Origin
Arlington, MA
Late night in Arlington on Tuesday
Local time
4:52 AM
EDT
Current temp
61°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Arlington, MA to Plymouth, MA
Pin this tripCompiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 21, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 8m
Distance
47.5 mi
76 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$8
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 3m
★
6 AM
1h 9m
8 AM
1h 19m
10 AM
1h 12m
12 PM
1h 11m
3 PM
1h 13m
5 PM
1h 19m
8 PM
1h 5m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Arlington, MA
Wikimedia Commons
Plymouth, MA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Arlington, MA to Plymouth, MA is 47.5 miles and takes about 1h 8m via MA 3, with a fuel budget near $8 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This is a straightforward, highway-focused trip within Massachusetts, moving from the Northeast region to the Northeast region. Given its relatively short distance and duration, it's an ideal option for a single-day excursion. You'll primarily be on well-maintained expressways, making it a convenient choice if you're looking for a quick and efficient journey without extensive planning.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| MA 3 | 28.2 mi | 35m |
| Southeast Expressway | 8 mi | 10m |
| John F. Fitzgerald Expressway | 3 mi | 4m |
| Interstate 93 HOV lane | 2.5 mi | 3m |
| Mystic Valley Parkway | 1.3 mi | 3m |
| I 93 | 1.1 mi | 1m |
| Samoset Street | 0.9 mi | 2m |
| Boston Avenue | 0.5 mi | 1m |
Longest stretch:
MA 3
— 28.2 mi, about 35m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Arlington, MA and Plymouth, MA.
1
Start on this road
203 ft
·
16 sec
·
this road
2
Turn right onto Academy Street
320 ft
·
15 sec
·
Academy Street
3
Turn right onto Massachusetts Avenue
0.2 mi
·
19 sec
·
Massachusetts Avenue
4
Turn left onto US 3; MA 2A; MA 60
0.1 mi
·
10 sec
·
Mystic Street
5
Turn right onto MA 60
0.1 mi
·
27 sec
·
Chestnut Street
6
Continue on MA 60
0.4 mi
·
1 min
·
Medford Street
7
Enter roundabout onto MA 60
134 ft
·
5 sec
·
Medford Street
8
Continue on MA 60
295 ft
·
10 sec
·
Medford Street
9
Continue on MA 60
0.3 mi
·
52 sec
·
High Street
10
Turn right onto Boston Avenue
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
Boston Avenue
11
Turn left onto MA 16
1.1 mi
·
3 min
·
Mystic Valley Parkway
12
Continue on MA 16
0.1 mi
·
10 sec
·
Mystic Valley Parkway
Toward MA 16 East: Everett, Revere
13
Take the ramp
0.1 mi
·
14 sec
Toward I 93: Boston, Concord New Hampshire
14
Keep slight right at fork
0.3 mi
·
32 sec
Toward I 93 South: Boston
Use the slight right lane.
15
Merge onto I 93
1.1 mi
·
1 min
·
I 93
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
16
Keep slight left at fork onto I 93
1.7 mi
·
1 min
·
Interstate 93 HOV lane
Use the slight left lane.
17
Keep slight left at fork onto I 93
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
Interstate 93 HOV lane
18
Merge onto I 93; US 1
3.0 mi
·
4 min
·
John F. Fitzgerald Expressway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
19
Continue on I 93; US 1; MA 3
8.0 mi
·
10 min
·
Southeast Expressway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
20
Keep slight left at fork onto MA 3
28 mi
·
35 min
·
MA 3
Exit 7
Toward MA 3 South: Cape Cod
Use the slight left lane.
21
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
46 sec
Exit 15B
Toward US 44 West: Samoset Street, Carver
22
Turn straight onto Samoset Street
254 ft
·
9 sec
·
Samoset Street
23
Continue on Samoset Street
0.9 mi
·
2 min
·
Samoset Street
24
Turn right onto MA 3A
0.2 mi
·
35 sec
·
Court Street
Use the right lane.
25
Arrive at destination
MA 3A
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 10 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 23.8 miles from Arlington, 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 1 and 46.2 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
6
1 mi into trip
|
~2m in
|
MA 60 / High Street
Enter roundabout onto MA 60 / High Street
Roundabout - know your exit number before entering
8
3.2 mi into trip
|
~8m in
Keep slight right at fork toward I 93 South: Boston
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Toward I 93 South: Boston
6
4.6 mi into trip
|
~10m in
|
I 93 / Interstate 93 HOV lane
Keep slight left at fork onto I 93 / Interstate 93 HOV lane
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left lane.
8
18 mi into trip
|
~29m in
|
MA 3
Keep slight left at fork onto MA 3 toward MA 3 South: Cape Cod
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left lane.
Exit 7
Toward MA 3 South: Cape Cod
6
46.2 mi into trip
|
~1h 4m in
Take the exit toward US 44 West: Samoset Street, Carver
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Exit 15B
Toward US 44 West: Samoset Street, Carver
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$7.60 one way
$15.20 round trip
$4.07/gal
25.4 MPG avg
17 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.43 | $8.29 | $16.58 |
| premium | $4.82 | $9.02 | $18.04 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $10.49 | $20.97 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$8
Estimated CO2 emission: 16.6 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 | 14.3 | 0 | $4.99 | $2.28 |
| Efficient EV | 11.9 | 0 | $4.16 | $1.90 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 19 | 0 | $6.65 | $3.04 |
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
Plymouth, MA
Late night in Plymouth on Tuesday
Local time
4:52 AM
EDT
Current temp
41°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
20 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
1h 8m 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 drive is heavily focused on highway travel, with 93% of the route utilizing expressways. You can expect a consistent, fast-paced experience for most of the journey. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is 28.2 miles on MA 3, allowing for a significant period of steady driving. The character of the road is predominantly that of a modern highway, designed for efficient transit between these two Massachusetts locations.
93% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
25 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 28.2 mi on MA 3.
How Hard Is This Drive?
10/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on MA 3 and Southeast Expressway. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 1 miles in near MA 60 / High Street.
Driving Effort
10/10
Demanding - stay alert through the decision-heavy sections
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 47.5 miles you will encounter 18 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 1 miles (MA 60 / High Street): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering; at 3.2 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 4.6 miles (I 93 / Interstate 93 HOV lane): 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.
Between Arlington, MA and Plymouth, MA, road signs point toward Revere and Concord New Hampshire.
Revere
3 mi in
|
~8m
|
via MA 16
Concord New Hampshire
3.1 mi in
|
~8m
About the Cities
Arriving in Plymouth, MA
Full guide →Founded 1620
Plymouth is on the South Shore of Massachusetts. Known as "America's Hometown," Plymouth is most famous for being the final landing place of the Pilgrims who arrived on board the Mayflower in 1620, after storms lead them away from their desired settlement, the Hudson River. The settlement they established, Plimoth Colony, was one of the earliest successful settlements of Europeans in North America. In addition to its obvious historical draws, modern-day Plymouth is a picturesque seaside town with a bustling summer resident population who come back year after year to enjoy its beaches, ponds, and forests. Although summer is Plymouth's peak tourist season, spring (before Memorial Day) and fall (after Labor Day) can be excellent times to visit. These bumper seasons are less crowded and certainly more comfortable temperature-wise.
Top landmarks
- • Plymouth Rock — Historical important rock in Ply-mouth, Massachusetts, USA
- • Plimoth Patuxet — museum in Plymouth, Massachusetts, USA
- • Mayflower II — replica of the 17th-century ship Mayflower
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 8m. Total distance: 47.5 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 8m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (93%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 28.2 miles on MA 3. 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 Plymouth, 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 1 miles (MA 60 / High Street): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering; at 3.2 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 4.6 miles (I 93 / Interstate 93 HOV lane): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes — Adams National Historical Park, Boston National Historical Park and Boston Harbor Islands National Recreation Area (6 total within detour distance). 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 Plymouth, 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.
Was this helpful?
Thanks for your feedback!
Your tip has been submitted. Thanks!
/500
Recent Tips
·
Explore More
Continue From Plymouth, MA
More from Arlington, MA
More trips to Plymouth, MA
Explore more options from Arlington, MA or browse trips ending in Plymouth, MA.
Looking for more statewide routes? Browse MA road trips.