Origin
Waltham, MA
Morning in Waltham on Tuesday
Local time
6:23 AM
EDT
Current temp
82°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Waltham, MA to Chelsea, MA
Pin this tripCompiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Jul 21, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
25m
Distance
12.9 mi
21 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$2
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 23m
★
6 AM
0h 25m
8 AM
0h 30m
10 AM
0h 27m
12 PM
0h 26m
3 PM
0h 27m
5 PM
0h 29m
8 PM
0h 24m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Waltham, MA
Wikimedia Commons
Chelsea, MA
Italo Melo
Trip Overview
Waltham to Chelsea is 12.9 miles and takes about 25 minutes via Pleasant Street, with a fuel budget near $2 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This short trip stays within Massachusetts, moving from the Northeast region to another part of the Northeast. Expect a mix of highway and surface streets, making it a quick hop that's easy to fit into any schedule. It's a straightforward drive, perfect for when you need to get from point A to point B without a lot of fuss.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Pleasant Street | 1.9 mi | 3m |
| Waverley Oaks Road | 1.3 mi | 2m |
| Second Street | 1.2 mi | 2m |
| Mystic Valley Parkway Connector | 1.1 mi | 2m |
| Concord Turnpike | 1 mi | 1m |
| Alewife Brook Parkway | 1 mi | 2m |
| Powder House Boulevard | 0.9 mi | 1m |
| Revere Beach Parkway | 0.8 mi | 1m |
Longest stretch:
Pleasant Street
— 1.9 mi, about 3m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Waltham, MA and Chelsea, MA.
1
Start on US 20
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
Main Street
Use the straight lane.
2
Turn left onto MA 60
0.4 mi
·
33 sec
·
Linden Street
Use the left lane.
3
Keep slight right at fork onto MA 60
1.3 mi
·
2 min
·
Waverley Oaks Road
4
Turn right onto MA 60
0.3 mi
·
42 sec
·
Trapelo Road
Use the left lane.
5
Turn left onto MA 60
1.9 mi
·
3 min
·
Pleasant Street
Use the left lane.
6
Turn right onto Lake Street
383 ft
·
9 sec
·
Lake Street
7
Take the ramp
0.1 mi
·
18 sec
Toward MA 2 East: Cambridge , Boston
8
Merge onto MA 2
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
Concord Turnpike
9
Take the exit
473 ft
·
13 sec
Toward MA 16 East, US 3 North: Medford, Woburn
Use the straight / left lanes.
10
Merge onto US 3; MA 16
1.0 mi
·
2 min
·
Alewife Brook Parkway
Toward US 3 North, MA 16 East: Arlington, Medford
11
Turn right onto Powder House Boulevard
0.9 mi
·
1 min
·
Powder House Boulevard
Use the right lane.
12
Enter roundabout
234 ft
·
4 sec
13
Continue
28 ft
·
0 sec
14
Continue on Warner Street
0.2 mi
·
20 sec
·
Warner Street
15
Continue on Harvard Street
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
Harvard Street
16
Continue on Mystic Valley Parkway Connector
1.1 mi
·
2 min
·
Mystic Valley Parkway Connector
Use the left / straight lanes.
17
Merge onto MA 16
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
Revere Beach Parkway
18
Enter roundabout onto Krystyl K. Poirier Memorial Roadway
0.2 mi
·
16 sec
·
Krystyl K. Poirier Memorial Roadway
Toward MA 99: Everett, Boston
19
Continue on Krystyl K. Poirier Memorial Roadway
0.4 mi
·
35 sec
·
Krystyl K. Poirier Memorial Roadway
Toward MA 99: Everett, Boston
20
Enter roundabout
347 ft
·
5 sec
Toward Revere Beach Parkway
21
Continue
0.2 mi
·
25 sec
Toward Revere Beach Parkway
22
Merge onto MA 16
0.2 mi
·
25 sec
·
Revere Beach Parkway
23
Turn right onto Second Street
1.2 mi
·
2 min
·
Second Street
24
Turn left onto Park Street
0.2 mi
·
33 sec
·
Park Street
25
Turn left onto Hawthorn Street
500 ft
·
10 sec
·
Hawthorn Street
26
Turn right onto Chester Avenue
526 ft
·
29 sec
·
Chester Avenue
27
Turn left onto Shawmut Street
212 ft
·
9 sec
·
Shawmut Street
28
Arrive at destination
Shawmut Street
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 235 decision points cluster between mile 0.5 and 10.3 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
0.5 mi into trip
|
~1m in
|
MA 60 / Linden Street
Turn left onto MA 60 / Linden Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
6
4.5 mi into trip
|
~8m in
Take the ramp toward MA 2 East: Cambridge , Boston
Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward MA 2 East: Cambridge , Boston
7
5.7 mi into trip
|
~9m in
Take the exit toward MA 16 East, US 3 North: Medford, Woburn
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / left lanes.
Toward MA 16 East, US 3 North: Medford, Woburn
6
6.8 mi into trip
|
~12m in
|
Powder House Boulevard
Turn right onto Powder House Boulevard
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
7
10.3 mi into trip
|
~19m in
|
Krystyl K. Poirier Memorial Roadway
Enter roundabout onto Krystyl K. Poirier Memorial Roadway toward MA 99: Everett, Boston
Roundabout - know your exit number before entering. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward MA 99: Everett, Boston
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$2.02 one way
$4.04 round trip
$3.98/gal
25.4 MPG avg
5 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.43 | $2.25 | $4.50 |
| premium | $4.79 | $2.43 | $4.86 |
| diesel | $4.80 | $2.44 | $4.87 |
Estimated Tolls: $0.07
Concord Turnpike
(1 mi)
$0.07
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$2
Tolls
$0
Total
$2
Estimated CO2 emission: 4.5 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-07-13.
Driving Electric?
About $1 in charging · 0 stops · 60% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 3.9 | 0 | $1.35 | $0.62 |
| Efficient EV | 3.2 | 0 | $1.13 | $0.52 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 5.2 | 0 | $1.81 | $0.83 |
Gas CO2
5 kg
EV CO2
2 kg (60% 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
Chelsea, MA
Morning in Chelsea on Tuesday
Local time
6:23 AM
EDT
Current temp
65°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
17 degrees cooler at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
25m 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?
About 30% of this 12.9-mile route is on highways, with the remaining 70% on surface streets. You'll encounter your longest continuous stretch on Pleasant Street for 1.9 miles. The transition from highway to surface roads will likely involve navigating urban merging and denser traffic patterns. Expect to encounter frequent intersections as you move between road types.
30% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
28 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 1.9 mi on Pleasant Street.
How Hard Is This Drive?
9/10
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 0.5 miles in near MA 60 / Linden Street.
Driving Effort
9/10
Focused - lots of decisions in a short distance, but it is over quickly
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 23 decision points packed into just 12.9 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 25m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.5 miles (MA 60 / Linden Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 4.5 miles: Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 5.7 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Elevation Profile
Mostly flat terrain
81 ft
-2 ft
Total Climb
103 ft
Total Descent
125 ft
Highest Point
81 ft
~1.8 mi in
Elevation Range
83 ft
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 Waltham, MA and Chelsea, MA, road signs point toward Boston, Woburn and Medford.
Boston
4.5 mi in
|
~8m
Woburn
5.7 mi in
|
~9m
Medford
5.8 mi in
|
~10m
|
via US 3; MA 16
About the Cities
Starting in Waltham, MA
Full guide →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
- • Boston Manufacturing Company — cotton mill in Waltham, Massachusetts
- • Rose Art Museum — art museum in Waltham, Massachusetts
- • Wilson's Diner
Arriving in Chelsea, MA
Full guide →Founded 1624
Everett is a city in Massachusetts with a population of 49,000 (2020). Chelsea is a city with a population of 41,000 (2020).
Top landmarks
- • Luna — tugboat
- • Revere Beach Parkway — historic parkway in the suburbs immediately north of Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- • Bellingham–Cary House — historic house in Massachusetts, United States
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 25m. Total distance: 12.9 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
25m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (30%). 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 1.9 miles on Pleasant Street. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Expect about $0.07 in tolls one way, starting with Concord Turnpike. Most Northeast and Midwest toll agencies accept E-ZPass; in the West and Texas, transponders like TxTag or FasTrak apply. If you do not have a transponder, cashless tolling plates will mail a bill to the vehicle's registered address — usually with a surcharge, so a rental-car toll pass is often cheaper than paying by mail.
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 Chelsea, 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 0.5 miles (MA 60 / Linden Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 4.5 miles: Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 5.7 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Yes — Boston National Historical Park, Boston Harbor Islands National Recreation Area and Minute Man National Historical Park (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 Chelsea, 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, USGS 3DEP for elevation, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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