Origin
Burlington, MA
Afternoon in Burlington on Thursday
Local time
3:16 PM
EDT
Current temp
41°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Burlington, MA to Plymouth, MA
Last recalculated Apr 16, 2026
Drive Time
1h 14m
Distance
52.9 mi
85 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$8
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 9m
★
6 AM
1h 15m
8 AM
1h 26m
10 AM
1h 19m
12 PM
1h 17m
3 PM
1h 19m
5 PM
1h 26m
8 PM
1h 11m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Burlington, MA
Wikimedia Commons
Plymouth, MA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
The drive from Burlington, MA to Plymouth, MA covers 52.9 miles and takes about 1h 14m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on MA 3, Southeast Expressway, John F. Fitzgerald Expressway for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is highway-focused drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 28.2 miles on MA 3. At current regular gas prices, budget about $8.47 one way before food or hotel costs.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 14m. Total distance: 52.9 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 14m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (82%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Drive Character
This is a 1h 14m highway drive covering 52.9 miles, with most of the trip on MA 3 and Southeast Expressway. The longest continuous stretch is about 28.2 miles on MA 3.
Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 27 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
MA 3 is the longest continuous segment at about 28.2 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on MA 3 and Southeast Expressway. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near MA 3A / Cambridge Street.
Driving Effort
10/10
Demanding - stay alert through the decision-heavy sections
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 52.9 miles you will encounter 17 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: near the start (MA 3A / Cambridge Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 8.6 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 10 miles (I 93 / Interstate 93 HOV lane): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 17 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
6
0 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
MA 3A / Cambridge Street
Turn left onto MA 3A / Cambridge Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left / straight lanes.
8
8.6 mi into trip
|
~14m in
Keep slight right at fork toward I 93 South: Boston
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Toward I 93 South: Boston
6
10 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
23.4 mi into trip
|
~35m in
|
MA 3
Keep slight left at fork onto MA 3 toward MA 3 South: Cape Cod
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left lane.
Exit 7
Toward MA 3 South: Cape Cod
6
51.6 mi into trip
|
~1h 10m in
Take the exit toward US 44 West: Samoset Street, Carver
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Exit 15B
Toward US 44 West: Samoset Street, Carver
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Burlington, MA and Plymouth, MA, road signs point toward Revere and Concord New Hampshire.
Revere
8.4 mi in
|
~14m
|
via MA 16
Concord New Hampshire
8.5 mi in
|
~14m
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| MA 3 | 28.2 mi | 35m |
| Southeast Expressway | 8 mi | 10m |
| John F. Fitzgerald Expressway | 3 mi | 4m |
| Cambridge Street | 2.8 mi | 4m |
| Interstate 93 HOV lane | 2.5 mi | 3m |
| Cambridge Road | 2 mi | 2m |
| Winthrop Street | 1.4 mi | 2m |
| I 93 | 1.1 mi | 1m |
Longest stretch:
MA 3
— 28.2 mi, about 35m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Burlington, MA and Plymouth, MA.
1
Start on this road
93 ft
·
8 sec
·
this road
2
Turn right
33 ft
·
8 sec
3
Turn left onto MA 3A
1.7 mi
·
3 min
·
Cambridge Street
Use the left / straight lanes.
4
Continue on US 3
2.0 mi
·
2 min
·
Cambridge Road
5
Continue on US 3
1.1 mi
·
1 min
·
Cambridge Street
6
Turn left onto Church Street
0.3 mi
·
38 sec
·
Church Street
Use the left lane.
7
Turn right onto Bacon Street
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
Bacon Street
8
Enter roundabout onto MA 38
37 ft
·
0 sec
·
Main Street
9
Continue on MA 38
0.5 mi
·
45 sec
·
Main Street
10
Continue on MA 38
1.3 mi
·
1 min
·
Winthrop Street
11
Enter roundabout onto MA 38
100 ft
·
4 sec
·
Winthrop Street
12
Continue on MA 38
0.1 mi
·
27 sec
·
Winthrop Street
13
Turn left onto MA 16; MA 38
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
Mystic Valley Parkway
14
Continue on MA 16
0.1 mi
·
10 sec
·
Mystic Valley Parkway
Toward MA 16 East: Everett, Revere
15
Take the ramp
0.1 mi
·
14 sec
Toward I 93: Boston, Concord New Hampshire
16
Keep slight right at fork
0.3 mi
·
32 sec
Toward I 93 South: Boston
Use the slight right lane.
17
Merge onto I 93
1.1 mi
·
1 min
·
I 93
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
18
Keep slight left at fork onto I 93
1.7 mi
·
1 min
·
Interstate 93 HOV lane
Use the slight left lane.
19
Keep slight left at fork onto I 93
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
Interstate 93 HOV lane
20
Merge onto I 93; US 1
3.0 mi
·
4 min
·
John F. Fitzgerald Expressway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
21
Continue on I 93; US 1; MA 3
8.0 mi
·
10 min
·
Southeast Expressway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
22
Keep slight left at fork onto MA 3
28 mi
·
35 min
·
MA 3
Exit 7
Toward MA 3 South: Cape Cod
Use the slight left lane.
23
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
46 sec
Exit 15B
Toward US 44 West: Samoset Street, Carver
24
Turn straight onto Samoset Street
254 ft
·
9 sec
·
Samoset Street
25
Continue on Samoset Street
0.9 mi
·
2 min
·
Samoset Street
26
Turn right onto MA 3A
0.2 mi
·
35 sec
·
Court Street
Use the right lane.
27
Arrive at destination
MA 3A
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 26.5 mi from Burlington, MA · 39m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
26 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
Fuel and coffee
A short stop after about 12 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 26.5 miles from Burlington, MA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Plymouth, MA
The final approach into Plymouth, MA usually feels slower than the middle of the drive, so avoid planning your tightest schedule at the very end.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$8.47 one way
$16.93 round trip
$4.07/gal
25.4 MPG avg
19 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.43 | $9.23 | $18.47 |
| premium | $4.82 | $10.04 | $20.09 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $11.68 | $23.36 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$8
Estimated CO2 emission: 18.5 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $6 in charging · 0 stops · 68% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 15.9 | 0 | $5.55 | $2.54 |
| Efficient EV | 13.2 | 0 | $4.63 | $2.12 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 21.2 | 0 | $7.41 | $3.39 |
Gas CO2
19 kg
EV CO2
6 kg (68% 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.
Destination
Plymouth, MA
Afternoon in Plymouth on Thursday
Local time
3:16 PM
EDT
Current temp
41°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
Very similar conditions
Both ends of the route are sitting at about the same temperature right now.
Road read
1h 14m 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 Burlington, MA to Plymouth, MA covers 52.9 miles and takes about 1h 14m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are MA 3, Southeast Expressway, John F. Fitzgerald Expressway. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 26.5 miles from Burlington, MA. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $8.47 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 drive requires moderate attention. Across 52.9 miles you will encounter 17 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.
The main spots that need attention: near the start (MA 3A / Cambridge Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 8.6 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 10 miles (I 93 / Interstate 93 HOV lane): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Between Burlington, MA and Plymouth, MA, road signs point toward Revere and Concord New Hampshire.
Yes. Nearby national parks include Boston National Historical Park, Adams National Historical Park and Boston Harbor Islands National Recreation Area. There are 6 parks within detour distance of this route.
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