Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Sep 3, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
19m
Distance
7.8 mi
13 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$1
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Waltham, MA
Wikimedia Commons
Brookline, MA
Wikimedia Commons
The drive from Waltham, MA to Brookline, MA covers 7.8 miles and takes about 19m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on Main Street, Washington Street, Nonantum Road for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is mostly surface roads. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 2.8 miles on Main Street. At current regular gas prices, budget about $1.30 one way before food or hotel costs.
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Main Street | 2.8 mi | 5m |
| Washington Street | 2.3 mi | 7m |
| Nonantum Road | 1.6 mi | 2m |
| Parsons Street | 0.5 mi | 1m |
| Leicester Street | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| White Place | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| Galen Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
| North Beacon Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Step-by-step road directions between Waltham, MA and Brookline, MA.
Start on US 20
Turn slight right
Turn straight onto MA 16
Turn left onto Nonantum Road
Keep slight right at fork onto US 20
Turn right onto Parsons Street
Turn left onto Bennett Street
Turn right onto Leicester Street
At end of road, turn left onto Washington Street
Turn right onto Washington Street
Turn right onto White Place
Arrive at destination
5 decision points cluster between mile 2.9 and 7.6 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
Turn left onto Nonantum Road
Navigation decision point
Keep slight right at fork onto US 20 / North Beacon Street toward Brighton Center
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
Turn left onto Bennett Street
Navigation decision point
At end of road, turn left onto Washington Street
Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch
Turn right onto White Place
Lane positioning matters here
Regular Gas
$1.30 one way
$2.60 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.67 | $1.43 | $2.87 |
| premium | $5.06 | $1.55 | $3.11 |
| diesel | $5.60 | $1.72 | $3.44 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$1
Estimated CO2 emission: 2.7 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-08-31.
Driving Electric?
About $1 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 2.3 | 0 | $0.82 | $0.37 |
| Efficient EV | 2 | 0 | $0.68 | $0.31 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 3.1 | 0 | $1.09 | $0.50 |
Gas CO2
3 kg
EV CO2
1 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
Afternoon in Waltham on Thursday
Local time
2:34 PM
EDT
Current temp
59°F
Chance Rain Showers
Destination
Afternoon in Brookline on Thursday
Local time
2:34 PM
EDT
Current temp
60°F
Chance Rain Showers
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.
7.8 mi in 19m across surface roads — expect steady turns and local traffic rather than long highway runs.
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. You will hit about 10 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 2.9 miles in near Nonantum Road.
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 7.8 miles you will encounter 10 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 2.9 miles (Nonantum Road): Navigation decision point; at 4.5 miles (US 20 / North Beacon Street): Highway fork - watch signs carefully; at 5.1 miles (Bennett Street): Navigation decision point.
Mostly flat terrain
Total Climb
148 ft
Total Descent
189 ft
Highest Point
146 ft
~6.1 mi in
Elevation Range
137 ft
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
On the drive from Waltham, MA to Brookline, MA, road signs begin pointing toward Brighton Center along the way.
Brighton Center
Founded 1634
Waltham is a city in the American state of Massachusetts. It is 10 miles (16 km) west of central Boston on the Charles River, and 3 miles from the city limits to the east. Waltham is part of the Greater Boston conurbation; even so, it has a unique character compared to Boston's other suburbs, and is one of the most significant regional centers for employment, culture, education and food in the entire metro area. It is sometimes called "Watch City" because it was home to Waltham Watch Company. Many high-tech companies have made Waltham their home. It is also home to Bentley College and Brandeis University.
Top landmarks
Founded 1638
Top landmarks
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 19m. Total distance: 7.8 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
19m 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, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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