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Trip from Wilmington, MA to Boston, MA

Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards

Drive Time

23m

Distance

16.2 mi

26 km

Drive Score

7/10

Good drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$3

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 6 min
4 AM
0h 21m ★
6 AM
0h 23m
8 AM
0h 27m
10 AM
0h 24m
12 PM
0h 24m
3 PM
0h 25m
5 PM
0h 27m
8 PM
0h 22m

Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.

Downtown Wilmington, MA, MA

Wilmington, MA

Phil Evenden

capital and largest city of Massachusetts, United States

Boston, MA

Wikimedia Commons

Trip Overview

This straightforward 16.2-mile drive from Wilmington to Boston, Massachusetts, is a quick trip that typically takes around 23 minutes. With about 80% of the route on highways, primarily I-93, it’s a focused journey perfect for a single day. You'll likely spend about $3 on fuel for this short jaunt. The drive is entirely within the Northeast region, specifically Massachusetts, making it a simple hop between two points. Given its brevity, this route is ideal for a quick transfer or a short excursion without the need for an overnight stay.

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
I 93 10 mi 12m
Interstate 93 HOV lane 2.5 mi 3m
Lowell Street 1.6 mi 2m
John F. Fitzgerald Expressway 0.5 mi <1m
Main Street 0.4 mi <1m
State Street 0.3 mi <1m
John F. Fitzgerald Surface Road 0.1 mi <1m
Court Street <0.1 mi <1m
Longest stretch: I 93 — 10 mi, about 12m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Wilmington, MA and Boston, MA.

1

Start on MA 38; MA 129

0.4 mi · 51 sec · Main Street
2

Turn left onto MA 129

1.6 mi · 2 min · Lowell Street
3

Take the ramp

0.4 mi · 48 sec
Toward I 93 South: Boston
4

Merge onto I 93

10.0 mi · 12 min · I 93
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
5

Keep slight left at fork onto I 93

1.7 mi · 1 min · Interstate 93 HOV lane
Use the slight left lane.
6

Keep slight left at fork onto I 93

0.8 mi · 1 min · Interstate 93 HOV lane
7

Merge onto I 93; US 1

0.5 mi · 38 sec · John F. Fitzgerald Expressway
8

Take the exit

0.2 mi · 21 sec
Exit 17B-A Toward MA 1A Toll: Airport, Government Center Use the slight right lane.
9

Keep slight right at fork

0.2 mi · 31 sec
Exit 17A Toward Government Center Use the slight right lane.
10

Turn straight onto John F. Fitzgerald Surface Road

0.1 mi · 26 sec · John F. Fitzgerald Surface Road
11

Turn right onto State Street

0.3 mi · 54 sec · State Street
12

Continue on Court Street

473 ft · 20 sec · Court Street
13

Turn left onto Tremont Street

333 ft · 11 sec · Tremont Street
14

Arrive at destination

Tremont Street

Heads-up: tricky spots

5 of 10

5 decision points cluster between mile 2.4 and 15.8 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.

5
2.4 mi into trip | ~4m in | I 93

Merge onto I 93

Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
12.4 mi into trip | ~16m in | I 93 / Interstate 93 HOV lane

Keep slight left at fork onto I 93 / Interstate 93 HOV lane

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the slight left lane.
8
15.3 mi into trip | ~20m in

Take the exit toward MA 1A Toll: Airport, Government Center

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 17B-A Toward MA 1A Toll: Airport, Government Center
9
15.5 mi into trip | ~20m in

Keep slight right at fork toward Government Center

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the slight right lane. Exit 17A Toward Government Center
5
15.8 mi into trip | ~21m in | State Street

Turn right onto State Street

Navigation decision point

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$2.59 one way

$5.19 round trip

$4.07/gal 25.4 MPG avg 6 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.43 $2.83 $5.65
premium $4.82 $3.08 $6.15
diesel $5.61 $3.58 $7.15

No toll roads detected on this route.

Drive Cost (one way)

Fuel

$3

Estimated CO2 emission: 5.7 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $2 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 4.9 0 $1.70 $0.78
Efficient EV 4.1 0 $1.42 $0.65
EV Truck/SUV 6.5 0 $2.27 $1.04

Gas CO2

6 kg

EV CO2

2 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 Apr 15, 2026

Origin

Wilmington, MA

Morning in Wilmington on Sunday

Local time

7:37 AM

EDT

Current temp

42°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Boston, MA

Morning in Boston on Sunday

Local time

7:37 AM

EDT

Current temp

62°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

20 degrees warmer at arrival

A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.

Road read

23m 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?

Expect a highway-focused experience for the majority of this 16.2-mile trip, with 80% of the drive occurring on major roadways like I-93. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is about 10 miles on I-93, offering a consistent pace for a significant portion of the journey. While the primary roads are Interstate 93 and its HOV lane, you'll also navigate local streets like Lowell Street. The character of the drive is largely dictated by its interstate nature, providing a direct and efficient path to your destination.

80% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
14 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 10 mi on I 93.

How Hard Is This Drive?

9/10

This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 93 and Interstate 93 HOV lane. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 2.4 miles in near I 93.

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 10 decision points packed into just 16.2 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 23m.

Where does it get tricky?

The main spots that need attention: at 2.4 miles (I 93): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 12.4 miles (I 93 / Interstate 93 HOV lane): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 15.3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.

Towns Mentioned on Route Signs

Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.

On the drive from Wilmington, MA to Boston, MA, road signs begin pointing toward Government Center along the way.

Government Center

15.3 mi in | ~20m

About the Cities

Arriving in Boston, MA

Full guide →

A city of history and tradition, Boston offers a proud legacy of culture, education, and numerous sporting championships. The "shining city on a hill"s independent spirit has been displayed to the world ever since colonists were angry over a British tax on their beloved tea and dumped shiploads of it into the harbor in protest. In the early 1600s, the peninsula in Massachusetts that would become known as Boston was controlled by Native Americans until John Smith (English soldier, explorer, colonial governor, Admiral of New England, and author) named the area New England to attract European settlers. Boston was founded in 1630 by John Winthrop, making it one of the oldest cities in the U.S. No other American city has made more of an effort to preserve its history, and you'll find buildings that pre-date the republic dotted throughout the region.

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 23m. Total distance: 16.2 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

23m drive, comfortable solo distance.

EV Driver

0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (80%). Some complex stretches to watch for.

Frequently Asked Questions

The longest stretch is about 10 miles on I 93. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.

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 Boston, 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 2.4 miles (I 93): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 12.4 miles (I 93 / Interstate 93 HOV lane): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 15.3 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 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 Boston, 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.

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