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Trip from Rockland, MA to Boston, 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

22.3 mi

36 km

Drive Score

8/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$4

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 8 min
4 AM
0h 32m ★
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.

town in Plymouth County, Massachusetts, United States

Rockland, MA

Wikimedia Commons

capital and largest city of Massachusetts, United States

Boston, MA

Wikimedia Commons

Trip Overview

Rockland, MA to Boston, MA is 22.3 miles and takes about 34 minutes via MA 3, with a fuel budget near $4 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This short trip stays within the Northeast region and Massachusetts, offering a straightforward journey. It's a practical option for a quick commute or a brief excursion, characterized by a mixed driving profile. Consider this route if you're looking for an efficient and uncomplicated drive between these two points.

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
MA 3 8.4 mi 11m
Pilgrims Highway 8.1 mi 10m
Veterans of Foreign Wars Drive 1.1 mi 2m
Union Street 1 mi 1m
Hingham Street 0.8 mi 1m
Reservoir Park Drive 0.3 mi <1m
Lincoln Street 0.3 mi <1m
Weymouth Street 0.2 mi <1m
Longest stretch: MA 3 — 8.4 mi, about 11m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Rockland, MA and Boston, MA.

1

Start on Reed Street

99 ft · 9 sec · Reed Street
2

Turn left onto Union Street

1.0 mi · 1 min · Union Street
3

Turn slight right onto Veterans of Foreign Wars Drive

1.1 mi · 2 min · Veterans of Foreign Wars Drive
4

Continue on Weymouth Street

0.2 mi · 27 sec · Weymouth Street
5

Turn right onto Reservoir Park Drive

0.3 mi · 36 sec · Reservoir Park Drive
6

At end of road, turn left onto Hingham Street

0.8 mi · 1 min · Hingham Street
Use the straight / right lanes.
7

Take the ramp

0.3 mi · 32 sec
Toward MA 3 North: Braintree, Boston Use the right lane.
8

Merge onto MA 3

8.1 mi · 10 min · Pilgrims Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9

Continue on MA 3

8.4 mi · 11 min · MA 3
Exit 43B Toward I 93 North: Boston Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10

Continue on I 93; US 1; MA 3

0.2 mi · 19 sec · John F. Fitzgerald Expressway
11

Take the exit

0.5 mi · 1 min
Toward South Station, Airport Use the straight / slight left lanes.
12

Keep slight right at fork

0.5 mi · 1 min
Toward South Station Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
13

Continue on Lincoln Street

0.3 mi · 53 sec · Lincoln Street
14

At end of road, turn left onto Summer Street

82 ft · 3 sec · Summer Street
15

Turn right onto Devonshire Street

0.1 mi · 31 sec · Devonshire Street
16

Turn left onto Franklin Street

173 ft · 8 sec · Franklin Street
17

Turn right onto Arch Street

463 ft · 20 sec · Arch Street
18

Turn left onto Milk Street

276 ft · 11 sec · Milk Street
19

Continue on Washington Street

0.1 mi · 32 sec · Washington Street
20

At end of road, turn left onto Court Street

473 ft · 20 sec · Court Street
21

Turn left onto Tremont Street

333 ft · 11 sec · Tremont Street
22

Arrive at destination

Tremont Street

Heads-up: tricky spots

5 of 15

5 decision points cluster between mile 2.6 and 20.9 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.

6
2.6 mi into trip | ~4m in | Hingham Street

At end of road, turn left onto Hingham Street

Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / right lanes.
6
3.5 mi into trip | ~6m in

Take the ramp toward MA 3 North: Braintree, Boston

Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Use the right lane. Toward MA 3 North: Braintree, Boston
5
3.7 mi into trip | ~7m in | MA 3 / Pilgrims Highway

Merge onto MA 3 / Pilgrims Highway

Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
20.4 mi into trip | ~28m in

Take the exit toward South Station, Airport

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Use the straight / slight left lanes. Toward South Station, Airport
7
20.9 mi into trip | ~30m in

Keep slight right at fork toward South Station

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the slight left / slight right lanes. Toward South Station

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$3.57 one way

$7.14 round trip

$4.07/gal 25.4 MPG avg 8 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.43 $3.89 $7.78
premium $4.82 $4.23 $8.47
diesel $5.61 $4.92 $9.85

No toll roads detected on this route.

Drive Cost (one way)

Fuel

$4

Estimated CO2 emission: 7.8 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $2 in charging · 0 stops · 63% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 6.7 0 $2.34 $1.07
Efficient EV 5.6 0 $1.95 $0.89
EV Truck/SUV 8.9 0 $3.12 $1.43

Gas CO2

8 kg

EV CO2

3 kg (63% 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.

Forecast as of Apr 15, 2026

Origin

Rockland, MA

Late night in Rockland on Sunday

Local time

2:02 AM

EDT

Current temp

39°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Boston, MA

Late night in Boston on Sunday

Local time

2:02 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?

This drive is a mixed bag, with 39% of the journey taking place on highways. You'll encounter stretches on MA 3, Pilgrims Highway, and Veterans of Foreign Wars Drive. The longest continuous stretch you'll navigate is 8.4 miles on MA 3, providing a taste of highway driving before transitioning. Expect the road conditions to vary as you move from more open highway segments to potentially busier local roads closer to your destination.

39% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
22 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 8.4 mi on MA 3.

How Hard Is This Drive?

7/10

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 around 2.6 miles in near Hingham Street.

Driving Effort 7/10

Focused - busy navigation packed into a short drive

Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.

This is a short but busy drive. With 15 decision points packed into just 22.3 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: at 2.6 miles (Hingham Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 3.5 miles: Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 3.7 miles (MA 3 / Pilgrims Highway): Merge point - match speed before joining. 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.

Between Rockland, MA and Boston, MA, road signs point toward Station and Airport.

Station

20.4 mi in | ~28m

Airport

20.4 mi in | ~28m

About the Cities

Arriving in Boston, MA

Full guide →

A city of history and tradition, Boston offers a proud legacy of culture, education, and numerous sporting championships. The "shining city on a hill"s independent spirit has been displayed to the world ever since colonists were angry over a British tax on their beloved tea and dumped shiploads of it into the harbor in protest. In the early 1600s, the peninsula in Massachusetts that would become known as Boston was controlled by Native Americans until John Smith (English soldier, explorer, colonial governor, Admiral of New England, and author) named the area New England to attract European settlers. Boston was founded in 1630 by John Winthrop, making it one of the oldest cities in the U.S. No other American city has made more of an effort to preserve its history, and you'll find buildings that pre-date the republic dotted throughout the region.

City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).

Who Is This Route For?

Weekend Trip

Doable as a same-day drive at 34m. Total distance: 22.3 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.

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (39%). Some complex stretches to watch for.

Scenic Drive

Mixed highway & surface route profile with national parks nearby.

Frequently Asked Questions

The longest stretch is about 8.4 miles on MA 3. 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 Boston, 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 2.6 miles (Hingham Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 3.5 miles: Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 3.7 miles (MA 3 / Pilgrims Highway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.

Yes — Adams National Historical Park, Boston 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 Boston, 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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