Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Sep 4, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
22m
Distance
12.1 mi
20 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$2
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
Stoneham, MA
Renata Meneses
Waltham to Stoneham is 12.1 miles and takes about 22 minutes via Pleasant Street and Washington Street, with a fuel budget near $2 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This short hop stays within the Northeast region and the state of Massachusetts, making it a straightforward local trip. You'll be navigating primarily through surface streets for the entire duration, so don't expect any highway cruising. It's a quick drive, perfect for when you need to get from point A to point B without a lot of fuss.
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Pleasant Street | 2.8 mi | 5m |
| Washington Street | 2 mi | 4m |
| Mystic Street | 1.6 mi | 1m |
| Waverley Oaks Road | 1.3 mi | 2m |
| Montvale Avenue | 1.1 mi | 1m |
| Church Street | 0.9 mi | 1m |
| Cambridge Street | 0.8 mi | 1m |
| Main Street | 0.7 mi | 1m |
Step-by-step road directions between Waltham, MA and Stoneham, MA.
Start on US 20
Turn left onto MA 60
Keep slight right at fork onto MA 60
Turn right onto MA 60
Turn left onto MA 60
Continue on MA 60
Continue on US 3
Turn right onto Church Street
Enter roundabout onto Mount Vernon Street
Continue on Mount Vernon Street
Turn slight left onto Washington Street
Turn right onto Montvale Avenue
At end of road, turn right onto MA 28
Turn left onto Winter Street
Arrive at destination
5 decision points cluster between mile 0.5 and 12.1 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
Turn left onto MA 60 / Linden Street
Lane positioning matters here
Keep slight right at fork onto MA 60 / Waverley Oaks Road
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
Turn left onto MA 60 / Pleasant Street
Lane positioning matters here
Turn right onto Montvale Avenue
Lane positioning matters here
Turn left onto Winter Street
Navigation decision point
Regular Gas
$2.02 one way
$4.04 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.67 | $2.22 | $4.44 |
| premium | $5.06 | $2.41 | $4.82 |
| diesel | $5.60 | $2.67 | $5.33 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$2
Estimated CO2 emission: 4.2 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-08-31.
Driving Electric?
About $1 in charging · 0 stops · 75% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 3.6 | 0 | $1.27 | $0.58 |
| Efficient EV | 3 | 0 | $1.06 | $0.48 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 4.8 | 0 | $1.69 | $0.77 |
Gas CO2
4 kg
EV CO2
1 kg (75% 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
Late night in Waltham on Friday
Local time
3:48 AM
EDT
Current temp
61°F
Partly Cloudy
Destination
Late night in Stoneham on Friday
Local time
3:48 AM
EDT
Current temp
62°F
Partly Cloudy
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.
This route is entirely on surface roads, meaning you'll encounter traffic signals and local intersections for the full 12.1 miles. The longest continuous stretch without a significant interruption is 2.8 miles along Pleasant Street. With a 0% highway share, you'll be driving at local speeds throughout, so expect to be merging with local traffic frequently. This isn't a route for high-speed travel; it's about navigating through neighborhoods and town centers.
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. 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.
Focused - busy navigation packed into a short drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 11 decision points packed into just 12.1 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 22m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.5 miles (MA 60 / Linden Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 0.9 miles (MA 60 / Waverley Oaks Road): Highway fork - watch signs carefully; at 2.5 miles (MA 60 / Pleasant Street): Lane positioning matters here.
Mostly flat terrain
Total Climb
226 ft
Total Descent
135 ft
Highest Point
154 ft
~12.1 mi in
Elevation Range
124 ft
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 1645
Stoneham is a Massachusetts city of 23,000 (2020) about 9 miles northwest of Boston. Melrose is a small city with a population of 30,000 (2020).
Top landmarks
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 22m. Total distance: 12.1 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
22m 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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