Origin
Dunstable, MA
Late night in Dunstable on Tuesday
Local time
4:46 AM
EDT
Current temp
41°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Dunstable, MA to Boston, 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
52m
Distance
35.8 mi
58 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$6
one way
EV Charging
Good
8 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 48m
★
6 AM
0h 53m
8 AM
1h 1m
10 AM
0h 56m
12 PM
0h 55m
3 PM
0h 56m
5 PM
1h 1m
8 PM
0h 50m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Dunstable, MA
Wikimedia Commons
Boston, MA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
This 35.8-mile drive from Dunstable, MA to Boston, MA is a straightforward, highway-focused journey that can easily be completed in about 52 minutes. With a projected fuel cost of $6, it's an economical option for a day trip. The route primarily utilizes US 3 and the Interstate 93 HOV lane, making it a quick connection between the Northeast regions of Massachusetts. Given its short distance and efficient roadways, this trip is perfectly suited for a single day, allowing you to maximize your time at your destination without needing an overnight stay.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| US 3 | 18.7 mi | 23m |
| Interstate 93 HOV lane | 2.5 mi | 3m |
| Cambridge Road | 2 mi | 2m |
| Cambridge Street | 1.6 mi | 1m |
| Dunstable Road | 1.5 mi | 3m |
| Winthrop Street | 1.4 mi | 2m |
| Lowell Street | 1.2 mi | 2m |
| I 93 | 1.1 mi | 1m |
Longest stretch:
US 3
— 18.7 mi, about 23m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Dunstable, MA and Boston, MA.
1
Start on Main Street
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
Main Street
2
Keep slight right at fork onto Lowell Street
1.2 mi
·
2 min
·
Lowell Street
3
Continue on Dunstable Road
1.5 mi
·
3 min
·
Dunstable Road
4
Turn left onto Westford Road
0.2 mi
·
31 sec
·
Westford Road
5
Take the ramp
0.3 mi
·
41 sec
Toward US 3 South: Burlington
6
Merge onto US 3
17 mi
·
19 min
·
US 3
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Keep slight left at fork onto US 3
1.0 mi
·
2 min
·
US 3
Exit 72A
Toward I 95 North, US 3 South: Boston, Peabody
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Keep slight left at fork onto US 3
0.3 mi
·
43 sec
·
US 3
9
Merge onto I 95; US 3; MA 128
0.9 mi
·
1 min
·
Yankee Division Highway
10
Take the exit onto US 3
0.2 mi
·
31 sec
·
US 3
Exit 51A
Toward US 3 South: Winchester
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Merge onto US 3
0.4 mi
·
34 sec
·
Cambridge Street
Use the left / straight lanes.
12
Continue on US 3
2.0 mi
·
2 min
·
Cambridge Road
13
Continue on US 3
1.1 mi
·
1 min
·
Cambridge Street
14
Turn left onto Church Street
0.3 mi
·
38 sec
·
Church Street
Use the left lane.
15
Turn right onto Bacon Street
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
Bacon Street
16
Enter roundabout onto MA 38
37 ft
·
0 sec
·
Main Street
17
Continue on MA 38
0.5 mi
·
45 sec
·
Main Street
18
Continue on MA 38
1.3 mi
·
1 min
·
Winthrop Street
19
Enter roundabout onto MA 38
100 ft
·
4 sec
·
Winthrop Street
20
Continue on MA 38
0.1 mi
·
27 sec
·
Winthrop Street
21
Turn left onto MA 16; MA 38
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
Mystic Valley Parkway
22
Continue on MA 16
0.1 mi
·
10 sec
·
Mystic Valley Parkway
Toward MA 16 East: Everett, Revere
23
Take the ramp
0.1 mi
·
14 sec
Toward I 93: Boston, Concord New Hampshire
24
Keep slight right at fork
0.3 mi
·
32 sec
Toward I 93 South: Boston
Use the slight right lane.
25
Merge onto I 93
1.1 mi
·
1 min
·
I 93
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
26
Keep slight left at fork onto I 93
1.7 mi
·
1 min
·
Interstate 93 HOV lane
Use the slight left lane.
27
Keep slight left at fork onto I 93
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
Interstate 93 HOV lane
28
Merge onto I 93; US 1
0.5 mi
·
38 sec
·
John F. Fitzgerald Expressway
29
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
21 sec
Exit 17B-A
Toward MA 1A Toll: Airport, Government Center
Use the slight right lane.
30
Keep slight right at fork
0.2 mi
·
31 sec
Exit 17A
Toward Government Center
Use the slight right lane.
31
Turn straight onto John F. Fitzgerald Surface Road
0.1 mi
·
26 sec
·
John F. Fitzgerald Surface Road
32
Turn right onto State Street
0.3 mi
·
54 sec
·
State Street
33
Continue on Court Street
473 ft
·
20 sec
·
Court Street
34
Turn left onto Tremont Street
333 ft
·
11 sec
·
Tremont Street
35
Arrive at destination
Tremont Street
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
18 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 35.8 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 17.9 miles from Dunstable, 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 255 decision points cluster between mile 20.8 and 35.1 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
9
20.8 mi into trip
|
~28m in
|
US 3
Keep slight left at fork onto US 3 toward I 95 North, US 3 South: Boston, Peabody
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 72A
Toward I 95 North, US 3 South: Boston, Peabody
7
23.1 mi into trip
|
~32m in
|
US 3
Take the exit onto US 3 toward US 3 South: Winchester
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 51A
Toward US 3 South: Winchester
8
30.6 mi into trip
|
~44m 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
8
34.9 mi into trip
|
~50m 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
35.1 mi into trip
|
~50m 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
$5.73 one way
$11.46 round trip
$4.07/gal
25.4 MPG avg
13 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.43 | $6.25 | $12.50 |
| premium | $4.82 | $6.80 | $13.60 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $7.90 | $15.81 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$6
Estimated CO2 emission: 12.5 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $4 in charging · 0 stops · 69% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 10.7 | 0 | $3.76 | $1.72 |
| Efficient EV | 9 | 0 | $3.13 | $1.43 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 14.3 | 0 | $5.01 | $2.29 |
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
Boston, MA
Late night in Boston on Tuesday
Local time
4:46 AM
EDT
Current temp
60°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
61°F
Arlington, MA
18 mi in
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
19 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
52m 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?
Expect a highway-centric experience on this route, with approximately 65% of the drive taking place on major roadways. You'll spend a significant portion on US 3, including an uninterrupted stretch of 18.7 miles. The transition to Interstate 93 HOV lane signifies a shift towards more direct, high-speed travel as you approach Boston. This profile means you'll encounter consistent road conditions and minimal local traffic interruptions for most of the journey.
65% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
35 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 18.7 mi on US 3.
How Hard Is This Drive?
10/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on US 3 and Interstate 93 HOV lane. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 20.8 miles in near US 3.
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 25 decision points packed into just 35.8 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 52m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 20.8 miles (US 3): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 23.1 miles (US 3): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 30.6 miles: 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 Dunstable, MA and Boston, MA, road signs point toward Peabody, Revere and Concord New Hampshire.
Peabody
20.8 mi in
|
~28m
|
via US 3
Revere
30.3 mi in
|
~43m
|
via MA 16
Concord New Hampshire
30.4 mi in
|
~43m
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 52m. Total distance: 35.8 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
52m 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 18.7 miles on US 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 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: at 20.8 miles (US 3): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 23.1 miles (US 3): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 30.6 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes — Boston National Historical Park, Lowell National Historical Park and Minute Man 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 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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