Commute time from Southborough to Cambridge (Boston, Concord: how much, hotel, home)

[DifferentStages]

Hi,

I was curious to know the commute time during office hours from Southborough to Cambridge (Alewife area). I plan to get the FastLane.

Also, how much time do you think I can save by skewing my work hours in order to avoid the office rush?


Thanks.

[goyguy]

Traffic permitting (which it often doesn't, lol) you should be able to make the trip in just shy of an hour. The way to go would be via the Mass. Turnpike (I-90) to the Allston-Cambridge exit; bear right, onto Cambridge St, at the end of the ramp; turn left - in advance of the bridge, at the Doubletree Suites hotel - onto Soldiers Field Rd; after passing the JFK St/Harvard Square exit, merge onto the next bridge across the river; follow Route 2 (Fresh Pond Pkwy/Concord Ave/Alewife Brook Pkwy) from there on out.
For a faster but longer way, take I-495 north all the way to Route 2 east.
Alternatively, gas prices being what they are, you could travel by MBTA commuter rail from Southborough into Boston's South Station. From there it'd be a 20-30 minute ride via Red Line subway to the Alewife terminal. Visit mbta.com to see whether that might be a viable option. When the "Pike" and local roads are backed up, the T could well get you from place to place faster.
The only way to beat the tie-ups would be to leave home at no later than about 6-6:30 AM, or after 9.

[DifferentStages]

Thanks, goyguy, for the detailed reply. Google maps predicts roughly 40 minutes. It is valuable for me to know that it takes just shy of an hour in reality. Leaving a little after 9am is a possibility for me.