Origin
Freetown, MA
Late night in Freetown on Sunday
Local time
2:02 AM
EDT
Current temp
59°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Freetown, MA to Cambridge, MA
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 11m
Distance
49.1 mi
79 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$8
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 5m
★
6 AM
1h 11m
8 AM
1h 22m
10 AM
1h 15m
12 PM
1h 14m
3 PM
1h 16m
5 PM
1h 22m
8 PM
1h 8m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Freetown, MA
Tappiah Sesay
Cambridge, MA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Freetown to Cambridge is 49.1 miles and takes about 1 hour 11 minutes via Amvets Highway and I-93, with a fuel budget near $8 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within Massachusetts, moving from the Northeast region to another part of the Northeast. The drive offers a mixed experience, generally straightforward for a single-day journey. Plan for a relatively quick transit, making it ideal if you're looking for an efficient way to get from point A to point B without a significant time commitment.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Amvets Highway | 28.1 mi | 32m |
| I 93 | 11.5 mi | 15m |
| John F. Fitzgerald Expressway | 2.5 mi | 4m |
| Slab Bridge Road | 2.2 mi | 5m |
| Cambridge Street | 1.4 mi | 4m |
| North Main Street | 0.7 mi | 1m |
| MA 3 | 0.5 mi | <1m |
| Elm Street | 0.4 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Amvets Highway
— 28.1 mi, about 32m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Freetown, MA and Cambridge, MA.
1
Start on this road
272 ft
·
24 sec
·
this road
2
Turn left onto Slab Bridge Road
2.2 mi
·
5 min
·
Slab Bridge Road
3
Continue on Elm Street
0.4 mi
·
57 sec
·
Elm Street
4
Continue on MA 79
0.1 mi
·
16 sec
·
Mill Street
5
Turn right onto North Main Street
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
North Main Street
6
Take the ramp
0.3 mi
·
37 sec
Toward MA 24 North: Taunton, Boston
7
Merge onto MA 24
28 mi
·
32 min
·
Amvets Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Keep slight right at fork
0.5 mi
·
1 min
Exit 41A
Toward I 93 North, US 1 North: Boston
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
9
Merge onto I 93; US 1
12 mi
·
15 min
·
I 93; US 1
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Continue on I 93; US 1; MA 3
2.5 mi
·
4 min
·
John F. Fitzgerald Expressway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Take the exit onto MA 3
0.5 mi
·
58 sec
·
MA 3
Exit 18
Toward Storrow Drive
12
Keep slight left at fork
0.1 mi
·
15 sec
Toward MA 28 North: Leverett Circle, North Station
13
Keep slight left at fork
213 ft
·
9 sec
Toward MA 28 North: O'Brien Highway
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
14
Continue on MA 28
0.3 mi
·
1 min
·
Charles River Dam Road
Use the straight lane.
15
Continue on MA 28
0.2 mi
·
34 sec
·
Monsignor O'Brien Highway
Toward MA 28 North: O'Brien Highway, Somerville
Use the straight lane.
16
Turn left onto Cambridge Street
1.4 mi
·
4 min
·
Cambridge Street
Use the left / straight lanes.
17
Turn right onto Line Street
0.2 mi
·
51 sec
·
Line Street
18
Turn left onto Leonard Avenue
460 ft
·
19 sec
·
Leonard Avenue
19
Arrive at destination
Leonard Avenue
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
25 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 11 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 24.5 miles from Freetown, 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 3.7 and 47.4 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
3.7 mi into trip
|
~8m in
|
MA 24 / Amvets Highway
Merge onto MA 24 / Amvets Highway
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
31.7 mi into trip
|
~41m in
Keep slight right at fork toward I 93 North, US 1 North: Boston
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
Exit 41A
Toward I 93 North, US 1 North: Boston
6
46.7 mi into trip
|
~1h 3m in
Keep slight left at fork toward MA 28 North: Leverett Circle, North Station
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward MA 28 North: Leverett Circle, North Stat...
8
46.8 mi into trip
|
~1h 3m in
Keep slight left at fork toward MA 28 North: O'Brien Highway
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
Toward MA 28 North: O'Brien Highway
6
47.4 mi into trip
|
~1h 5m in
|
Cambridge Street
Turn left onto Cambridge Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left / straight lanes.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$7.86 one way
$15.72 round trip
$4.07/gal
25.4 MPG avg
17 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.43 | $8.57 | $17.14 |
| premium | $4.82 | $9.32 | $18.65 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $10.84 | $21.68 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$8
Estimated CO2 emission: 17.2 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $5 in charging · 0 stops · 65% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 14.7 | 0 | $5.16 | $2.36 |
| Efficient EV | 12.3 | 0 | $4.30 | $1.96 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 19.6 | 0 | $6.87 | $3.14 |
Gas CO2
17 kg
EV CO2
6 kg (65% 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
Cambridge, MA
Late night in Cambridge on Sunday
Local time
2:02 AM
EDT
Current temp
62°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
3 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
1h 11m 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 is a mixed drive, with about 30% of the route on highways. You'll encounter stretches on Amvets Highway, including the longest uninterrupted segment of 28.1 miles. The drive will transition to the faster pace of I-93 and the John F. Fitzgerald Expressway as you approach your destination. Expect a blend of more open road driving and sections that feel more urbanized as you get closer to Cambridge.
30% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
19 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 28.1 mi on Amvets Highway.
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 around 3.7 miles in near MA 24 / Amvets Highway.
Driving Effort
10/10
Demanding - stay alert through the decision-heavy sections
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 49.1 miles you will encounter 13 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 3.7 miles (MA 24 / Amvets Highway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 31.7 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 46.7 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
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.
On the drive from Freetown, MA to Cambridge, MA, road signs begin pointing toward Boston along the way.
Boston
3.4 mi in
|
~8m
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 11m. Total distance: 49.1 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 11m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (30%). 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 28.1 miles on Amvets Highway. 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 Cambridge, 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 3.7 miles (MA 24 / Amvets Highway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 31.7 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 46.7 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Yes — Adams National Historical Park, Boston 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 Cambridge, 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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