Skip to main content
US Trip Planner Logo
US Trip Planner

Trip from South Boston, MA to City of Somerville, MA

Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards

Drive Time

14m

Distance

6.7 mi

11 km

Drive Score

8/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$1

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

4 AM
0h 14m ★
6 AM
0h 15m
8 AM
0h 18m
10 AM
0h 16m
12 PM
0h 16m
3 PM
0h 16m
5 PM
0h 17m
8 PM
0h 14m ★

Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.

Best Time Drive vs Fly
Google Maps Waze Apple Maps
Download GPX
neighborhood of Boston, Massachusetts

South Boston, MA

Wikimedia Commons

Downtown City of Somerville, MA, MA

City of Somerville, MA

Phil Evenden

Trip Overview

This short, 6.7-mile drive from South Boston, MA, to Somerville, MA, is easily manageable in about 14 minutes, making it ideal for a single-day trip. You'll primarily navigate on the John F. Fitzgerald Expressway and I-93 before transitioning to Broadway. With a fuel cost estimated at just $1, this route is very budget-friendly. The drive offers a mixed driving profile, connecting two locations within the Northeast region of Massachusetts. It's a straightforward journey perfect for a quick commute or an easy addition to a larger travel plan.

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
John F. Fitzgerald Expressway 2.1 mi 3m
I 93 1.6 mi 2m
Broadway 0.3 mi 1m
Temple Street 0.3 mi 1m
Central Street 0.3 mi 1m
West Sixth Street 0.3 mi 1m
West Fourth Street 0.3 mi <1m
Orton-Marotta Way 0.2 mi <1m
Longest stretch: John F. Fitzgerald Expressway — 2.1 mi, about 3m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between South Boston, MA and City of Somerville, MA.

1

Start on Dorchester Street

280 ft · 17 sec · Dorchester Street
2

Turn left onto West Sixth Street

0.3 mi · 1 min · West Sixth Street
3

Continue on Orton-Marotta Way

0.2 mi · 43 sec · Orton-Marotta Way
4

At end of road, turn right onto B Street

293 ft · 15 sec · B Street
5

Turn left onto West Fifth Street

0.1 mi · 18 sec · West Fifth Street
6

Turn right onto Dorchester Avenue

427 ft · 18 sec · Dorchester Avenue
7

Turn left onto West Fourth Street

0.3 mi · 50 sec · West Fourth Street
Use the left lane.
8

Turn right onto Frontage Road

160 ft · 3 sec · Frontage Road
Use the straight / right lanes.
9

Continue on Frontage Road

0.1 mi · 11 sec · Frontage Road
10

Take the ramp

0.2 mi · 31 sec
Toward I 93 North
11

Merge onto I 93; US 1; MA 3

2.1 mi · 3 min · John F. Fitzgerald Expressway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12

Keep slight right at fork onto I 93

1.6 mi · 2 min · I 93
Toward I 93 North: Concord NH Use the straight / slight left lanes.
13

Take the exit

0.1 mi · 19 sec
Exit 21 Toward MA 28, MA 38: Somerville, Medford Use the slight right lane.
14

Keep slight left at fork

0.1 mi · 18 sec
Toward MA 28 South, MA 38 North: Somerville, Medford Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
15

Turn straight onto MA 38

0.2 mi · 27 sec · Mystic Avenue
16

Turn left onto Temple Street

0.3 mi · 1 min · Temple Street
Use the left lane.
17

Turn right onto Broadway

0.3 mi · 1 min · Broadway
18

Turn left onto Central Street

0.3 mi · 1 min · Central Street
Use the left lane.
19

Turn left onto Pembroke Street

129 ft · 5 sec · Pembroke Street
20

Arrive at destination

Pembroke Street

Heads-up: tricky spots

5 of 15

5 decision points cluster between mile 0.6 and 5.3 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.

6
0.6 mi into trip | ~2m in | B Street

At end of road, turn right onto B Street

Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch

7
1.1 mi into trip | ~3m in | Frontage Road

Turn right onto Frontage Road

Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / right lanes.
7
3.6 mi into trip | ~8m in | I 93

Keep slight right at fork onto I 93 toward I 93 North: Concord NH

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / slight left lanes. Toward I 93 North: Concord NH
8
5.2 mi into trip | ~10m in

Take the exit toward MA 28, MA 38: Somerville, Medford

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

Use the slight right lane. Exit 21 Toward MA 28, MA 38: Somerville, Medford
9
5.3 mi into trip | ~10m in

Keep slight left at fork toward MA 28 South, MA 38 North: Somerville, Medford

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Use the slight left / slight right lanes. Toward MA 28 South, MA 38 North: Somerville, Me...

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$1.07 one way

$2.14 round trip

$4.07/gal 25.4 MPG avg 2 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.43 $1.17 $2.34
premium $4.82 $1.27 $2.54
diesel $5.61 $1.48 $2.96

No toll roads detected on this route.

Drive Cost (one way)

Fuel

$1

Estimated CO2 emission: 2.3 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $1 in charging · 0 stops · 50% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 2 0 $0.70 $0.32
Efficient EV 1.7 0 $0.59 $0.27
EV Truck/SUV 2.7 0 $0.94 $0.43

Gas CO2

2 kg

EV CO2

1 kg (50% 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 16, 2026

Origin

South Boston, MA

Afternoon in South Boston on Sunday

Local time

1:35 PM

EDT

Current temp

63°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

City of Somerville, MA

Afternoon in City of Somerville on Sunday

Local time

1:35 PM

EDT

Current temp

63°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

Very similar conditions

Both ends of the route are sitting at about the same temperature right now.

Road read

14m 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 driving experience on this route, with 56% of the journey taking place on highways. You'll encounter stretches on the John F. Fitzgerald Expressway and I-93, which provide a faster pace. The longest uninterrupted highway segment measures 2.1 miles on the John F. Fitzgerald Expressway. As you progress, the character shifts from highway travel to more local road conditions on Broadway, requiring adjustments in speed and awareness. This transition means the drive isn't a monotonous interstate cruise but rather a blend of efficient travel and more urban navigation.

56% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
20 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 2.1 mi on John F. Fitzgerald Expressway.

How Hard Is This Drive?

8/10

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 0.6 miles in near B 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 15 decision points packed into just 6.7 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 14m.

Where does it get tricky?

The main spots that need attention: at 0.6 miles (B Street): Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch; at 1.1 miles (Frontage Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 3.6 miles (I 93): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. 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.

On the drive from South Boston, MA to City of Somerville, MA, road signs begin pointing toward Medford along the way.

Medford

5.2 mi in | ~10m

Who Is This Route For?

Weekend Trip

Doable as a same-day drive at 14m. Total distance: 6.7 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

14m drive, comfortable solo distance.

EV Driver

0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (56%). 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 2.1 miles on John F. Fitzgerald Expressway. 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 City of Somerville, 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 0.6 miles (B Street): Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch; at 1.1 miles (Frontage Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 3.6 miles (I 93): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. 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 City of Somerville, 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

Explore More

Continue From City of Somerville, MA

Easthampton, MA 94.9 mi · 2h 4m Falmouth, MA 75.6 mi · 1h 46m Amesbury, MA 38.9 mi · 56m Pepperell, MA 37.9 mi · 1h

More from South Boston, MA

Fall River, MA 49.3 mi · 1h 3m Worcester, MA 44.9 mi · 1h Haverhill, MA 37.6 mi · 51m Framingham, MA 22.7 mi · 36m Newton, MA 10.9 mi · 21m

More trips to City of Somerville, MA

Belchertown, MA 82.4 mi Bourne, MA 62.2 mi Southbridge, MA 61.5 mi Somerset, MA 52.8 mi Holden, MA 50.7 mi Attleboro, MA 42.5 mi
Escape planner: South Boston, MA Scenic drives in MA

Explore more options from South Boston, MA or browse trips ending in City of Somerville, MA.

Looking for more statewide routes? Browse MA road trips.