Origin
North Reading, MA
Late night in North Reading on Sunday
Local time
2:01 AM
EDT
Current temp
42°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from North Reading, 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
29m
Distance
18.3 mi
29 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$3
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 27m
★
6 AM
0h 29m
8 AM
0h 34m
10 AM
0h 31m
12 PM
0h 31m
3 PM
0h 31m
5 PM
0h 34m
8 PM
0h 28m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
North Reading, MA
Phil Evenden
Cambridge, MA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
This short 18.3-mile drive from North Reading, MA to Cambridge, MA takes about 29 minutes and is easily manageable as a day trip. The route primarily uses I-93, Park Street, and Concord Street, with about 60% of the journey on highways. Given the short distance and duration, an overnight stay isn't necessary. The estimated fuel cost is around $3, making it an economical option. Both the origin and destination are located within the Northeast region of Massachusetts, so you'll experience a consistent regional feel throughout this quick trip.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 93 | 11 mi | 13m |
| Park Street | 2.3 mi | 4m |
| Concord Street | 1.5 mi | 2m |
| McGrath Highway | 0.8 mi | 1m |
| Mystic Avenue | 0.7 mi | 1m |
| Concord Avenue | 0.4 mi | 1m |
| Washington Street | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| Prospect Street | 0.2 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
I 93
— 11 mi, about 13m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between North Reading, MA and Cambridge, MA.
1
Start on Haverhill Street
427 ft
·
13 sec
·
Haverhill Street
2
Turn right onto MA 62
1.1 mi
·
2 min
·
Park Street
3
Continue on Park Street
1.2 mi
·
2 min
·
Park Street
4
Turn left onto Concord Street
1.5 mi
·
2 min
·
Concord Street
5
Take the ramp
0.4 mi
·
46 sec
Toward I 93 South: Boston
6
Merge onto I 93
11 mi
·
13 min
·
I 93
Use the straight / right lanes.
7
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
30 sec
Exit 21
Toward MA 38: Medford, Somerville
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Turn left onto MA 38
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
Mystic Avenue
Use the straight lane.
9
Turn slight right onto MA 28
0.2 mi
·
20 sec
·
Fellsway
Use the straight / right lanes.
10
Continue on MA 28
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
McGrath Highway
11
Continue on McGrath Highway
0.2 mi
·
19 sec
·
McGrath Highway
Toward Washington Street
12
Turn right onto Washington Street
0.2 mi
·
25 sec
·
Washington Street
13
Turn left onto Prospect Street
0.2 mi
·
38 sec
·
Prospect Street
Use the straight lane.
14
Turn right onto Concord Avenue
0.1 mi
·
35 sec
·
Concord Avenue
15
At end of road, turn left onto Concord Avenue
0.3 mi
·
1 min
·
Concord Avenue
16
Turn right onto Beacon Street
0.1 mi
·
26 sec
·
Beacon Street
17
Turn left onto Cooney Street
295 ft
·
12 sec
·
Cooney Street
18
At end of road, turn right onto Line Street
294 ft
·
19 sec
·
Line Street
19
Turn left onto Leonard Avenue
460 ft
·
19 sec
·
Leonard Avenue
20
Arrive at destination
Leonard Avenue
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 155 decision points cluster between mile 4.2 and 18.1 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
4.2 mi into trip
|
~8m in
|
I 93
Merge onto I 93
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
8
15.3 mi into trip
|
~21m in
Take the exit toward MA 38: Medford, Somerville
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 21
Toward MA 38: Medford, Somerville
6
17.4 mi into trip
|
~25m in
|
Prospect Street
Turn left onto Prospect Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight lane.
6
17.7 mi into trip
|
~27m in
|
Concord Avenue
At end of road, turn left onto Concord Avenue
Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch
6
18.1 mi into trip
|
~28m in
|
Line Street
At end of road, turn right onto Line Street
Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$2.93 one way
$5.86 round trip
$4.07/gal
25.4 MPG avg
6 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.43 | $3.19 | $6.39 |
| premium | $4.82 | $3.47 | $6.95 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $4.04 | $8.08 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$3
Estimated CO2 emission: 6.4 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 | 5.5 | 0 | $1.92 | $0.88 |
| Efficient EV | 4.6 | 0 | $1.60 | $0.73 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 7.3 | 0 | $2.56 | $1.17 |
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
Cambridge, MA
Late night in Cambridge on Sunday
Local time
2:01 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
20 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
29m 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 mixed drive on this route, with a significant portion, 60%, on highways. You'll encounter an uninterrupted stretch of 11 miles on I-93, offering a chance for steady cruising. The drive transitions from highway speeds to more local road conditions as you approach your destination. This blend means you'll experience both efficient travel and the need to adjust to surface street driving.
60% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
20 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 11 mi on I 93.
How Hard Is This Drive?
5/10
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. You will hit about 15 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 4.2 miles in near I 93.
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 18.3 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 4.2 miles (I 93): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 15.3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 17.4 miles (Prospect Street): 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.
On the drive from North Reading, MA to Cambridge, MA, road signs begin pointing toward Somerville along the way.
Somerville
15.3 mi in
|
~21m
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 29m. Total distance: 18.3 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
29m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (60%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 11 miles on I 93. 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: at 4.2 miles (I 93): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 15.3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 17.4 miles (Prospect Street): Lane positioning matters here.
Yes — Boston National Historical Park, Adams National Historical Park and Boston Harbor Islands National Recreation Area (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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