Origin
Leicester, MA
Late night in Leicester on Tuesday
Local time
4:46 AM
EDT
Current temp
61°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Leicester, MA to Cambridge, 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
1h 10m
Distance
48.1 mi
77 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$8
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 5m
★
6 AM
1h 10m
8 AM
1h 22m
10 AM
1h 14m
12 PM
1h 13m
3 PM
1h 15m
5 PM
1h 21m
8 PM
1h 7m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Leicester, MA
Italo Melo
Cambridge, MA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Leicester, MA to Cambridge, MA is 48.1 miles and takes about 1 hour 10 minutes via Massachusetts Turnpike, with a fuel budget near $8 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This is a straightforward, same-day trip primarily within Massachusetts, moving you from one part of the Northeast to another. Given its relatively short duration and focus on a major highway, it’s a practical option for getting between these two points without a significant time commitment. You'll spend most of your time on high-speed roads, making this an efficient journey for those prioritizing speed and directness.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Massachusetts Turnpike | 34 mi | 40m |
| Main Street | 6.1 mi | 12m |
| Grafton Street | 3.4 mi | 4m |
| River Street | 0.8 mi | 2m |
| Prospect Street | 0.6 mi | 1m |
| Grafton Road | 0.4 mi | <1m |
| Myrtle Street | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| Line Street | 0.2 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Massachusetts Turnpike
— 34 mi, about 40m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Leicester, MA and Cambridge, MA.
1
Start on this road
45 ft
·
6 sec
·
this road
2
Turn right onto MA 9
6.1 mi
·
12 min
·
Main Street
3
Turn right onto Myrtle Street
0.2 mi
·
25 sec
·
Myrtle Street
4
At end of road, turn left onto McGrath Boulevard
0.2 mi
·
29 sec
·
McGrath Boulevard
5
Continue on Foster Street
101 ft
·
2 sec
·
Foster Street
6
Turn slight right onto Franklin Street
0.1 mi
·
20 sec
·
Franklin Street
7
Turn right onto Harding Street
0.1 mi
·
16 sec
·
Harding Street
8
Turn left onto Winter Street
326 ft
·
8 sec
·
Winter Street
9
Continue on MA 122
0.5 mi
·
41 sec
·
Grafton Street
10
Enter roundabout onto MA 122
39 ft
·
0 sec
·
Grafton Street
11
Continue on MA 122
2.9 mi
·
3 min
·
Grafton Street
12
Continue on MA 122
0.4 mi
·
59 sec
·
Grafton Road
13
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
56 sec
14
Keep slight left at fork
0.6 mi
·
1 min
15
Merge onto I 90
34 mi
·
40 min
·
Massachusetts Turnpike
Use the straight lane.
16
Take the exit
0.5 mi
·
1 min
Exit 131
Toward Allston-Brighton, Cambridge, Fenway Park
Use the slight left lane.
17
Keep slight right at fork
0.2 mi
·
23 sec
Toward Cambridge, Somerville, Fenway Park
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
18
Turn slight right onto Cambridge Street
180 ft
·
6 sec
·
Cambridge Street
19
Continue on River Street
0.8 mi
·
2 min
·
River Street
Use the straight / left lanes.
20
Continue on Prospect Street
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
Prospect Street
21
Turn left onto Hampshire Street
0.1 mi
·
33 sec
·
Hampshire Street
Use the left lane.
22
Continue on Cambridge Street
0.1 mi
·
30 sec
·
Cambridge Street
Use the straight lane.
23
Turn right onto Line Street
0.2 mi
·
51 sec
·
Line Street
24
Turn left onto Leonard Avenue
460 ft
·
19 sec
·
Leonard Avenue
25
Arrive at destination
Leonard Avenue
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
24 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 24.1 miles from Leicester, 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 10.6 and 47.6 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
10.6 mi into trip
|
~19m in
Take the exit
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early
5
11.6 mi into trip
|
~21m in
|
I 90 / Massachusetts Turnpike
Merge onto I 90 / Massachusetts Turnpike
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight lane.
8
45.6 mi into trip
|
~1h 2m in
Take the exit toward Allston-Brighton, Cambridge, Fenway Park
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight left lane.
Exit 131
Toward Allston-Brighton, Cambridge, Fenway Park
8
46.1 mi into trip
|
~1h 3m in
Keep slight right at fork toward Cambridge, Somerville, Fenway Park
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
Toward Cambridge, Somerville, Fenway Park
5
47.6 mi into trip
|
~1h 8m in
|
Hampshire Street
Turn left onto Hampshire Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$7.70 one way
$15.40 round trip
$4.07/gal
25.4 MPG avg
17 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.43 | $8.39 | $16.79 |
| premium | $4.82 | $9.13 | $18.27 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $10.62 | $21.24 |
Estimated Tolls: $2.04
Massachusetts Turnpike
(34 mi)
$2.04
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$8
Tolls
$2
Total
$10
Estimated CO2 emission: 16.8 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 | 14.4 | 0 | $5.05 | $2.31 |
| Efficient EV | 12 | 0 | $4.21 | $1.92 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 19.2 | 0 | $6.73 | $3.08 |
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 Tuesday
Local time
4:46 AM
EDT
Current temp
51°F
Areas Of Fog then Cloudy
NE 5 to 9 mph
3% chance
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
10 degrees cooler at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
1h 10m on the road
The weather snapshot is not static. If you are leaving later, give both cities one more quick forecast check before departure.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
What kind of drive is this?
This drive is heavily highway-focused, with 71% of the journey on high-speed roads. You'll experience a significant 34-mile stretch on the Massachusetts Turnpike, offering a consistent, fast-paced experience for a large portion of the trip. The route transitions from local streets like Main Street and Grafton Street onto the Turnpike, providing a clear shift in driving environment from more urban or suburban settings to a more open highway feel. Expect a generally smooth and direct path, typical of a major interstate corridor.
71% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
25 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 34 mi on Massachusetts Turnpike.
How Hard Is This Drive?
8/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Massachusetts Turnpike and Main Street. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 10.6 miles in.
Driving Effort
8/10
Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 48.1 miles you will encounter 15 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 10.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early; at 11.6 miles (I 90 / Massachusetts Turnpike): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 45.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. 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.
Between Leicester, MA and Cambridge, MA, road signs point toward Allston-Brighton and Fenway Park.
Allston-Brighton
45.6 mi in
|
~1h 2m
Fenway Park
45.6 mi in
|
~1h 2m
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 10m. Total distance: 48.1 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 10m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (71%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 34 miles on Massachusetts Turnpike. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Expect about $2.04 in tolls one way, starting with Massachusetts 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 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 10.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early; at 11.6 miles (I 90 / Massachusetts Turnpike): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 45.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Yes — Boston National Historical Park, Minute Man 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 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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