Origin
Marlborough, MA
Late night in Marlborough on Sunday
Local time
3:46 AM
EDT
Current temp
63°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Marlborough, MA to Cambridge, MA
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
44m
Distance
28.6 mi
46 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 41m
★
6 AM
0h 45m
8 AM
0h 52m
10 AM
0h 47m
12 PM
0h 47m
3 PM
0h 48m
5 PM
0h 52m
8 PM
0h 43m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Marlborough, MA
Wikimedia Commons
Cambridge, MA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Marlborough to Cambridge is 28.6 miles and takes about 44 minutes via Massachusetts Turnpike, with a fuel budget near $5 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This short trip stays within Massachusetts, moving from the Northeast region to the Northeast region. It's primarily a highway drive, making it a quick and efficient way to get from point A to point B. Consider this route if you need a straightforward transit between these two locations without much fuss.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Massachusetts Turnpike | 19.1 mi | 23m |
| Framingham Road | 1.5 mi | 2m |
| Maple Street | 1.1 mi | 2m |
| Worcester Road | 0.8 mi | 1m |
| River Street | 0.8 mi | 2m |
| Turnpike Road | 0.6 mi | 1m |
| Marlboro Road | 0.6 mi | 1m |
| Central Street | 0.6 mi | 1m |
Longest stretch:
Massachusetts Turnpike
— 19.1 mi, about 23m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Marlborough, MA and Cambridge, MA.
1
Start on this road
146 ft
·
15 sec
·
this road
2
At end of road, turn left onto Windsor Street
184 ft
·
8 sec
·
Windsor Street
3
Turn left onto Main Street
259 ft
·
13 sec
·
Main Street
4
Turn left onto US 20
0.4 mi
·
35 sec
·
Granger Boulevard
Use the straight lane.
5
Turn right onto MA 85
0.2 mi
·
24 sec
·
South Bolton Street
Use the right lane.
6
Continue on MA 85
1.1 mi
·
2 min
·
Maple Street
7
Continue on MA 85
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
Marlboro Road
8
Keep slight left at fork onto MA 85
152 ft
·
5 sec
·
Marlboro Road
9
Continue on Framingham Road
1.5 mi
·
2 min
·
Framingham Road
10
Continue on MA 30
0.3 mi
·
56 sec
·
Boston Road
11
Turn sharp right onto Central Street
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
Central Street
12
Turn left onto MA 9
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
Turnpike Road
13
Continue on MA 9
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
Worcester Road
14
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
45 sec
Toward I 90 East, I 90 West: Masspike, Springfield, Boston
15
Keep slight right at fork
0.3 mi
·
39 sec
Toward I 90 East: Boston, Massachusetts Turnpike East
Use the slight right lane.
16
Merge onto I 90
19 mi
·
23 min
·
Massachusetts Turnpike
Use the straight lane.
17
Take the exit
0.5 mi
·
1 min
Exit 131
Toward Allston-Brighton, Cambridge, Fenway Park
Use the slight left lane.
18
Keep slight right at fork
0.2 mi
·
23 sec
Toward Cambridge, Somerville, Fenway Park
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
19
Turn slight right onto Cambridge Street
180 ft
·
6 sec
·
Cambridge Street
20
Continue on River Street
0.8 mi
·
2 min
·
River Street
Use the straight / left lanes.
21
Continue on Prospect Street
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
Prospect Street
22
Turn left onto Hampshire Street
0.1 mi
·
33 sec
·
Hampshire Street
Use the left lane.
23
Continue on Cambridge Street
0.1 mi
·
30 sec
·
Cambridge Street
Use the straight lane.
24
Turn right onto Line Street
0.2 mi
·
51 sec
·
Line Street
25
Turn left onto Leonard Avenue
460 ft
·
19 sec
·
Leonard Avenue
26
Arrive at destination
Leonard Avenue
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 155 decision points cluster between mile 0.1 and 26.5 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
6
0.1 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
US 20 / Granger Boulevard
Turn left onto US 20 / Granger Boulevard
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight lane.
6
0.5 mi into trip
|
~1m in
|
MA 85 / South Bolton Street
Turn right onto MA 85 / South Bolton Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
8
6.6 mi into trip
|
~12m in
Keep slight right at fork toward I 90 East: Boston, Massachusetts Turnpike East
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Toward I 90 East: Boston, Massachusetts Turnpik...
8
26 mi into trip
|
~36m 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
26.5 mi into trip
|
~37m 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
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$4.58 one way
$9.15 round trip
$4.07/gal
25.4 MPG avg
10 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.43 | $4.99 | $9.98 |
| premium | $4.82 | $5.43 | $10.86 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $6.31 | $12.63 |
Estimated Tolls: $1.20
Massachusetts Turnpike
(19.1 mi)
$1.15
Turnpike Road
(0.6 mi)
$0.05
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: 10 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 | 8.6 | 0 | $3.00 | $1.37 |
| Efficient EV | 7.2 | 0 | $2.50 | $1.14 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 11.4 | 0 | $4.00 | $1.83 |
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
Cambridge, MA
Late night in Cambridge on Sunday
Local time
3:46 AM
EDT
Current temp
62°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
1 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
44m 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 mostly highway, with 69% of the drive on expressways. You'll experience a long stretch of 19.1 miles on the Massachusetts Turnpike before transitioning to surface roads. Expect frequent exits as you approach Cambridge, indicating a more developed area compared to the initial highway portion.
69% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
26 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 19.1 mi on Massachusetts Turnpike.
How Hard Is This Drive?
9/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Massachusetts Turnpike and Framingham Road. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 0.1 miles in near US 20 / Granger Boulevard.
Driving Effort
9/10
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 28.6 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 44m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (US 20 / Granger Boulevard): Lane positioning matters here; at 0.5 miles (MA 85 / South Bolton Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 6.6 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. 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 Marlborough, MA and Cambridge, MA, road signs point toward Springfield, Boston, Massachusetts Turnpike East, Allston-Brighton, Fenway Park and Somerville.
Springfield
6.3 mi in
|
~11m
Boston
6.3 mi in
|
~11m
Massachusetts Turnpike East
6.6 mi in
|
~12m
Allston-Brighton
26 mi in
|
~36m
Fenway Park
26 mi in
|
~36m
Somerville
26.5 mi in
|
~37m
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 44m. Total distance: 28.6 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
44m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (69%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 19.1 miles on Massachusetts Turnpike. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Expect about $1.20 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 0.1 miles (US 20 / Granger Boulevard): Lane positioning matters here; at 0.5 miles (MA 85 / South Bolton Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 6.6 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
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, and EIA for fuel prices. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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