Origin
Burlington, MA
Late night in Burlington on Sunday
Local time
1:58 AM
EDT
Current temp
41°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Burlington, MA to Boston, MA
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
23m
Distance
13.8 mi
22 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$2
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 21m
★
6 AM
0h 23m
8 AM
0h 27m
10 AM
0h 24m
12 PM
0h 24m
3 PM
0h 25m
5 PM
0h 27m
8 PM
0h 22m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Burlington, MA
Wikimedia Commons
Boston, MA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Burlington, MA to Boston, MA is 13.8 miles and takes about 23 minutes via Cambridge Street and I-93 HOV, with a fuel budget near $2 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This is a short, direct hop within the Northeast region, specifically between two points in Massachusetts. The drive is primarily a mix of local roads and highway, designed for efficiency rather than scenery. Given its brevity, it’s an ideal option for a quick commute or a straightforward transfer between locations without significant time commitment.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Cambridge Street | 2.8 mi | 4m |
| Interstate 93 HOV lane | 2.5 mi | 3m |
| Cambridge Road | 2 mi | 2m |
| Winthrop Street | 1.4 mi | 2m |
| I 93 | 1.1 mi | 1m |
| Bacon Street | 0.7 mi | 1m |
| Mystic Valley Parkway | 0.6 mi | 1m |
| Main Street | 0.5 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Cambridge Street
— 2.8 mi, about 4m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Burlington, MA and Boston, MA.
1
Start on this road
93 ft
·
8 sec
·
this road
2
Turn right
33 ft
·
8 sec
3
Turn left onto MA 3A
1.7 mi
·
3 min
·
Cambridge Street
Use the left / straight lanes.
4
Continue on US 3
2.0 mi
·
2 min
·
Cambridge Road
5
Continue on US 3
1.1 mi
·
1 min
·
Cambridge Street
6
Turn left onto Church Street
0.3 mi
·
38 sec
·
Church Street
Use the left lane.
7
Turn right onto Bacon Street
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
Bacon Street
8
Enter roundabout onto MA 38
37 ft
·
0 sec
·
Main Street
9
Continue on MA 38
0.5 mi
·
45 sec
·
Main Street
10
Continue on MA 38
1.3 mi
·
1 min
·
Winthrop Street
11
Enter roundabout onto MA 38
100 ft
·
4 sec
·
Winthrop Street
12
Continue on MA 38
0.1 mi
·
27 sec
·
Winthrop Street
13
Turn left onto MA 16; MA 38
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
Mystic Valley Parkway
14
Continue on MA 16
0.1 mi
·
10 sec
·
Mystic Valley Parkway
Toward MA 16 East: Everett, Revere
15
Take the ramp
0.1 mi
·
14 sec
Toward I 93: Boston, Concord New Hampshire
16
Keep slight right at fork
0.3 mi
·
32 sec
Toward I 93 South: Boston
Use the slight right lane.
17
Merge onto I 93
1.1 mi
·
1 min
·
I 93
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
18
Keep slight left at fork onto I 93
1.7 mi
·
1 min
·
Interstate 93 HOV lane
Use the slight left lane.
19
Keep slight left at fork onto I 93
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
Interstate 93 HOV lane
20
Merge onto I 93; US 1
0.5 mi
·
38 sec
·
John F. Fitzgerald Expressway
21
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
21 sec
Exit 17B-A
Toward MA 1A Toll: Airport, Government Center
Use the slight right lane.
22
Keep slight right at fork
0.2 mi
·
31 sec
Exit 17A
Toward Government Center
Use the slight right lane.
23
Turn straight onto John F. Fitzgerald Surface Road
0.1 mi
·
26 sec
·
John F. Fitzgerald Surface Road
24
Turn right onto State Street
0.3 mi
·
54 sec
·
State Street
25
Continue on Court Street
473 ft
·
20 sec
·
Court Street
26
Turn left onto Tremont Street
333 ft
·
11 sec
·
Tremont Street
27
Arrive at destination
Tremont Street
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 185 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 13.1 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
6
0 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
MA 3A / Cambridge Street
Turn left onto MA 3A / Cambridge Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left / straight lanes.
8
8.6 mi into trip
|
~14m 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
10 mi into trip
|
~16m 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
12.9 mi into trip
|
~20m in
Take the exit toward MA 1A Toll: Airport, Government Center
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 17B-A
Toward MA 1A Toll: Airport, Government Center
9
13.1 mi into trip
|
~20m in
Keep slight right at fork toward Government Center
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 17A
Toward Government Center
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$2.21 one way
$4.42 round trip
$4.07/gal
25.4 MPG avg
5 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.43 | $2.41 | $4.82 |
| premium | $4.82 | $2.62 | $5.24 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $3.05 | $6.09 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$2
Estimated CO2 emission: 4.8 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $1 in charging · 0 stops · 60% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 4.1 | 0 | $1.45 | $0.66 |
| Efficient EV | 3.5 | 0 | $1.21 | $0.55 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 5.5 | 0 | $1.93 | $0.88 |
Gas CO2
5 kg
EV CO2
2 kg (60% 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
Boston, MA
Late night in Boston on Sunday
Local time
1:58 AM
EDT
Current temp
51°F
Areas Of Fog then Cloudy
NE 5 to 9 mph
3% chance
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
10 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
23m on the road
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.
What kind of drive is this?
This route offers a mixed drive experience, with 34% of the journey on highway. You'll encounter stretches of local roads like Cambridge Street, where the longest uninterrupted segment spans 2.8 miles, before transitioning to the faster pace of Interstate 93 HOV lane. The road character shifts from more contained urban or suburban streets to a more open highway feel as you progress. Expect to navigate traffic lights and intersections initially, then experience higher speeds on the interstate portion.
34% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
27 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 2.8 mi on Cambridge Street.
How Hard Is This Drive?
10/10
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 MA 3A / Cambridge Street.
Driving Effort
10/10
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 18 decision points packed into just 13.8 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 23m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: near the start (MA 3A / Cambridge Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 8.6 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 10 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 Burlington, MA and Boston, MA, road signs point toward Revere, Concord New Hampshire and Government Center.
Revere
8.4 mi in
|
~14m
|
via MA 16
Concord New Hampshire
8.5 mi in
|
~14m
Government Center
12.9 mi in
|
~20m
About the Cities
Arriving in Boston, MA
Full guide →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).
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 23m. Total distance: 13.8 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
23m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (34%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Scenic Drive
Mixed highway & surface route profile with national parks nearby.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 2.8 miles on Cambridge Street. 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 Boston, 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: near the start (MA 3A / Cambridge Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 8.6 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 10 miles (I 93 / Interstate 93 HOV lane): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes — Boston National Historical Park, Minute Man 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 Boston, 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.
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