How far is Worcester, MA from Lancaster, MA?

The driving distance from Worcester, MA to Lancaster, MA is about 16.6 miles (26.7 km), with a travel time of about 00h 31m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 14.9 miles (23.9 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 01h 03m of driving time before adding stops, traffic, or weather delays.
  • A comfortable departure window is usually 7:00 AM to 7:00 PM EDT.
Trip Tools

Reverse, save, or send this route

This is an easy same-day return drive. Copy the route link, send it to another device, or print a clean version before you head out.

Reverse Route
Quick Snapshot
Road
16.6 mi
00h 31m
Flight
14.88 mi
23.95 km direct

This is an easy same-day return drive.

Learn Distance

Choose another destination from Worcester.

Flight Distance

Direct air line
14.88 mi
Kilometers
23.95 km
Flight Time
00h 01m

Driving Distance

Road route
16.6 mi
Kilometers
26.72 km
Drive Time
00h 31m

Gas Cost Calculator

Leave and Arrive Planner

Pick a departure time to see your estimated arrival and same-day return window.

Drive time stays fixed at 00h 31m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in Lancaster
Thu, Apr 23, 1:14 AM EDT
Return by in Worcester
Thu, Apr 23, 1:46 AM EDT
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave Worcester
2026-04-23T00:42
Arrive Lancaster
Thu, Apr 23, 1:14 AM EDT
Route Timing
00h 31m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
7:00 AM to 7:00 PM EDT
Leave when it suits your day
Arrive between
7:32 AM to 7:32 PM EDT

This is a short drive, so your comfort window is wide. Traffic and current weather matter more than the clock.

Leave by
7:26 PM EDT
Keeps a same-day return open with about 01h 30m at the destination.
Back in Worcester
10:00 PM EDT
Flexible departure

You are leaving earlier than the recommended window, which gives you extra margin for breaks and traffic.

Halfway Point

A useful midpoint for breaks, coffee, or meeting in the middle.

Mid-route stop
Boylston
MA

Town in Worcester County, Massachusetts, United States of America

From Worcester
8.3 mi
00h 16m
To Lancaster
8.3 mi
00h 16m

Route Weather Snapshot

Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.

Origin
62°F
Thursday

Partly Sunny

Starts
Thu, Apr 23 6:00 AM EDT
Wind
3 to 12 mph NW
Destination
62°F
Thursday

Partly Sunny

Starts
Thu, Apr 23 6:00 AM EDT
Wind
3 to 12 mph NW

Driving Route Map

The map below follows the saved road route between Worcester and Lancaster.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Worcester and Lancaster.

  1. 1

    Start on Main Street

    3267 ft · 1 min · Main Street

  2. 2

    Turn right onto Lincoln Square

    47 m · 4 sec · Lincoln Square

  3. 3

    Turn left onto Lincoln Street

    1.1 mi · 2 min · Lincoln Street

  4. 4

    Keep slight right to continue on Lincoln Street

    1.5 mi · 3 min · Lincoln Street

  5. 5

    Enter the roundabout and take exit 3 toward Boylston Street

    61 m · 4 sec · Boylston Street

  6. 6

    Exit the roundabout onto Boylston Street

    2105 ft · 44 sec · Boylston Street

  7. 7

    Continue on Clinton Street

    1.1 km · 1 min · Clinton Street

  8. 8

    Continue on Main Street

    3.2 mi · 6 min · Main Street

  9. 9

    Continue on Main Street

    3.9 mi · 6 min · Main Street

  10. 10

    Continue on Boylston Street

    1.4 mi · 3 min · Boylston Street

  11. 11

    Continue on Chestnut Street

    1621 ft · 30 sec · Chestnut Street

  12. 12

    Continue on Mechanic Street

    912 ft · 20 sec · Mechanic Street

  13. 13

    At the end of the road, turn left onto Union Street

    70 m · 5 sec · Union Street

  14. 14

    Turn right onto High Street

    2.2 mi · 5 min · High Street

  15. 15

    Turn left onto Center Bridge Road

    1.2 km · 1 min · Center Bridge Road

  16. 16

    Turn slight right onto Main Street

    116 m · 12 sec · Main Street

  17. 17

    Turn right onto Thayer Memorial Drive

    59 m · 15 sec · Thayer Memorial Drive

  18. 18

    Continue on Thayer Memorial Drive

    133 m · 32 sec · Thayer Memorial Drive

  19. 19

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec · Thayer Memorial Drive

Car Route Details

A richer read on the saved driving route between Worcester and Lancaster.

OSRM road route
Drive Character

Turn-heavy local drive

The route has frequent decision points for its length, so lane choice and turn timing will matter more than cruising speed.

Directions
19 steps
9 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
2
0 merges, 2 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
114.5 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
Main Street
7.78 mi · 47%
Lincoln Street
2.64 mi · 16%
High Street
2.24 mi · 13%
Boylston Street
1.82 mi · 11%
Center Bridge Road
0.75 mi · 5%
Clinton Street
0.71 mi · 4%
Longest Stretch

Main Street

Continue on Main Street

3.87 mi · 00h 06m

Route Summary

A quick read on whether this route feels easy, ambitious, or worth planning around.

Trip Read

A short regional drive

This route is short enough to handle as a quick errand, commute, or easy same-day return without much planning overhead.

Drive Time
00h 31m
Quick drive
Same-Day Return
01h 04m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+1.7 mi
14.9 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
Boylston
00h 16m from Worcester
Leave By
7:26 PM EDT
Flexible departure
Weather Watch

Partly Sunny leaving Worcester and Partly Sunny near Lancaster.

Trip Questions

Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.

How long does it take to drive from Worcester to Lancaster?

The road trip is about 16.6 miles (26.7 km) and usually takes 00h 31m in normal driving conditions.

Is this a same-day trip or an overnight route?

This route is short enough to handle as a quick errand, commute, or easy same-day return without much planning overhead.

What is the halfway point on this route?

Boylston is a useful midpoint, sitting about 8.3 miles from Worcester and 8.3 miles from Lancaster.

How much longer is the road route than the straight-line distance?

The direct path is about 14.9 miles (23.9 km), while the road route adds roughly 1.7 extra miles because roads do not follow the straight air line.

When is the best time to leave for this route?

A good departure window is usually 7:00 AM to 7:00 PM EDT. If you want a more comfortable same-day return, try to leave by 7:26 PM EDT.

How much will gas cost for this route?

Using about 28.3 MPG, regular gas is estimated at $2.30 one way or $4.59 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 5.2 kg one way.

What should you check before leaving?

Before you leave, expect Partly Sunny around Worcester and Partly Sunny near Lancaster.

Stop Ideas Near Boylston

Useful break, food, and waypoint ideas within about 15 miles of the route midpoint.

Mid-route Guidance
Local place coverage is thin around Boylston, so nearby transit and meeting points are shown instead.
Reviewed stop coverage is still thin around this midpoint, so practical transit waypoints are shown on the right.

Transit and Meeting Points

Useful pickup, handoff, or rendezvous points close to Boylston.

RAIL

Union Station

16 mi away
2 Washington Square
RAIL

Framingham station

27 mi away
417 Waverly St.
BUS

Nashua, NH

47 mi away
8 North Southwood Drive
RAIL

Anderson Regional Transportation Center

48 mi away
100 Atlantic Ave.

Flight Path Map

This map shows the direct air route between Worcester and Lancaster. Straight-line distance: 14.88 mi (23.95 km).

Worcester

#1 Worcester

The second most populous city in Massachusetts.

Population184,570
Coordinates42.2625900, -71.8022900
Altitude147
CountryUnited States
Lancaster

#2 Lancaster

Town in Worcester County, Massachusetts, United States

Population7,857
Coordinates42.4556500, -71.6731200
Altitude94
CountryUnited States
Start: Worcester (-71.80229, 42.26259)
End: Lancaster (-71.67312, 42.45565)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 27 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)00h 33m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)00h 24m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)00h 19m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)00h 16m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)00h 14m
80 mph (129 km/h)00h 12m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
0.59 gal
2.22 L · about $2.30
Round trip
$4.59
1.18 gal · 4.44 L
Estimated CO2
5.2 kg one way
Round trip: 10.5 kg / 23 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $3.89 $2.30 $4.59
Mid-grade $4.40 $2.59 $5.19
Premium $4.80 $2.83 $5.66
Diesel $4.49 $2.65 $5.30

Assumes 8.3 L/100 km (about 28.3 MPG). CO2 is an estimate and varies by vehicle, fuel blend, traffic, and terrain.

Prices in Massachusetts · Apr 23, 2026

There is no time difference between Worcester and Lancaster. The current time is 00:42:46.

Distance to Other Cities

Planning a road trip? See the full trip guide on Trip.ovh — stops, fuel costs, weather, and departure timing.

How did we calculate? Place names are translated into coordinates. The Haversine formula calculates straight-line distance; driving distance uses road network data.