Origin
Cambridge, MA
Late night in Cambridge on Sunday
Local time
3:34 AM
EDT
Current temp
62°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Cambridge, MA to Boxborough, MA
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
44m
Distance
24.9 mi
40 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$4
one way
EV Charging
Good
8 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 41m
★
6 AM
0h 45m
8 AM
0h 52m
10 AM
0h 47m
12 PM
0h 47m
3 PM
0h 48m
5 PM
0h 52m
8 PM
0h 43m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Cambridge, MA
Wikimedia Commons
Boxborough, MA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Cambridge, MA to Boxborough, MA is 24.9 miles and takes about 44m via Concord Turnpike, with a fuel budget near $4 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This is a straightforward, single-day trip within Massachusetts, connecting two points in the Northeast region. The drive primarily utilizes major roads, making it an efficient option for a quick journey. Given its short distance and clear main roads, it's a practical choice for a focused drive without extensive planning.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Concord Turnpike | 8 mi | 12m |
| MA 111 | 3.7 mi | 6m |
| Cambridge Turnpike | 3.3 mi | 5m |
| Concord Highway | 2.9 mi | 3m |
| Massachusetts Avenue | 1.9 mi | 3m |
| Concord Avenue | 1.2 mi | 3m |
| Middle Road | 1.1 mi | 2m |
| Cambridge Street | 0.7 mi | 2m |
Longest stretch:
Concord Turnpike
— 8 mi, about 12m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Cambridge, MA and Boxborough, MA.
1
Start on Leonard Avenue
267 ft
·
13 sec
·
Leonard Avenue
2
Turn right onto Cambridge Street
0.7 mi
·
2 min
·
Cambridge Street
Use the straight / right lanes.
3
Continue on Cambridge Street
108 ft
·
4 sec
·
Cambridge Street
4
Turn left onto MA 2A
162 ft
·
7 sec
·
Massachusetts Avenue
5
Turn right onto Garden Street
0.3 mi
·
1 min
·
Garden Street
Use the straight / right lanes.
6
Continue on Concord Avenue
1.1 mi
·
3 min
·
Concord Avenue
Use the left lane.
7
Enter roundabout onto US 3; MA 2; MA 16
45 ft
·
1 sec
·
Concord Avenue
Toward MA 2 West, US 3 North, MA 16 East
8
Continue on US 3; MA 2; MA 16
0.2 mi
·
31 sec
·
Concord Avenue
Toward MA 2 West, US 3 North, MA 16 East
9
Keep slight right at fork onto US 3; MA 2; MA 16
0.6 mi
·
49 sec
·
Alewife Brook Parkway
Toward MA 2 West, US 3 North, MA 16 East
10
Keep slight left at fork onto MA 2
4.1 mi
·
5 min
·
Concord Turnpike
Toward MA 2 West: Concord
Use the straight lane.
11
Continue on MA 2
2.9 mi
·
3 min
·
Concord Highway
12
Continue on MA 2
3.3 mi
·
5 min
·
Cambridge Turnpike
Use the straight / right lanes.
13
Continue on MA 2; MA 2A
3.9 mi
·
6 min
·
Concord Turnpike
14
Continue on MA 2; MA 2A
0.3 mi
·
35 sec
·
Elm Street
15
Enter roundabout onto MA 2; MA 111
407 ft
·
5 sec
·
Union Turnpike
16
Continue on MA 2; MA 111
0.6 mi
·
39 sec
·
Union Turnpike
17
Continue on MA 2; MA 111
1.8 mi
·
3 min
·
Massachusetts Avenue
18
Take the exit onto MA 111
3.7 mi
·
6 min
·
MA 111
Exit 118
Toward MA 111 North: West Acton
Use the straight / slight left lanes.
19
Turn right onto Middle Road
1.1 mi
·
2 min
·
Middle Road
20
At end of road, turn left onto Hill Road
0.1 mi
·
18 sec
·
Hill Road
21
Arrive at destination
Hill Road
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 115 decision points cluster between mile 0.1 and 20 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
6
0.1 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
Cambridge Street
Turn right onto Cambridge Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
6
2.2 mi into trip
|
~7m in
|
US 3; MA 2; MA 16 / Concord Avenue
Enter roundabout onto US 3; MA 2; MA 16 / Concord Avenue toward MA 2 West, US 3 North, MA 16 East
Roundabout - know your exit number before entering. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward MA 2 West, US 3 North, MA 16 East
6
2.4 mi into trip
|
~8m in
|
US 3; MA 2; MA 16 / Alewife Brook Parkway
Keep slight right at fork onto US 3; MA 2; MA 16 / Alewife Brook Parkway toward MA 2 West, US 3 North, MA 16 East
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward MA 2 West, US 3 North, MA 16 East
7
3 mi into trip
|
~9m in
|
MA 2 / Concord Turnpike
Keep slight left at fork onto MA 2 / Concord Turnpike toward MA 2 West: Concord
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight lane.
Toward MA 2 West: Concord
7
20 mi into trip
|
~34m in
|
MA 111
Take the exit onto MA 111 toward MA 111 North: West Acton
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight left lanes.
Exit 118
Toward MA 111 North: West Acton
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$3.98 one way
$7.97 round trip
$4.07/gal
25.4 MPG avg
9 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.43 | $4.35 | $8.69 |
| premium | $4.82 | $4.73 | $9.46 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $5.50 | $11.00 |
Estimated Tolls: $0.83
Concord Turnpike
(4.1 mi)
$0.29
Concord Turnpike
(3.9 mi)
$0.27
Cambridge Turnpike
(3.3 mi)
$0.23
Union Turnpike
(0.6 mi)
$0.04
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$4
Tolls
$1
Total
$5
Estimated CO2 emission: 8.7 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $3 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 7.5 | 0 | $2.61 | $1.20 |
| Efficient EV | 6.2 | 0 | $2.18 | $1.00 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 10 | 0 | $3.49 | $1.59 |
Gas CO2
9 kg
EV CO2
3 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.
Travel Intel
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Destination
Boxborough, MA
Late night in Boxborough on Sunday
Local time
3:34 AM
EDT
Current temp
40°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
22 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
44m 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 leans heavily towards highway travel, with 65% of the route on higher-speed roads. You'll experience the bulk of the journey on Concord Turnpike, including an uninterrupted stretch of 8 miles. As you progress, the route transitions from the Concord Turnpike to MA 111 and Cambridge Turnpike, offering a mix that keeps the drive dynamic. Expect a generally focused driving experience with limited complexities.
65% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
21 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 8 mi on Concord Turnpike.
How Hard Is This Drive?
8/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Concord Turnpike and MA 111. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 0.1 miles in near Cambridge Street.
Driving Effort
8/10
Focused - busy navigation packed into a short drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 11 decision points packed into just 24.9 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 44m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (Cambridge Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 2.2 miles (US 3; MA 2; MA 16 / Concord Avenue): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 2.4 miles (US 3; MA 2; MA 16 / Alewife Brook Parkway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
About the Cities
Arriving in Boxborough, MA
Full guide →Acton is a town in Massachusetts with a population of 24,000 in the 2020 census. Boxborough is a town with a population of about 6,000 (2020). Maynard is a town with a population of 11,000 (2020). Stow is a town with a population of 7,000 (2020).
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 44m. Total distance: 24.9 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
44m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (65%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 8 miles on Concord Turnpike. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Expect about $0.83 in tolls one way, starting with Concord 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 Boxborough, 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 0.1 miles (Cambridge Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 2.2 miles (US 3; MA 2; MA 16 / Concord Avenue): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 2.4 miles (US 3; MA 2; MA 16 / Alewife Brook Parkway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Yes — Minute Man National Historical Park, Boston National Historical Park and Adams National Historical Park (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 Boxborough, 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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