Origin
Harvard, MA
Late night in Harvard on Sunday
Local time
3:34 AM
EDT
Current temp
40°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Harvard, 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
55m
Distance
32.3 mi
52 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$5
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 51m
★
6 AM
0h 56m
8 AM
1h 5m
10 AM
0h 59m
12 PM
0h 58m
3 PM
0h 59m
5 PM
1h 4m
8 PM
0h 53m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Harvard, MA
Wikimedia Commons
Boston, MA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Harvard, MA to Boston, MA is 32.3 miles and takes about 55m via Massachusetts Avenue/Concord Turnpike/Cambridge Turnpike Rte 2, with a fuel budget near $6 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This drive stays within Massachusetts, moving from the Northeast region to the Northeast region. It's a straightforward trip, mostly on main roads, making it a convenient option for a day trip or commute. You'll experience a mix of driving conditions as you approach the city.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Massachusetts Avenue | 7.6 mi | 14m |
| Concord Turnpike | 7.2 mi | 9m |
| Cambridge Turnpike Rte 2 | 3.5 mi | 5m |
| Concord Highway | 3.4 mi | 4m |
| MA 111 | 2.6 mi | 5m |
| I 93 | 2 mi | 2m |
| Mystic Avenue | 1.3 mi | 2m |
| Alewife Brook Parkway | 1 mi | 2m |
Longest stretch:
Massachusetts Avenue
— 7.6 mi, about 14m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Harvard, MA and Boston, MA.
1
Start on MA 111
0.3 mi
·
29 sec
·
Massachusetts Avenue
2
Keep slight left at fork onto MA 111
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
Massachusetts Avenue
3
Continue on MA 111
6.8 mi
·
13 min
·
Massachusetts Avenue
4
Take the ramp onto MA 111
2.6 mi
·
5 min
·
MA 111
Toward MA 2 East: Concord, Boston
5
Enter roundabout onto MA 2; MA 2A
328 ft
·
4 sec
·
Elm Street
6
Continue on MA 2; MA 2A
0.3 mi
·
35 sec
·
Elm Street
7
Continue on MA 2; MA 2A
3.7 mi
·
5 min
·
Concord Turnpike
8
Continue on MA 2
3.5 mi
·
5 min
·
Cambridge Turnpike Rte 2
9
Continue on MA 2
3.4 mi
·
4 min
·
Concord Highway
10
Continue on MA 2
3.5 mi
·
4 min
·
Concord Turnpike
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Take the exit
473 ft
·
13 sec
Toward MA 16 East, US 3 North: Medford, Woburn
Use the straight / left lanes.
12
Merge onto US 3; MA 16
1.0 mi
·
2 min
·
Alewife Brook Parkway
Toward US 3 North, MA 16 East: Arlington, Medford
13
Turn right onto Powder House Boulevard
0.9 mi
·
1 min
·
Powder House Boulevard
Use the right lane.
14
Enter roundabout
234 ft
·
4 sec
15
Continue
28 ft
·
0 sec
16
Continue on Warner Street
0.2 mi
·
20 sec
·
Warner Street
17
Continue on Harvard Street
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
Harvard Street
18
Turn right onto MA 38
1.3 mi
·
2 min
·
Mystic Avenue
Use the straight lane.
19
Take the ramp
0.1 mi
·
17 sec
Toward I 93 South: Boston
20
Keep slight left at fork
0.3 mi
·
38 sec
Toward I 93 South: Boston
21
Merge onto I 93
2.0 mi
·
2 min
·
I 93
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
22
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
21 sec
Exit 17B-A
Toward MA 1A Toll: Airport, Government Center
Use the slight right lane.
23
Keep slight right at fork
0.2 mi
·
31 sec
Exit 17A
Toward Government Center
Use the slight right lane.
24
Turn straight onto John F. Fitzgerald Surface Road
0.1 mi
·
26 sec
·
John F. Fitzgerald Surface Road
25
Turn right onto State Street
0.3 mi
·
54 sec
·
State Street
26
Continue on Court Street
473 ft
·
20 sec
·
Court Street
27
Turn left onto Tremont Street
333 ft
·
11 sec
·
Tremont Street
28
Arrive at destination
Tremont Street
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
16 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 32 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 16.1 miles from Harvard, 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 155 decision points cluster between mile 24.8 and 31.5 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
7
24.8 mi into trip
|
~40m in
Take the exit toward MA 16 East, US 3 North: Medford, Woburn
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / left lanes.
Toward MA 16 East, US 3 North: Medford, Woburn
6
25.8 mi into trip
|
~43m in
|
Powder House Boulevard
Turn right onto Powder House Boulevard
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
6
29.1 mi into trip
|
~49m in
Keep slight left at fork toward I 93 South: Boston
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
Toward I 93 South: Boston
8
31.4 mi into trip
|
~53m 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
31.5 mi into trip
|
~53m 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
$5.17 one way
$10.34 round trip
$4.07/gal
25.4 MPG avg
11 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.43 | $5.64 | $11.27 |
| premium | $4.82 | $6.13 | $12.27 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $7.13 | $14.26 |
Estimated Tolls: $0.75
Concord Turnpike
(3.7 mi)
$0.26
Cambridge Turnpike Rte 2
(3.5 mi)
$0.25
Concord Turnpike
(3.5 mi)
$0.24
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$5
Tolls
$1
Total
$6
Estimated CO2 emission: 11.3 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $3 in charging · 0 stops · 64% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 9.7 | 0 | $3.39 | $1.55 |
| Efficient EV | 8.1 | 0 | $2.83 | $1.29 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 12.9 | 0 | $4.52 | $2.07 |
Gas CO2
11 kg
EV CO2
4 kg (64% 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
3:34 AM
EDT
Current temp
62°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
56°F
Lexington, MA
16 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
22 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
55m 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 route offers a mixed drive experience, with 51% of the journey on highways. The longest continuous stretch you'll encounter is 7.6 miles along Massachusetts Avenue, providing a good opportunity to settle in. As you progress, the character of the drive will shift from more suburban or town roads to faster-paced highway segments before you reach your destination in Boston. Expect a blend of traffic patterns and speed changes throughout the 32.3 miles.
51% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
28 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 7.6 mi on Massachusetts Avenue.
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 24.8 miles in.
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 15 decision points packed into just 32.3 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 55m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 24.8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 25.8 miles (Powder House Boulevard): Lane positioning matters here; at 29.1 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully.
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 Harvard, MA and Boston, MA, road signs point toward Woburn and Medford.
Woburn
24.8 mi in
|
~40m
Medford
24.9 mi in
|
~40m
|
via US 3; MA 16
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 55m. Total distance: 32.3 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
55m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (51%). 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 7.6 miles on Massachusetts Avenue. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Expect about $0.75 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 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 24.8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 25.8 miles (Powder House Boulevard): Lane positioning matters here; at 29.1 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully.
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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