Trip from Boston, MA to Quincy, MA

Drive Time

18m

Distance

9.6 mi

15 km

Drive Score

8/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$2

one way

EV Charging

Loading...

station data

Best Time to Leave

4 AM
0h 17m ★
6 AM
0h 19m
8 AM
0h 22m
10 AM
0h 20m
12 PM
0h 20m
3 PM
0h 20m
5 PM
0h 22m
8 PM
0h 18m

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

Downtown Boston, MA, MA

Boston, MA

Phil Evenden

Downtown Quincy, MA, MA

Quincy, MA

Youngcucafilms

Trip Overview

If you are looking to travel from Boston to Quincy, you are in for a quick 9.6-mile trip that typically takes about 18 minutes to complete. This short journey is well-suited for a single-day excursion, meaning you won't need to worry about overnight accommodations. You can expect to keep your budget lean, as the estimated fuel cost for this drive is just $2. Both cities are located in the Northeast region of Massachusetts, making this a seamless transition between urban hubs. It is a straightforward commute that serves as a practical link between two neighboring communities. Whether you are heading out for business or a quick visit, the brevity of this route offers maximum flexibility for your schedule.

Trip Pace

Same-day drive is realistic

A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.

Break Rhythm

0 planned breaks

A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.

Midpoint

4.8 miles from Boston, MA

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 8m into the drive .

Drive Character

This 9.6-mile trek features a mixed driving profile that keeps things interesting as you transition between major arteries and local streets. You will spend roughly 52 percent of your time on highways, utilizing the John F. Fitzgerald Expressway and the Southeast Expressway to cover ground. The longest uninterrupted highway stretch you will encounter is a 3.8-mile segment on the Southeast Expressway, where you can settle into a steady pace. As you navigate toward the Newport Avenue Extension, the character of the road shifts from high-speed expressway traffic to more localized driving conditions. Expect a blend of fast-paced merging and standard road transitions that define this brief, functional transit.

Expect a mix of faster highway mileage and slower local approaches near the beginning or end.
There are about 22 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Southeast Expressway is the longest continuous segment at about 3.8 miles.

How Hard Is This Drive?

This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near School Street.

Route Complexity 8/10

Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers

This is a demanding drive. With 15 significant decision points across 9.6 miles, you will need to stay alert — especially through interchange areas and urban stretches. Consider splitting it into segments if you are not comfortable with fast highway navigation.

Where does it get tricky?

The main spots that need attention: near the start (School Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 5.8 miles (MA 3A): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 6.4 miles (MA 3A / Hancock Street): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.

Critical Maneuvers

5 of 15 key points

These are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.

7
0 mi into trip | ~0m in | School Street

Turn left onto School Street

Lane positioning matters here

Use the left lane.
8
5.8 mi into trip | ~10m in | MA 3A

Take the exit onto MA 3A toward MA 3A South: Neponset, Quincy

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 12 Toward MA 3A South: Neponset, Quincy
7
6.4 mi into trip | ~11m in | MA 3A / Hancock Street

Keep slight right at fork onto MA 3A / Hancock Street

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the slight right lane.
6
9.4 mi into trip | ~18m in | Coddington Street

Turn left onto Coddington Street

Lane positioning matters here

Use the left lane.
6
9.5 mi into trip | ~18m in | Faxon Avenue

Turn left onto Faxon Avenue

Lane positioning matters here

Use the left lane.

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
Southeast Expressway 3.8 mi 5m
Newport Avenue Extension 2.3 mi 5m
John F. Fitzgerald Expressway 1.2 mi 2m
MA 3A 0.5 mi 1m
Hancock Street 0.4 mi 1m
Adams Street 0.3 mi <1m
Devonshire Street 0.2 mi <1m
Kingston Street 0.1 mi <1m
Longest stretch: Southeast Expressway — 3.8 mi, about 5m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

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

1

Start on Tremont Street

230 ft · 16 sec · Tremont Street
2

Turn left onto School Street

0.1 mi · 25 sec · School Street
Use the left lane.
3

At end of road, turn left onto Washington Street

110 ft · 4 sec · Washington Street
4

Turn right onto Water Street

210 ft · 11 sec · Water Street
5

Turn right onto Devonshire Street

0.2 mi · 36 sec · Devonshire Street
6

Continue on Otis Street

485 ft · 18 sec · Otis Street
7

Continue on Kingston Street

0.1 mi · 31 sec · Kingston Street
8

Turn left onto Essex Street

244 ft · 8 sec · Essex Street
9

Turn slight right

86 ft · 5 sec
10

Take the ramp

0.2 mi · 24 sec
Toward I 93 South: Quincy
11

Merge onto I 93; US 1; MA 3

1.2 mi · 2 min · John F. Fitzgerald Expressway
Use the none / straight / slight right lanes.
12

Continue on I 93; US 1; MA 3

3.8 mi · 5 min · Southeast Expressway
Use the none lane.
13

Take the exit onto MA 3A

0.2 mi · 39 sec · MA 3A
Exit 12 Toward MA 3A South: Neponset, Quincy Use the slight right lane.
14

Merge onto MA 3A

0.1 mi · 8 sec · Gallivan Boulevard
15

Take the exit onto MA 3A

0.3 mi · 32 sec · MA 3A
16

Keep slight right at fork onto MA 3A

0.2 mi · 25 sec · Hancock Street
Use the slight right lane.
17

Turn slight right onto Newport Avenue Extension

2.3 mi · 5 min · Newport Avenue Extension
Use the right lane.
18

Turn left onto Adams Street

0.3 mi · 41 sec · Adams Street
19

Turn straight onto Hancock Street

0.3 mi · 37 sec · Hancock Street
20

Turn left onto Coddington Street

265 ft · 8 sec · Coddington Street
Use the left lane.
21

Turn left onto Faxon Avenue

362 ft · 15 sec · Faxon Avenue
Use the left lane.
22

Arrive at destination

Faxon Avenue

Trip Plan

Because this trip covers less than 10 miles, you have the advantage of total departure flexibility. There are no mandatory stops required to complete the journey, allowing you to drive straight through in under 20 minutes if traffic permits. Given the reliance on the Southeast Expressway, it is wise to check real-time traffic reports before you leave, as this major corridor can experience significant volume. Since fuel costs are minimal at $2, you can easily top off your tank at either end of your trip without breaking your budget. Keep your focus on the transitions between the expressway and local roads, as these merges are where you will encounter the most frequent changes in speed and flow.

Morning Departure

Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch.

Evening Departure

Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.

You can normally do this drive in one day.
You may only need one short stretch break if traffic stays light.
The halfway point lands around 4.8 miles from Boston, MA, or about 8m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 3.8 miles.

This is a comfortable same-day trip.

Departure

Before you leave

Start with fuel, water, and navigation already sorted so the first hour feels easy.

First stop

Around 9.6 miles or 18m in

Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.

Halfway reset

Around 4.8 miles or 8m in

This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.

Final approach

Final hour starts around 15m

Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Quincy, MA than in the middle of the route.

Before You Leave

+

Open the route before leaving Boston, MA so your first major turns are already loaded.

+

Leave with enough water and a charging cable within reach, not packed away.

+

Check your fuel range against the first long segment, especially if you are starting outside city service areas.

Day 1

Settle into the route from Boston, MA

This is one driving day of about 9.6 miles and 18m.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 80 miles from Boston, MA.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
You may only need one short stretch stop if conditions stay smooth.
The longest stretch is on Southeast Expressway for about 3.8 miles.

Where to Stop

Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.

Halfway Point

Midpoint

About 4.8 mi from Boston, MA · 8m into the drive

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Brookhaven, NY

5 mi into the route

Best for: Lunch, fuel, and a longer reset

This sits close to the middle of the route, so it works well for the longest stop of the day.

Pacing Suggestions

Brookhaven, NY

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 9.6 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Brookhaven, NY

Meal break

The midpoint is around 4.8 miles from Boston, MA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Arriving in Quincy, MA

The final approach into Quincy, MA usually feels slower than the middle of the drive, so avoid planning your tightest schedule at the very end.

Try to arrive with enough fuel left to skip an immediate station stop unless you already know the area around Quincy, MA.

These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$1.53 one way

$3.06 round trip

$4.04/gal 25.4 MPG avg 3 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.40 $1.66 $3.32
premium $4.80 $1.81 $3.63
diesel $5.64 $2.13 $4.27

No toll roads detected on this route.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$2

Meals

$25–$50

Total

$27–$52

Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.

Estimated CO2 emission: 3.4 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-06.

Driving Electric?

About $1 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 2.9 0 $1.01 $0.46
Efficient EV 2.4 0 $0.84 $0.38
EV Truck/SUV 3.8 0 $1.34 $0.61

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.

Travel Intel

Current conditions at both ends of the drive.

Forecast data refreshed 2 days ago

Origin

Boston, MA

Evening in Boston on Sunday

Local time

7:24 PM

EDT

Current temp

51°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Quincy, MA

Evening in Quincy on Sunday

Local time

7:24 PM

EDT

Current temp

75°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Along the Route

49°F

Brookhaven, NY

5 mi in

Seasonal Notes

Summer travel usually means heavier construction, hotter rest stops, and busier weekend traffic around major cities.

Winter travel shortens daylight, so a route that looks manageable on paper can feel much longer after dark.

Holiday weekends tend to make both departure and arrival windows slower than the raw route time suggests.

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

24 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

18m 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.

Frequently Asked Questions

The drive from Boston, MA to Quincy, MA covers 9.6 miles and takes about 18m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Southeast Expressway, Newport Avenue Extension, John F. Fitzgerald Expressway. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 4.8 miles from Boston, MA. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $1.53 one way. This estimate uses 25.4 MPG — your actual cost will vary with your vehicle's fuel efficiency and current gas prices.
Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch. Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.
This is a demanding drive. With 15 significant decision points across 9.6 miles, you will need to stay alert — especially through interchange areas and urban stretches. Consider splitting it into segments if you are not comfortable with fast highway navigation.
The main spots that need attention: near the start (School Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 5.8 miles (MA 3A): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 6.4 miles (MA 3A / Hancock Street): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
The route from Boston, MA to Quincy, MA does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.

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Explore More

Return Trip

Quincy, MA to Boston, MA

Plan the drive back the other way.

9.1 mi 18m

Explore more options from Boston, MA or browse trips ending in Quincy, MA.

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