Origin
Harvard, MA
Late night in Harvard on Sunday
Local time
1:59 AM
EDT
Current temp
40°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Harvard, MA to Newton, MA
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
47m
Distance
27.9 mi
45 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$4
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 43m
★
6 AM
0h 47m
8 AM
0h 55m
10 AM
0h 50m
12 PM
0h 49m
3 PM
0h 50m
5 PM
0h 54m
8 PM
0h 45m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Harvard, MA
Wikimedia Commons
Newton, MA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
If you are planning to travel from Harvard to Newton, you are looking at a straightforward 31.1-mile journey through the Northeast. Expect to spend about 40 minutes on the road, making this an ideal day trip that requires no overnight stay. You will primarily navigate via Massachusetts Avenue, MA 2 East, and the Concord Rotary to reach your destination. With a modest fuel budget of approximately $5, this is an economical transit between these two Massachusetts towns. Because the route is short and efficient, it offers plenty of flexibility for your schedule. It is a practical, no-nonsense trip that gets you from point A to point B without any necessary stops.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Massachusetts Avenue | 7.6 mi | 14m |
| Yankee Division Highway | 5.8 mi | 7m |
| Concord Turnpike | 3.7 mi | 5m |
| Cambridge Turnpike Rte 2 | 3.5 mi | 5m |
| Commonwealth Avenue | 3.1 mi | 4m |
| MA 111 | 2.6 mi | 5m |
| Elm Street | 0.4 mi | <1m |
| Concord Highway | 0.2 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Massachusetts Avenue
— 7.6 mi, about 14m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Harvard, MA and Newton, 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
0.2 mi
·
24 sec
·
Concord Highway
10
Take the exit
0.5 mi
·
1 min
Exit 127A
Toward I 95 South: Attleboro
Use the slight right lane.
11
Merge onto I 95; MA 128
5.8 mi
·
7 min
·
Yankee Division Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
33 sec
Exit 39A
Toward MA 30: Newton, Weston
Use the slight right lane.
13
Keep slight right at fork
231 ft
·
5 sec
Toward MA 30 East: Newton
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
14
Turn right onto MA 30
0.1 mi
·
14 sec
·
South Avenue
15
Continue on MA 30
3.1 mi
·
4 min
·
Commonwealth Avenue
Use the straight / right lanes.
16
Turn right onto Homer Street
0.1 mi
·
21 sec
·
Homer Street
17
Arrive at destination
Homer Street
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 95 decision points cluster between mile 0.3 and 24.5 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
4
0.3 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
MA 111 / Massachusetts Avenue
Keep slight left at fork onto MA 111 / Massachusetts Avenue
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
7
18.1 mi into trip
|
~31m in
Take the exit toward I 95 South: Attleboro
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 127A
Toward I 95 South: Attleboro
5
18.6 mi into trip
|
~33m in
|
I 95; MA 128 / Yankee Division Highway
Merge onto I 95; MA 128 / Yankee Division Highway
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
24.4 mi into trip
|
~40m in
Take the exit toward MA 30: Newton, Weston
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 39A
Toward MA 30: Newton, Weston
8
24.5 mi into trip
|
~41m in
Keep slight right at fork toward MA 30 East: Newton
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
Toward MA 30 East: Newton
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$4.47 one way
$8.93 round trip
$4.07/gal
25.4 MPG avg
10 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.43 | $4.87 | $9.74 |
| premium | $4.82 | $5.30 | $10.60 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $6.16 | $12.32 |
Estimated Tolls: $0.51
Concord Turnpike
(3.7 mi)
$0.26
Cambridge Turnpike Rte 2
(3.5 mi)
$0.25
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: 9.8 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $3 in charging · 0 stops · 70% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 8.4 | 0 | $2.93 | $1.34 |
| Efficient EV | 7 | 0 | $2.44 | $1.12 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 11.2 | 0 | $3.91 | $1.79 |
Gas CO2
10 kg
EV CO2
3 kg (70% 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
Newton, MA
Late night in Newton on Sunday
Local time
1:59 AM
EDT
Current temp
63°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
23 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
47m 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 turn-heavy local drive rather than a high-speed interstate cruise. Since this route features zero percent highway share, you will be navigating local roads for the entire 31.1-mile duration. The transition between different road types, specifically moving through the Concord Rotary, requires your full attention as you navigate local traffic patterns. You won't find any long, uninterrupted highway stretches here, so be prepared for a consistent flow of turns and intersections. The character of this drive is defined by its localized feel, keeping you engaged with the road throughout the 40-minute duration.
35% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
17 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?
7/10
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 0.3 miles in near MA 111 / Massachusetts Avenue.
Driving Effort
7/10
Focused - busy navigation packed into a short drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 9 decision points packed into just 27.9 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 47m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.3 miles (MA 111 / Massachusetts Avenue): Highway fork - watch signs carefully; at 18.1 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 18.6 miles (I 95; MA 128 / Yankee Division Highway): Merge point - match speed before joining. 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 Harvard, MA and Newton, MA, road signs point toward Boston and Weston.
Boston
7.6 mi in
|
~14m
|
via MA 111
Weston
24.4 mi in
|
~40m
About the Cities
Arriving in Newton, MA
Full guide →Newton is a city in Massachusetts and a western suburb of Boston. Newton is nicknamed "The Garden City" and is one of Boston's oldest suburbs, settled in 1630.
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 47m. Total distance: 27.9 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
47m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (35%). 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 $0.51 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 Newton, 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 0.3 miles (MA 111 / Massachusetts Avenue): Highway fork - watch signs carefully; at 18.1 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 18.6 miles (I 95; MA 128 / Yankee Division Highway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
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 Newton, 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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