Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
16m
Distance
8.7 mi
14 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$1
one way
EV Charging
None
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Boston, MA
Wikimedia Commons
Winchester, MA
Wikimedia Commons
This short 8.7-mile drive from Boston to Winchester, Massachusetts, is easily completed in about 16 minutes, making it a perfect option for a quick trip. With a minimal fuel cost estimated at just $1, it's an economical choice for getting between these two Northeast locations. The route primarily utilizes I-93, Winthrop Street, and Main Street, offering a straightforward journey. Given its brevity, this trip is ideal as a same-day excursion rather than requiring an overnight stay. You'll experience a mixed drive that's efficient for local travel.
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 93 | 2.8 mi | 3m |
| Winthrop Street | 1.4 mi | 2m |
| Main Street | 1.3 mi | 1m |
| Mystic Valley Parkway | 1.1 mi | 2m |
| Sudbury Street | 0.3 mi | 1m |
| Bowdoin Street | 0.1 mi | <1m |
| Ashburton Place | <0.1 mi | <1m |
| Cambridge Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Step-by-step road directions between Boston, MA and Winchester, MA.
Start on Tremont Street
Turn right onto Beacon Street
Turn right onto Somerset Street
Turn left onto Ashburton Place
Keep slight right at fork onto Ashburton Place
Turn straight onto Bowdoin Street
Turn right onto Cambridge Street
Turn left onto Sudbury Street
Take the ramp
Merge onto I 93
Take the exit
Continue on MA 16
Turn right onto MA 38
Enter roundabout onto Winthrop Street
Continue on Winthrop Street
Continue on MA 38
Enter roundabout onto MA 38
Continue on MA 38
Arrive at destination
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
4 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.
A short stop after about 8.7 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
The midpoint is around 4.3 miles from Boston, 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.
5 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 6.1 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
Turn right onto Beacon Street
Lane positioning matters here
Turn right onto Cambridge Street
Lane positioning matters here
Turn left onto Sudbury Street
Lane positioning matters here
Take the exit toward MA 16 West: Mystic Valley Parkway, Arlington
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Enter roundabout onto Winthrop Street
Roundabout - know your exit number before entering
Regular Gas
$1.38 one way
$2.77 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.40 | $1.51 | $3.01 |
| premium | $4.80 | $1.64 | $3.29 |
| diesel | $5.64 | $1.93 | $3.87 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$1
Estimated CO2 emission: 3 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-06.
Driving Electric?
About $1 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 2.6 | 0 | $0.91 | $0.42 |
| Efficient EV | 2.2 | 0 | $0.76 | $0.35 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 3.5 | 0 | $1.22 | $0.56 |
Gas CO2
3 kg
EV CO2
1 kg (67% 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.
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Origin
Late night in Boston on Sunday
Local time
12:18 AM
EDT
Current temp
45°F
Chance Rain Showers
Destination
Late night in Winchester on Sunday
Local time
12:18 AM
EDT
Current temp
63°F
Unavailable
Seasonal Notes
Summer travel usually means heavier construction, hotter rest stops, and busier weekend traffic around major cities.
Winter travel shortens daylight, so a route that looks manageable on paper can feel much longer after dark.
Holiday weekends tend to make both departure and arrival windows slower than the raw route time suggests.
Time zone
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
The weather snapshot is not static. If you are leaving later, give both cities one more quick forecast check before departure.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
The character of this drive is predominantly a mixed one, with 44% of the journey on highways. You'll encounter stretches on I-93, which makes up the longest uninterrupted section at 2.8 miles, offering a taste of faster-paced travel. As you transition off the interstate, the route incorporates local roads like Winthrop Street and Main Street, providing a change of pace. This blend means you'll experience both efficient highway cruising and more community-oriented local driving.
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near Beacon Street.
Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a demanding drive. With 12 significant decision points across 8.7 miles, you will need to stay alert — especially through interchange areas and urban stretches. Consider splitting it into segments if you are not comfortable with fast highway navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: near the start (Beacon Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 0.4 miles (Cambridge Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 0.4 miles (Sudbury Street): Lane positioning matters here.
Mostly flat terrain
Total Climb
119 ft
Total Descent
146 ft
Highest Point
103 ft
~7.4 mi in
Elevation Range
103 ft
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
On the drive from Boston, MA to Winchester, MA, road signs begin pointing toward Arlington along the way.
Arlington
A city of history and tradition, Boston offers a proud legacy of culture, education, and numerous sporting championships. The "shining city on a hill"s independent spirit has been displayed to the world ever since colonists were angry over a British tax on their beloved tea and dumped shiploads of it into the harbor in protest. In the early 1600s, the peninsula in Massachusetts that would become known as Boston was controlled by Native Americans until John Smith (English soldier, explorer, colonial governor, Admiral of New England, and author) named the area New England to attract European settlers. Boston was founded in 1630 by John Winthrop, making it one of the oldest cities in the U.S. No other American city has made more of an effort to preserve its history, and you'll find buildings that pre-date the republic dotted throughout the region.
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 16m. Total distance: 8.7 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
16m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: none.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (44%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
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 NREL for EV charging. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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