
·
I 290
6
Take the exit
0.1 mi
·
13 sec
Exit 19; 20
Toward I 190 North, MA 70: Sterling, Leominster, Burncoat Street, Lincoln Street
7
Keep slight left at fork
0.4 mi
·
32 sec
Exit 22
Toward I 190 North: Sterling, Leominster
8
Continue on I 190
8.4 mi
·
9 min
·
I 190
9
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
41 sec
Exit 9
Toward MA 140: West Boylston, Princeton
10
Turn left onto MA 140
4.8 mi
·
7 min
·
Redemption Rock Trail
11
Continue on MA 140
1.1 mi
·
1 min
·
Main Street
12
Enter roundabout onto MA 31; MA 140
34 ft
·
0 sec
·
Redemption Rock Trail North
13
Continue on MA 31; MA 140
1.6 mi
·
3 min
·
Redemption Rock Trail North
14
Turn slight right onto MA 31
3.3 mi
·
5 min
·
Fitchburg Road
15
Continue on MA 31
1.5 mi
·
2 min
·
Princeton Road
16
Turn right onto MA 2A; MA 31
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
Westminster Street
17
Turn left onto Sanborn Street
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
Sanborn Street
18
At end of road, turn left onto MA 12
1.3 mi
·
2 min
·
Ashburnham Street
19
Continue on MA 12
2.3 mi
·
4 min
·
Ashburnham State Road
20
Continue on MA 12
1.7 mi
·
2 min
·
Fitchburg Road
21
Continue on MA 12
0.2 mi
·
24 sec
·
Main Street North
22
Turn right onto MA 101
136 ft
·
2 sec
·
Water Street
23
Arrive at destination
MA 101
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
15 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 30 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 15.1 miles from Worcester, 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 125 decision points cluster between mile 0.9 and 30.2 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
0.9 mi into trip
|
~1m in
Take the exit toward I 290 East: Marlboro
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early
Toward I 290 East: Marlboro
6
1.8 mi into trip
|
~3m in
Take the exit toward I 190 North, MA 70: Sterling, Leominster, Burncoat Street, Lincoln Street
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Exit 19; 20
Toward I 190 North, MA 70: Sterling, Leominster...
7
1.9 mi into trip
|
~3m in
Keep slight left at fork toward I 190 North: Sterling, Leominster
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Exit 22
Toward I 190 North: Sterling, Leominster
6
10.7 mi into trip
|
~13m in
Take the exit toward MA 140: West Boylston, Princeton
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Exit 9
Toward MA 140: West Boylston, Princeton
5
30.2 mi into trip
|
~48m in
|
MA 101 / Water Street
Turn right onto MA 101 / Water Street
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$4.83 one way
$9.67 round trip
$4.07/gal
25.4 MPG avg
11 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.43 | $5.27 | $10.54 |
| premium | $4.82 | $5.73 | $11.47 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $6.67 | $13.34 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$5
Estimated CO2 emission: 10.6 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 | 9.1 | 0 | $3.17 | $1.45 |
| Efficient EV | 7.6 | 0 | $2.64 | $1.21 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 12.1 | 0 | $4.23 | $1.93 |
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
Ashburnham, MA
Late night in Ashburnham on Sunday
Local time
12:14 AM
EDT
Current temp
38°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
55°F
Sterling, MA
15 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
26 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
48m 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?
You will experience a mixed driving profile that transitions from faster highway speeds to more localized road conditions. About 30 percent of your journey is spent on major highways, primarily utilizing I-190 where you will find your longest uninterrupted stretch of 8.4 miles. Beyond the interstate, the character of the drive shifts as you navigate onto Fitchburg Road and Redemption Rock Trail. Expect the pace to fluctuate as you leave the heavier infrastructure behind and move onto smaller, secondary roads. This combination keeps the drive engaging without requiring the fatigue associated with long-haul highway travel.
30% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
23 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 8.4 mi on I 190.
How Hard Is This Drive?
6/10
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. You will hit about 12 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 0.9 miles in.
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 30.2 miles you will encounter 12 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 0.9 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early; at 1.8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 1.9 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Elevation Profile
Gently rolling terrain
1,018 ft
445 ft
Total Climb
1,086 ft
Total Descent
575 ft
Highest Point
1,018 ft
~30.2 mi in
Elevation Range
573 ft
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.
Between Worcester, MA and Ashburnham, MA, road signs point toward Leominster and Princeton.
Leominster
1.8 mi in
|
~3m
Princeton
10.7 mi in
|
~13m
About the Cities
Starting 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 48m. Total distance: 30.2 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
48m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (30%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Scenic Drive
Mixed highway & surface route profile with national parks nearby.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 8.4 miles on I 190. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
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 Ashburnham, 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 0.9 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early; at 1.8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 1.9 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Yes — Minute Man National Historical Park and Lowell 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 Ashburnham, 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, USGS 3DEP for elevation, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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