Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Sep 6, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
15m
Distance
8.8 mi
14 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$1
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Winchester, MA
Wikimedia Commons
Waltham, MA
Wikimedia Commons
Winchester, MA to Waltham, MA is 8.8 miles and takes about 15m via Pleasant Street, with a fuel budget near $2 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This short hop stays within the Northeast region and Massachusetts, making it a straightforward trip. It's primarily a surface road drive, so don't expect high-speed cruising. Given the minimal distance and time commitment, this route is ideal for a quick errand or a simple connection between two nearby points.
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Pleasant Street | 2.9 mi | 5m |
| Mystic Street | 1.6 mi | 2m |
| Waverley Oaks Road | 1.3 mi | 2m |
| Church Street | 1 mi | 1m |
| Cambridge Street | 0.8 mi | <1m |
| Main Street | 0.6 mi | <1m |
| Linden Street | 0.4 mi | <1m |
| Trapelo Road | 0.3 mi | <1m |
Step-by-step road directions between Winchester, MA and Waltham, MA.
Start on Main Street
Enter roundabout onto Church Street
Continue on Church Street
Turn left onto US 3
Continue on US 3
Continue on MA 60
Turn straight onto MA 60
Turn left onto MA 60
Continue on MA 60
Turn right onto US 20
Arrive at destination
4 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 8.3 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
Enter roundabout onto Church Street
Roundabout - know your exit number before entering
Turn left onto US 3 / Cambridge Street
Navigation decision point
Turn left onto MA 60 / Waverley Oaks Road
Lane positioning matters here
Turn right onto US 20 / Main Street
Lane positioning matters here
Regular Gas
$1.47 one way
$2.94 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.67 | $1.62 | $3.23 |
| premium | $5.06 | $1.75 | $3.50 |
| diesel | $5.60 | $1.94 | $3.88 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$1
Estimated CO2 emission: 3.1 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-08-31.
Driving Electric?
About $1 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 2.6 | 0 | $0.92 | $0.42 |
| Efficient EV | 2.2 | 0 | $0.77 | $0.35 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 3.5 | 0 | $1.23 | $0.56 |
Gas CO2
3 kg
EV CO2
1 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.
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Origin
Late night in Winchester on Sunday
Local time
1:52 AM
EDT
Current temp
73°F
Partly Sunny
Destination
Late night in Waltham on Sunday
Local time
1:52 AM
EDT
Current temp
73°F
Partly Sunny
Time zone
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
Both ends of the route are sitting at about the same temperature right now.
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 drive has a 0% highway share, meaning you'll be on surface roads the entire 8.8 miles. The longest continuous stretch you'll encounter is 2.9 miles on Pleasant Street. You'll navigate through local streets, likely experiencing typical town traffic patterns. Expect to be making frequent turns and adjusting speed for intersections.
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 Church Street.
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 15m drive. You will face about 4 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 (Church Street): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering; at 1 miles (US 3 / Cambridge Street): Navigation decision point; at 6.5 miles (MA 60 / Waverley Oaks Road): Lane positioning matters here.
Mostly flat terrain
Total Climb
168 ft
Total Descent
127 ft
Highest Point
86 ft
~6.9 mi in
Elevation Range
70 ft
Founded 1640
Woburn is a city in the Greater Boston region of Massachusetts with a population of 41,000 (2020). If you want to sound like a local, pronounce it "WOO-burn". Burlington is a town with a population of 26,000 (2020). Home of the Burlington Mall and other retail development. Just south of Woburn, Winchester is a town in the Commonwealth with a population of 23,000 (2020).
Top landmarks
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
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 15m. Total distance: 8.8 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
15m 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.
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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