Origin
Holliston, MA
Late night in Holliston on Sunday
Local time
3:59 AM
EDT
Current temp
63°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Holliston, MA to Waltham, MA
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
34m
Distance
17.1 mi
28 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$3
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 32m
★
6 AM
0h 35m
8 AM
0h 41m
10 AM
0h 37m
12 PM
0h 36m
3 PM
0h 37m
5 PM
0h 40m
8 PM
0h 33m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Holliston, MA
Italo Melo
Waltham, MA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Holliston to Waltham is 17.1 miles and takes about 34 minutes via Washington Street and Eliot Street, with a fuel budget near $3 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This short trip stays within Massachusetts, making it a straightforward local drive. Expect a route that requires frequent attention to turns rather than covering long distances at high speeds. It's ideal for a quick errand, a visit to a nearby town, or as a segment of a larger regional exploration.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Washington Street | 7.9 mi | 16m |
| Eliot Street | 3.7 mi | 5m |
| Grove Street | 1.5 mi | 3m |
| Moody Street | 1.1 mi | 3m |
| Lexington Street | 1.1 mi | 1m |
| Woodland Street | 0.9 mi | 2m |
| North Main Street | 0.4 mi | 1m |
| Railroad Street | 0.2 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Washington Street
— 7.9 mi, about 16m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Holliston, MA and Waltham, MA.
1
Start on Winthrop Street
28 ft
·
7 sec
·
Winthrop Street
2
Turn left onto Central Street
169 ft
·
9 sec
·
Central Street
3
Turn sharp right onto Railroad Street
0.2 mi
·
34 sec
·
Railroad Street
4
Continue on Woodland Street
0.9 mi
·
2 min
·
Woodland Street
5
Turn right onto MA 16
3.2 mi
·
5 min
·
Washington Street
6
Turn straight onto Washington Street
0.1 mi
·
12 sec
·
Washington Street
7
Turn straight onto MA 16; MA 27
0.4 mi
·
1 min
·
North Main Street
8
Turn right onto MA 16
3.7 mi
·
5 min
·
Eliot Street
9
Continue on MA 16
4.5 mi
·
10 min
·
Washington Street
Use the straight lane.
10
Turn left onto Concord Street
0.1 mi
·
20 sec
·
Concord Street
Use the left lane.
11
Turn right onto Hagar Street
335 ft
·
12 sec
·
Hagar Street
12
Turn left onto Grove Street
1.0 mi
·
2 min
·
Grove Street
13
Continue on Grove Street
0.4 mi
·
43 sec
·
Grove Street
14
Continue on Grove Street
152 ft
·
4 sec
·
Grove Street
15
Continue on Auburn Street
312 ft
·
6 sec
·
Auburn Street
Use the straight / left lanes.
16
Continue on Lexington Street
1.1 mi
·
1 min
·
Lexington Street
17
Continue on Moody Street
1.1 mi
·
3 min
·
Moody Street
Use the straight / right lanes.
18
Turn right onto US 20
411 ft
·
8 sec
·
Main Street
19
Arrive at destination
US 20
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 95 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 13.3 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
0 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
Central Street
Turn left onto Central Street
Navigation decision point
6
0 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
Railroad Street
Turn sharp right onto Railroad Street
Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach
4
1.1 mi into trip
|
~3m in
|
MA 16 / Washington Street
Turn right onto MA 16 / Washington Street
Navigation decision point
6
13.1 mi into trip
|
~25m in
|
Concord Street
Turn left onto Concord Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
4
13.3 mi into trip
|
~26m in
|
Hagar Street
Turn right onto Hagar Street
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$2.74 one way
$5.47 round trip
$4.07/gal
25.4 MPG avg
6 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.43 | $2.98 | $5.97 |
| premium | $4.82 | $3.25 | $6.49 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $3.78 | $7.55 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$3
Estimated CO2 emission: 6 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $2 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 5.1 | 0 | $1.80 | $0.82 |
| Efficient EV | 4.3 | 0 | $1.50 | $0.68 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 6.8 | 0 | $2.39 | $1.09 |
Gas CO2
6 kg
EV CO2
2 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
Waltham, MA
Late night in Waltham on Sunday
Local time
3:59 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
Very similar conditions
Both ends of the route are sitting at about the same temperature right now.
Road read
34m 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 is characterized as a 'turn-heavy local drive' with no highway share, meaning you'll be navigating surface streets for the entire 17.1 miles. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is 7.9 miles along Washington Street. You can anticipate a driving experience that demands constant engagement with navigation, as you'll be making frequent turns onto roads like Eliot Street and Grove Street.
Only 0% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
19 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 7.9 mi on Washington Street.
How Hard Is This Drive?
5/10
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. You will hit about 9 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near Central Street.
Driving Effort
5/10
Moderate - straightforward overall, but long enough or busy enough to require pacing
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 17.1 miles you will encounter 9 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: near the start (Central Street): Navigation decision point; near the start (Railroad Street): Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach; at 1.1 miles (MA 16 / Washington Street): Navigation decision point.
About the Cities
Arriving in Waltham, MA
Full guide →Waltham is a city in the American state of Massachusetts. It is 10 miles (16 km) west of central Boston on the Charles River, and 3 miles from the city limits to the east. Waltham is part of the Greater Boston conurbation; even so, it has a unique character compared to Boston's other suburbs, and is one of the most significant regional centers for employment, culture, education and food in the entire metro area. It is sometimes called "Watch City" because it was home to Waltham Watch Company. Many high-tech companies have made Waltham their home. It is also home to Bentley College and Brandeis University.
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 34m. Total distance: 17.1 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
34m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (0%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile with national parks nearby.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 7.9 miles on Washington Street. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
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: near the start (Central Street): Navigation decision point; near the start (Railroad Street): Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach; at 1.1 miles (MA 16 / Washington Street): Navigation decision point.
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 Waltham, 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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