Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Sep 3, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 13m
Distance
50.1 mi
81 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$8
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Plymouth, MA
Wikimedia Commons
Natick, MA
Wikimedia Commons
Plymouth to Natick is 50.1 miles and takes about 1 hour 13 minutes via Pilgrims Highway and Yankee Division Highway, with a fuel budget near $8 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within Massachusetts, connecting two points in the Northeast region. The profile indicates you'll primarily be on surface roads, so expect a more local feel rather than a high-speed interstate cruise. With only 13% of the drive on highways, this is a good option if you prefer to see more of the towns you're passing through. It's a straightforward, same-day trip with minimal driving time.
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Pilgrims Highway | 27.5 mi | 34m |
| Yankee Division Highway | 6 mi | 7m |
| I 95 | 5.3 mi | 7m |
| Central Street | 3.1 mi | 5m |
| Great Plain Avenue | 2.7 mi | 5m |
| Dedham Avenue | 1.3 mi | 2m |
| West Street | 0.8 mi | 1m |
| Samoset Street | 0.7 mi | 1m |
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 200 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
2 PM
~5,952 veh/hr typical · worst 7,060
Quietest
2 AM
~479 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
12.4×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
Averaged across 104 weeks of 2023 FHWA Travel Monitoring Analysis System data. Weekday hours only (Mon–Fri).
Step-by-step road directions between Plymouth, MA and Natick, MA.
Start on MA 3A
Turn left onto US 44
Take the ramp onto US 44
Merge onto US 44; MA 3
Take the exit
Merge onto I 93; US 1
Keep slight left at fork onto US 1
Merge onto I 95
Take the exit
Turn right onto MA 135
Continue on MA 135
Turn left onto Great Plain Avenue
Enter roundabout onto MA 135
Continue on MA 135
At end of road, turn left onto MA 16; MA 135
Continue on MA 135
Arrive at destination
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
25 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.
A short stop after about 11 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
The midpoint is around 25 miles from Plymouth, 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.
5 decision points cluster between mile 1.2 and 41.3 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
Merge onto US 44; MA 3 / Pilgrims Highway
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Take the exit toward I 93 South: Canton
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early
Merge onto I 93; US 1 / Yankee Division Highway
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Keep slight left at fork onto US 1 toward I 95 North, US 1 South: Dedham, Portsmouth New Hampshire
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Take the exit toward MA 135: Needham, Natick
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Regular Gas
$8.36 one way
$16.71 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.67 | $9.20 | $18.40 |
| premium | $5.06 | $9.97 | $19.95 |
| diesel | $5.60 | $11.04 | $22.09 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$8
Estimated CO2 emission: 17.5 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-08-31.
Driving Electric?
About $5 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 15 | 0 | $5.26 | $2.40 |
| Efficient EV | 12.5 | 0 | $4.38 | $2.00 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 20 | 0 | $7.01 | $3.21 |
Gas CO2
18 kg
EV CO2
6 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.
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Origin
Night in Plymouth on Wednesday
Local time
9:37 PM
EDT
Current temp
59°F
Slight Chance Rain Showers then Mostly Cloudy
Destination
Night in Natick on Wednesday
Local time
9:37 PM
EDT
Current temp
58°F
Chance Rain Showers then Patchy Fog
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.
This route is mostly surface roads, with only about 13% of the 50.1 miles spent on highways. You'll experience a significant stretch of 27.5 miles on Pilgrims Highway before transitioning. Expect to encounter more traffic signals and intersections as you move away from the highway segments. The feel will be more like driving through communities rather than a pure interstate experience.
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. You will hit about 11 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 1.2 miles in near US 44; MA 3 / Pilgrims Highway.
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 50.1 miles you will encounter 11 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 1.2 miles (US 44; MA 3 / Pilgrims Highway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 28.7 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early; at 29.4 miles (I 93; US 1 / Yankee Division Highway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
Mostly flat terrain
Total Climb
399 ft
Total Descent
276 ft
Highest Point
182 ft
~39.4 mi in
Elevation Range
136 ft
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
On the drive from Plymouth, MA to Natick, MA, road signs begin pointing toward Portsmouth New Hampshire along the way.
Portsmouth New Hampshire
Founded 1620
Plymouth is on the South Shore of Massachusetts. Known as "America's Hometown," Plymouth is most famous for being the final landing place of the Pilgrims who arrived on board the Mayflower in 1620, after storms lead them away from their desired settlement, the Hudson River. The settlement they established, Plimoth Colony, was one of the earliest successful settlements of Europeans in North America. In addition to its obvious historical draws, modern-day Plymouth is a picturesque seaside town with a bustling summer resident population who come back year after year to enjoy its beaches, ponds, and forests. Although summer is Plymouth's peak tourist season, spring (before Memorial Day) and fall (after Labor Day) can be excellent times to visit. These bumper seasons are less crowded and certainly more comfortable temperature-wise.
Top landmarks
Founded 1651
Natick is a town in Massachusetts with a population of about 37,000 (2020). It's approximately 10 miles west of Boston.
Top landmarks
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 13m. Total distance: 50.1 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 13m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads 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, USGS 3DEP for elevation, NPS for national parks, and FHWA TMAS for hourly traffic volumes. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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