Origin
Auburn, MA
Late night in Auburn on Friday
Local time
4:01 AM
EDT
Current temp
76°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Auburn, MA to Waltham, MA
Pin this tripCompiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Sep 4, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
50m
Distance
37.8 mi
61 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$6
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 47m
★
6 AM
0h 51m
8 AM
0h 59m
10 AM
0h 54m
12 PM
0h 53m
3 PM
0h 54m
5 PM
0h 59m
8 PM
0h 48m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Auburn, MA
Wikimedia Commons
Waltham, MA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Auburn to Waltham is 37.8 miles and takes about 50m via South Street/Washington Street/Southwest Cutoff, with a fuel budget near $7 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within the Northeast region and Massachusetts for its entirety. Since this route is entirely on surface roads with no significant highway time, expect a consistent pace without the abrupt changes of interstate travel. It's a straightforward trip suitable for a single day, making it a convenient option for local commutes or errands.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Massachusetts Turnpike | 28.7 mi | 33m |
| Washington Street | 2.7 mi | 4m |
| Moody Street | 1.1 mi | 3m |
| Lexington Street | 1 mi | 1m |
| Commonwealth Avenue | 0.8 mi | 1m |
| South Street | 0.5 mi | 1m |
| Southwest Cutoff | 0.5 mi | <1m |
| Main Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Massachusetts Turnpike
— 28.7 mi, about 33m
Traffic on I-95
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 82 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
2 PM
~5,799 veh/hr typical · worst 6,711
Quietest
2 AM
~244 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
23.8×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
12a
6a
noon
6p
11p
Averaged across 101 weeks of 2023 FHWA Travel Monitoring Analysis System data. Weekday hours only (Mon–Fri).
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Auburn, MA and Waltham, MA.
1
Start on Central Street
166 ft
·
7 sec
·
Central Street
2
Turn left onto South Street
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
South Street
3
Turn left onto US 20
2.7 mi
·
4 min
·
Washington Street
4
Continue on US 20
0.5 mi
·
34 sec
·
Southwest Cutoff
5
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
40 sec
Toward I 90, MA 146
6
Keep slight right at fork
0.3 mi
·
45 sec
Toward I 90
7
Keep slight right at fork
0.3 mi
·
43 sec
Toward I 90 East
8
Merge onto I 90
29 mi
·
33 min
·
Massachusetts Turnpike
9
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
50 sec
Exit 123
Toward I 95: Portsmouth New Hampshire, Providence Rhode Island
Use the slight right lane.
10
Continue on this road
0.2 mi
·
28 sec
·
this road
11
Continue on this road
0.2 mi
·
22 sec
·
this road
12
Keep slight left at fork
0.5 mi
·
1 min
Toward I 95 North: Waltham, Portsmouth New Hampshire
13
Keep slight right at fork
0.1 mi
·
20 sec
Exit 39A
Toward MA 30: Newton, Weston
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
14
Keep slight right at fork
132 ft
·
4 sec
Toward MA 30 East: Newton
Use the left / right lanes.
15
Turn slight right onto MA 30
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
Commonwealth Avenue
Use the left lane.
16
Turn left onto Lexington Street
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
Lexington Street
Use the left lane.
17
Continue on Moody Street
1.1 mi
·
3 min
·
Moody Street
Use the straight / right lanes.
18
Turn right onto US 20
411 ft
·
8 sec
·
Main Street
19
Arrive at destination
US 20
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
19 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 37.8 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 18.9 miles from Auburn, 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 135 decision points cluster between mile 33.4 and 35.6 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
8
33.4 mi into trip
|
~41m in
Take the exit toward I 95: Portsmouth New Hampshire, Providence Rhode Island
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 123
Toward I 95: Portsmouth New Hampshire, Providen...
6
34.1 mi into trip
|
~43m in
Keep slight left at fork toward I 95 North: Waltham, Portsmouth New Hampshire
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward I 95 North: Waltham, Portsmouth New Hamp...
9
34.6 mi into trip
|
~44m in
Keep slight right at fork toward MA 30: Newton, Weston
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 39A
Toward MA 30: Newton, Weston
8
34.8 mi into trip
|
~44m in
Keep slight right at fork toward MA 30 East: Newton
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the left / right lanes.
Toward MA 30 East: Newton
6
35.6 mi into trip
|
~46m in
|
Lexington Street
Turn left onto Lexington Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$6.31 one way
$12.61 round trip
$4.24/gal
25.4 MPG avg
13 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.67 | $6.94 | $13.88 |
| premium | $5.06 | $7.53 | $15.05 |
| diesel | $5.60 | $8.33 | $16.66 |
Estimated Tolls: $1.72
Massachusetts Turnpike
(28.7 mi)
$1.72
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$6
Tolls
$2
Total
$8
Estimated CO2 emission: 13.2 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-08-31.
Driving Electric?
About $4 in charging · 0 stops · 69% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 11.3 | 0 | $3.97 | $1.81 |
| Efficient EV | 9.5 | 0 | $3.31 | $1.51 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 15.1 | 0 | $5.29 | $2.42 |
Gas CO2
13 kg
EV CO2
4 kg (69% 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
Waltham, MA
Late night in Waltham on Friday
Local time
4:01 AM
EDT
Current temp
78°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
2 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
50m 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 route is entirely on surface roads, meaning you won't encounter any highway driving, with a 0% highway share. The entire 37.8 miles will be on local streets. You'll notice a steady flow of traffic and frequent intersections as you navigate through populated areas rather than open expressways. There are no long stretches of uninterrupted driving, so be prepared for consistent engagement with the road and traffic signals.
76% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
19 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 28.7 mi on Massachusetts Turnpike.
How Hard Is This Drive?
9/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Massachusetts Turnpike and Washington Street. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 33.4 miles in.
Driving Effort
9/10
Focused - lots of decisions in a short distance, but it is over quickly
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 13 decision points packed into just 37.8 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 50m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 33.4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 34.1 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 34.6 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Elevation Profile
Mostly flat terrain
610 ft
55 ft
Total Climb
320 ft
Total Descent
867 ft
Highest Point
610 ft
Elevation Range
555 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 Auburn, MA and Waltham, MA, road signs point toward Providence Rhode Island, Portsmouth New Hampshire and Weston.
Providence Rhode Island
33.4 mi in
|
~41m
Portsmouth New Hampshire
34.1 mi in
|
~43m
Weston
34.6 mi in
|
~44m
About the Cities
Starting in Auburn, MA
Full guide →Founded 1714
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.
Arriving in Waltham, MA
Full guide →Founded 1634
Waltham is a city in the American state of Massachusetts. It is 10 miles (16 km) west of central Boston on the Charles River, and 3 miles from the city limits to the east. Waltham is part of the Greater Boston conurbation; even so, it has a unique character compared to Boston's other suburbs, and is one of the most significant regional centers for employment, culture, education and food in the entire metro area. It is sometimes called "Watch City" because it was home to Waltham Watch Company. Many high-tech companies have made Waltham their home. It is also home to Bentley College and Brandeis University.
Top landmarks
- • Boston Manufacturing Company — cotton mill in Waltham, Massachusetts
- • Rose Art Museum — art museum in Waltham, Massachusetts
- • Wilson's Diner
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 50m. Total distance: 37.8 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
50m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (76%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 28.7 miles on Massachusetts Turnpike. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Expect about $1.72 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.
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 Waltham, 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 33.4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 34.1 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 34.6 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Waltham, 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 FHWA TMAS for hourly traffic volumes. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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