Origin
Waltham, MA
Late night in Waltham on Tuesday
Local time
4:09 AM
EDT
Current temp
62°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Waltham, MA to Hudson, MA
Pin this tripCompiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 21, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
35m
Distance
20.2 mi
32 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 32m
★
6 AM
0h 35m
8 AM
0h 41m
10 AM
0h 37m
12 PM
0h 37m
3 PM
0h 38m
5 PM
0h 41m
8 PM
0h 33m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Waltham, MA
Wikimedia Commons
Hudson, MA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Waltham to Hudson is 20.2 miles and takes about 35 minutes via Boston Post Road, with a fuel budget near $3 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This short, same-day trip stays within Massachusetts, making it a convenient option for local travelers. The route is characterized by its numerous turns, offering a more engaging drive than a simple highway sprint. With no planned stops and a minimal fuel cost, this journey is ideal for a quick excursion or an easy addition to a larger regional itinerary. It's a straightforward hop between two Northeast towns, perfect for when you need to get from point A to point B without much fuss.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Boston Post Road | 14 mi | 23m |
| Bolton Street | 1.8 mi | 3m |
| Weston Street | 1.3 mi | 2m |
| Broad Street | 0.9 mi | 1m |
| Main Street | 0.8 mi | 1m |
| Washington Street | 0.5 mi | <1m |
| East Main Street | 0.5 mi | <1m |
| Lincoln Street | 0.3 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Boston Post Road
— 14 mi, about 23m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Waltham, MA and Hudson, MA.
1
Start on US 20
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
Main Street
Use the straight lane.
2
Turn left onto US 20
1.0 mi
·
2 min
·
Weston Street
Use the left lane.
3
Continue on US 20
0.3 mi
·
41 sec
·
Weston Street
4
Continue on US 20
14 mi
·
23 min
·
Boston Post Road
Use the straight / left / right lanes.
5
Continue on US 20
0.5 mi
·
43 sec
·
East Main Street
6
Continue on Lincoln Street
0.3 mi
·
29 sec
·
Lincoln Street
7
Turn right onto MA 85
1.8 mi
·
3 min
·
Bolton Street
8
Continue on MA 85
0.5 mi
·
59 sec
·
Washington Street
9
Enter roundabout onto Broad Street
71 ft
·
1 sec
·
Broad Street
10
Continue on Broad Street
0.9 mi
·
1 min
·
Broad Street
11
Turn left onto MA 62
528 ft
·
17 sec
·
Main Street
12
Turn right
228 ft
·
16 sec
13
Arrive at destination
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 65 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 20.1 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
4
0 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
US 20 / Main Street
Depart onto US 20 / Main Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight lane.
4
0.7 mi into trip
|
~1m in
|
US 20 / Weston Street
Turn left onto US 20 / Weston Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
4
16.9 mi into trip
|
~28m in
|
MA 85 / Bolton Street
Turn right onto MA 85 / Bolton Street
Navigation decision point
4
19.1 mi into trip
|
~32m in
|
Broad Street
Enter roundabout onto Broad Street
Roundabout - know your exit number before entering
5
20.1 mi into trip
|
~34m in
Turn right
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$3.23 one way
$6.47 round trip
$4.07/gal
25.4 MPG avg
7 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.43 | $3.53 | $7.05 |
| premium | $4.82 | $3.84 | $7.67 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $4.46 | $8.92 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$3
Estimated CO2 emission: 7.1 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 | 6.1 | 0 | $2.12 | $0.97 |
| Efficient EV | 5.1 | 0 | $1.77 | $0.81 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 8.1 | 0 | $2.83 | $1.29 |
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
Hudson, MA
Late night in Hudson on Tuesday
Local time
4:09 AM
EDT
Current temp
61°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
1 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
35m 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 classic turn-heavy local road experience, with 0% highway share. You'll be navigating through familiar townscapes for the entire 20.2 miles. The longest continuous stretch you'll encounter is 14 miles on Boston Post Road, offering a brief period of less frequent turns before you transition onto Bolton Street and then Weston Street. Expect to be making frequent adjustments to your steering as you weave through local traffic and intersections. It’s a drive that keeps you actively engaged with the road ahead, rather than letting you zone out on cruise control.
Only 0% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
13 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 14 mi on Boston Post Road.
How Hard Is This Drive?
3/10
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near US 20 / Main Street.
Driving Effort
3/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 35m drive. You will face about 6 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: near the start (US 20 / Main Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 0.7 miles (US 20 / Weston Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 16.9 miles (MA 85 / Bolton Street): Navigation decision point.
About the Cities
Starting in Waltham, MA
Full guide →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.
Arriving in Hudson, MA
Full guide →Hudson is a town in Middlesex County, MetroWest with a population of 20,000 (2020).
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 35m. Total distance: 20.2 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
35m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (0%). Straightforward navigation.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile with national parks nearby.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 14 miles on Boston Post Road. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
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 (US 20 / Main Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 0.7 miles (US 20 / Weston Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 16.9 miles (MA 85 / Bolton Street): Navigation decision point.
Yes — Minute Man National Historical Park, Boston National Historical Park and Adams 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 Hudson, 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 Hudson, MA
Explore more options from Waltham, MA or browse trips ending in Hudson, MA.
Looking for more statewide routes? Browse MA road trips.