Waltham, MA to Southbridge, MA is 50.9 miles and takes about 1h 9m via Massachusetts Turnpike, with a fuel budget near $8 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within Massachusetts, moving from the Northeast region to the Northeast region. You'll spend most of your time on the highway, making it a straightforward connection between these two points. It's a short enough drive that you can easily complete it in a single day, offering flexibility for when you want to depart.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
Massachusetts Turnpike
32.2 mi
37m
Southbridge Road
5.3 mi
8m
Worcester Road
4.6 mi
6m
South Street
1.8 mi
3m
Worcester Street
1.7 mi
2m
Southbridge Street
1.6 mi
3m
River Road
0.7 mi
1m
Main Street
0.7 mi
1m
Longest stretch:
Massachusetts Turnpike
— 32.2 mi, about 37m
Traffic on I-90
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 72 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
3 PM
~3,813 veh/hr typical
· worst 4,673
Quietest
2 AM
~291 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
13.1×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
12a6anoon6p11p
Averaged across 52 weeks of 2023 FHWA Travel Monitoring Analysis System data. Weekday hours only (Mon–Fri).
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Waltham, MA and Southbridge, MA.
1
Start on US 20
0.7 mi·1 min·Main Street
Use the straight lane.
2
Turn left onto US 20
178 ft·3 sec·Weston Street
Use the left lane.
3
Turn left onto South Street
1.8 mi·3 min·South Street
4
Continue on River Road
0.7 mi·1 min·River Road
5
Take the ramp
0.2 mi·23 sec
Toward I 90, Mass Pike: Boston, Albany New York
6
Keep slight right at fork
240 ft·5 sec
Toward I 90 West, Mass Pike West: Warcester, Albany New York
7
Continue on this road
393 ft·9 sec·this road
Toward I 90 West, Mass Pike West: Warcester, Albany New York
8
Continue on this road
0.6 mi·1 min·this road
9
Merge onto I 90
32 mi·37 min·Massachusetts Turnpike
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Take the exit
0.7 mi·1 min
Exit 90Toward I 395, MA 12, I 290: Auburn, WorcesterUse the slight right lane.
11
Keep slight right at fork
0.2 mi·25 sec
Toward MA 12 South
12
Turn straight onto MA 12
1.6 mi·3 min·Southbridge Street
13
Continue on US 20
1.5 mi·2 min·Southbridge Road
14
Enter roundabout onto US 20
123 ft·4 sec·Southbridge Road
15
Continue on US 20
0.6 mi·50 sec·Southbridge Road
16
Continue on US 20
4.6 mi·6 min·Worcester Road
Use the left / uturn / straight lanes.
17
Turn left onto MA 169
3.2 mi·5 min·Southbridge Road
18
Continue on MA 169
1.7 mi·2 min·Worcester Street
19
Continue on Central Street
0.3 mi·35 sec·Central Street
20
Turn left
56 ft·5 sec
21
Turn right
115 ft·8 sec
22
Arrive at destination
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
The midpoint is around 25.4 miles from Waltham, MA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 12
5 decision points cluster between mile 3.2 and 37.1 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
6
3.2 mi into trip|~6m in
Take the ramp toward I 90, Mass Pike: Boston, Albany New York
Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward I 90, Mass Pike: Boston, Albany New York
7
3.4 mi into trip|~6m in
Keep slight right at fork toward I 90 West, Mass Pike West: Warcester, Albany New York
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward I 90 West, Mass Pike West: Warcester, Al...
5
4.2 mi into trip|~8m in|I 90 / Massachusetts Turnpike
Merge onto I 90 / Massachusetts Turnpike
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
36.4 mi into trip|~45m in
Take the exit toward I 395, MA 12, I 290: Auburn, Worcester
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 90
Toward I 395, MA 12, I 290: Auburn, Worcester
5
37.1 mi into trip|~47m in
Keep slight right at fork toward MA 12 South
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
Toward MA 12 South
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$7.97 one way
$15.94 round trip
$3.98/gal25.4 MPG avg18 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.43
$8.88
$17.76
premium
$4.79
$9.60
$19.19
diesel
$4.80
$9.61
$19.22
Estimated Tolls: $1.93
Massachusetts Turnpike
(32.2 mi)$1.93
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$8
Tolls
$2
Total
$10
Estimated CO2 emission: 17.8 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-07-13.
Driving Electric?
About $5 in charging
· 0 stops
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
15.3
0
$5.34
$2.44
Efficient EV
12.7
0
$4.45
$2.04
EV Truck/SUV
20.4
0
$7.13
$3.26
Gas CO2
18 kg
EV CO2
6 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.
Travel Intel
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Forecast as of Jul 15, 2026
Origin
Waltham, MA
Morning
in Waltham on Tuesday
Local time
6:23 AM
EDT
Current temp
78°F
Isolated Showers And Thunderstorms
W 8 mph22% chanceLive forecast
Heat Advisory
Heat Advisory issued July 15 at 12:40AM EDT until July 15 at 8:00PM EDT by NWS Boston/Norton MA
Rip Current Statement
Rip Current Statement issued July 15 at 12:26AM EDT until July 15 at 8:00PM EDT by NWS Boston/Norton MA
Destination
Southbridge, MA
Morning
in Southbridge on Tuesday
Local time
6:23 AM
EDT
Current temp
76°F
Mostly Clear
W 10 mph6% chanceLive forecast
Heat Advisory
Heat Advisory issued July 15 at 12:40AM EDT until July 15 at 8:00PM EDT by NWS Boston/Norton MA
Rip Current Statement
Rip Current Statement issued July 15 at 12:26AM EDT until July 15 at 8:00PM EDT by NWS Boston/Norton MA
82°F
Sunderland, MA
25 mi in
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
2 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
1h 9m on the road
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.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
This route is mostly highway, with 63% of the drive on high-speed roads. You'll experience a continuous stretch of 32.2 miles on the Massachusetts Turnpike before transitioning to surface roads. Expect a good number of exits and merges as you navigate this section before reaching your destination. The latter part of the drive will involve more local traffic and lower speed limits.
63% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
22 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 32.2 mi on Massachusetts Turnpike.
How Hard Is This Drive?
6/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Massachusetts Turnpike and Southbridge Road. You will hit about 12 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 3.2 miles in.
Driving Effort6/10
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 50.9 miles you will encounter 12 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 3.2 miles: Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 3.4 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 4.2 miles (I 90 / Massachusetts Turnpike): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
Elevation Profile
Mostly flat terrain
816 ft63 ft
Total Climb
849 ft
Total Descent
422 ft
Highest Point
816 ft
~43.6 mi in
Elevation Range
753 ft
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 Southbridge, MA, road signs point toward Mass Pike: Boston, Albany New York, Mass Pike West: Warcester and Worcester.
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
Southbridge is a town in southern Central Massachusetts, about 60 miles from Boston. Southbridge is a close-knit community with a downtown area of friendly small businesses. The area was initially inhabited by the Nipmuck and Mohegan tribes, with the Quinebaug River dividing their territories. In 1730, it was settled by Europeans. Water power from the Quinebaug River made Southbridge a good location for sawmills and gristmills in the 18th century, and textile mills in the 19th century. After the Civil War, many immigrants of Irish and French Canadian descent came to work and live there; by the 1930s they had been joined by Poles, Greeks, Italians and others.
Top landmarks
•Simon Plimpton Farmhouse — historic house in Massachusetts, United States
•Southbridge Town Hall — rathaus in Massachusetts, United States of America
•Windsor Court Historic District — Southbridge, MA, listed on the NRHP in Massachusetts
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 9m. Total distance: 50.9 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 9m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (63%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 32.2 miles on Massachusetts Turnpike. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Expect about $1.93 in tolls one way, starting with Massachusetts 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 Southbridge, 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 3.2 miles: Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 3.4 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 4.2 miles (I 90 / Massachusetts Turnpike): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
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 Southbridge, MA before heading back.
