Origin
Randolph, MA
Late night in Randolph on Sunday
Local time
3:34 AM
EDT
Current temp
39°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Randolph, 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
34m
Distance
18.8 mi
30 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$3
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 31m
★
6 AM
0h 34m
8 AM
0h 40m
10 AM
0h 36m
12 PM
0h 36m
3 PM
0h 37m
5 PM
0h 40m
8 PM
0h 33m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Randolph, MA
Wikimedia Commons
Cambridge, MA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
This 18.8-mile drive from Randolph, MA to Cambridge, MA is a quick trip, estimated to take around 34 minutes. It's a straightforward, single-day excursion perfectly suited for a few hours of travel. You'll navigate primarily via the Yankee Division Highway and the John F. Fitzgerald Expressway, with some local road segments. With a modest fuel cost of about $3, this route offers an economical way to get from one point in the Northeast to another. It's a practical journey, not one that requires an overnight stay, allowing you to maximize your time at your destination.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Yankee Division Highway | 8.7 mi | 11m |
| John F. Fitzgerald Expressway | 2.5 mi | 4m |
| North Street | 2.2 mi | 4m |
| Granite Street | 1.8 mi | 3m |
| Cambridge Street | 1.4 mi | 4m |
| Pond Street | 0.6 mi | 1m |
| MA 3 | 0.5 mi | <1m |
| Charles River Dam Road | 0.3 mi | 1m |
Longest stretch:
Yankee Division Highway
— 8.7 mi, about 11m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Randolph, MA and Cambridge, MA.
1
Start on MA 139
33 ft
·
1 sec
·
Union Street
2
Turn right onto North Street
2.2 mi
·
4 min
·
North Street
Use the left lane.
3
Continue on Pond Street
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
Pond Street
4
Continue on Granite Street
1.8 mi
·
3 min
·
Granite Street
Use the straight / left / right lanes.
5
Take the ramp
0.2 mi
·
32 sec
Toward I 93 North, US 1 North: Boston, Cape Cod
6
Merge onto I 93; US 1
8.7 mi
·
11 min
·
Yankee Division Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Continue on I 93; US 1; MA 3
2.5 mi
·
4 min
·
John F. Fitzgerald Expressway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Take the exit onto MA 3
0.5 mi
·
58 sec
·
MA 3
Exit 18
Toward Storrow Drive
9
Keep slight left at fork
0.1 mi
·
15 sec
Toward MA 28 North: Leverett Circle, North Station
10
Keep slight left at fork
213 ft
·
9 sec
Toward MA 28 North: O'Brien Highway
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
11
Continue on MA 28
0.3 mi
·
1 min
·
Charles River Dam Road
Use the straight lane.
12
Continue on MA 28
0.2 mi
·
34 sec
·
Monsignor O'Brien Highway
Toward MA 28 North: O'Brien Highway, Somerville
Use the straight lane.
13
Turn left onto Cambridge Street
1.4 mi
·
4 min
·
Cambridge Street
Use the left / straight lanes.
14
Turn right onto Line Street
0.2 mi
·
51 sec
·
Line Street
15
Turn left onto Leonard Avenue
460 ft
·
19 sec
·
Leonard Avenue
16
Arrive at destination
Leonard Avenue
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 105 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 17.1 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
0 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
North Street
Turn right onto North Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
5
4.8 mi into trip
|
~9m in
|
I 93; US 1 / Yankee Division Highway
Merge onto I 93; US 1 / Yankee Division Highway
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
16.5 mi into trip
|
~26m in
Keep slight left at fork toward MA 28 North: Leverett Circle, North Station
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward MA 28 North: Leverett Circle, North Stat...
8
16.6 mi into trip
|
~26m in
Keep slight left at fork toward MA 28 North: O'Brien Highway
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
Toward MA 28 North: O'Brien Highway
6
17.1 mi into trip
|
~28m in
|
Cambridge Street
Turn left onto Cambridge Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left / straight lanes.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$3.01 one way
$6.02 round trip
$4.07/gal
25.4 MPG avg
7 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.43 | $3.28 | $6.56 |
| premium | $4.82 | $3.57 | $7.14 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $4.15 | $8.30 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$3
Estimated CO2 emission: 6.6 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 | 5.6 | 0 | $1.97 | $0.90 |
| Efficient EV | 4.7 | 0 | $1.65 | $0.75 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 7.5 | 0 | $2.63 | $1.20 |
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.
Travel Intel
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Destination
Cambridge, MA
Late night in Cambridge on Sunday
Local time
3:34 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
23 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
34m 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 'turn-heavy local drive' for this 18.8-mile journey. While about 16% of the route involves highway driving, you'll encounter numerous turns and changes in road character. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll experience is 8.7 miles on the Yankee Division Highway, offering a brief period of more consistent travel before rejoining local roads. The mix of highway segments and more intricate local streets means you'll need to stay engaged behind the wheel, adapting to varying speed limits and traffic patterns.
Only 16% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
16 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 8.7 mi on Yankee Division Highway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
8/10
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near North Street.
Driving Effort
8/10
Focused - busy navigation packed into a short drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 10 decision points packed into just 18.8 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 34m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: near the start (North Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 4.8 miles (I 93; US 1 / Yankee Division Highway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 16.5 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. 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 Randolph, MA and Cambridge, MA, road signs point toward Cape Cod, Station and Somerville.
Cape Cod
4.6 mi in
|
~8m
Station
16.5 mi in
|
~26m
Somerville
17 mi in
|
~27m
|
via MA 28
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 34m. Total distance: 18.8 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
34m 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.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 8.7 miles on Yankee Division Highway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
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: near the start (North Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 4.8 miles (I 93; US 1 / Yankee Division Highway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 16.5 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
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.
Was this helpful?
Thanks for your feedback!
Your tip has been submitted. Thanks!
/500
Recent Tips
·
Explore More
Continue From Cambridge, MA
More trips to Cambridge, MA
Explore more options from Randolph, MA or browse trips ending in Cambridge, MA.
Looking for more statewide routes? Browse MA road trips.