Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 21, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
32m
Distance
19.6 mi
31 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$3
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Lynn, MA
Wikimedia Commons
Watertown, MA
Wikimedia Commons
This quick 19.6-mile drive from Lynn, MA to Watertown, MA is easily manageable in about 32 minutes, making it a perfect day trip. You'll primarily navigate using the Massachusetts Turnpike, North Shore Road, and the Ted Williams Tunnel. With a modest fuel cost estimated at $3, this route is budget-friendly. The drive offers a mixed experience, and since it's so short, there's no need to split it overnight. Both Lynn and Watertown are located within the Northeast region of the US, keeping your travel within familiar territory.
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Massachusetts Turnpike | 8.3 mi | 12m |
| North Shore Road | 2.6 mi | 4m |
| Ted Williams Tunnel | 1.5 mi | 2m |
| McClellan Highway | 1 mi | 1m |
| Lee Burbank Highway | 1 mi | 2m |
| Lynnway | 1 mi | 1m |
| North Common Street | 0.6 mi | <1m |
| East Boston Expressway | 0.6 mi | <1m |
Step-by-step road directions between Lynn, MA and Watertown, MA.
Start on Rogers Avenue
Turn right onto Essex Street
Continue on North Common Street
Turn left
Turn left onto Market Square
Turn right onto Commercial Street
Turn right onto MA 1A
Continue on MA 1A
Enter roundabout onto MA 1A
Continue on MA 1A
Enter roundabout onto MA 1A
Continue on MA 1A
Merge onto MA 1A
Keep slight left at fork onto MA 1A
Continue on MA 1A
Continue on MA 1A
Keep slight left at fork onto I 90
Continue on I 90
Continue on I 90
Take the exit
Keep slight right at fork
Turn slight right onto Centre Street
Continue on Galen Street
Turn sharp left onto US 20
Turn right onto Church Street
Turn left onto Oliver Street
Arrive at destination
5 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 19 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
Turn right onto Essex Street
Navigation decision point
Keep slight left at fork onto I 90 / Massachusetts Turnpike toward I 90 Toll West: Williams Tunnel, Logan Airport
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Take the exit toward Newton, Watertown
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Keep slight right at fork toward Watertown
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Turn sharp left onto US 20 / Main Street
Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach. Lane positioning matters here
Regular Gas
$3.14 one way
$6.27 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.43 | $3.42 | $6.84 |
| premium | $4.82 | $3.72 | $7.44 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $4.33 | $8.65 |
Estimated Tolls: $0.50
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$3
Tolls
$1
Total
$4
Estimated CO2 emission: 6.9 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $2 in charging · 0 stops · 71% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 5.9 | 0 | $2.06 | $0.94 |
| Efficient EV | 4.9 | 0 | $1.72 | $0.78 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 7.8 | 0 | $2.74 | $1.25 |
Gas CO2
7 kg
EV CO2
2 kg (71% 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.
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Origin
Late night in Lynn on Tuesday
Local time
5:10 AM
EDT
Current temp
53°F
Patchy Fog
Destination
Late night in Watertown on Tuesday
Local time
5:10 AM
EDT
Current temp
61°F
Unavailable
Time zone
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
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.
Expect a drive that's about 48% highway, providing some faster stretches, particularly on the Massachusetts Turnpike. The longest uninterrupted segment you'll encounter is 8.3 miles on this same highway. This route is characterized as a mixed drive, meaning you'll transition between higher-speed sections and potentially more local road segments as you progress. It's not a monotonous journey, offering a bit of variety in the driving experience without being overly challenging.
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 early in the drive near Essex Street.
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 14 decision points packed into just 19.6 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 32m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: near the start (Essex Street): Navigation decision point; at 8.2 miles (I 90 / Massachusetts Turnpike): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 18.1 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Lynn, MA and Watertown, MA, road signs point toward Logan Airport and Newton.
Logan Airport
Newton
Lynn is a city in Massachusetts north of Boston with a population of about 101,000 in 2020.
Founded 1630
Watertown is a city in the Greater Boston metropolitan area of Massachusetts.
Top landmarks
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 32m. Total distance: 19.6 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
32m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (48%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Scenic Drive
Mixed highway & surface route profile with national parks nearby.
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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