Origin
Cambridge, MA
Evening in Cambridge on Thursday
Local time
8:49 PM
EDT
Current temp
62°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Cambridge, MA to Ayer, MA
Last recalculated Apr 17, 2026
Drive Time
52m
Distance
31.1 mi
50 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$5
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 48m
★
6 AM
0h 52m
8 AM
1h 1m
10 AM
0h 55m
12 PM
0h 54m
3 PM
0h 56m
5 PM
1h 0m
8 PM
0h 50m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Cambridge, MA
Wikimedia Commons
Ayer, MA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
The drive from Cambridge, MA to Ayer, MA covers 31.1 miles and takes about 52m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on Concord Turnpike, Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge Turnpike for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is mixed drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 8 miles on Concord Turnpike. At current regular gas prices, budget about $4.98 one way before food or hotel costs.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 52m. Total distance: 31.1 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
52m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (41%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Scenic Drive
Mixed drive route profile with national parks nearby.
Drive Character
The drive from Cambridge, MA to Ayer, MA covers 31.1 miles and takes about 52m, using a mix of highways and local roads.
Expect a mix of faster highway mileage and slower local approaches near the beginning or end.
There are about 29 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Concord Turnpike is the longest continuous segment at about 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 around 0.1 miles in near Cambridge Street.
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 15 decision points packed into just 31.1 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 52m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (Cambridge Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 2.2 miles (US 3; MA 2; MA 16 / Concord Avenue): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 2.4 miles (US 3; MA 2; MA 16 / Alewife Brook Parkway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 15 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
6
0.1 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
Cambridge Street
Turn right onto Cambridge Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
6
2.2 mi into trip
|
~7m in
|
US 3; MA 2; MA 16 / Concord Avenue
Enter roundabout onto US 3; MA 2; MA 16 / Concord Avenue toward MA 2 West, US 3 North, MA 16 East
Roundabout - know your exit number before entering. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward MA 2 West, US 3 North, MA 16 East
6
2.4 mi into trip
|
~8m in
|
US 3; MA 2; MA 16 / Alewife Brook Parkway
Keep slight right at fork onto US 3; MA 2; MA 16 / Alewife Brook Parkway toward MA 2 West, US 3 North, MA 16 East
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward MA 2 West, US 3 North, MA 16 East
7
3 mi into trip
|
~9m in
|
MA 2 / Concord Turnpike
Keep slight left at fork onto MA 2 / Concord Turnpike toward MA 2 West: Concord
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight lane.
Toward MA 2 West: Concord
6
25.2 mi into trip
|
~42m in
Keep slight left at fork toward Littleton
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
Toward Littleton
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 Cambridge, MA to Ayer, MA, road signs begin pointing toward Littleton along the way.
Littleton
25 mi in
|
~41m
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Concord Turnpike | 8 mi | 12m |
| Massachusetts Avenue | 6.3 mi | 9m |
| Cambridge Turnpike | 3.3 mi | 5m |
| Concord Highway | 2.9 mi | 3m |
| Littleton Road | 1.9 mi | 2m |
| Ayer Road | 1.8 mi | 2m |
| Concord Avenue | 1.2 mi | 3m |
| East Main Street | 1.1 mi | 2m |
Longest stretch:
Concord Turnpike
— 8 mi, about 12m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Cambridge, MA and Ayer, MA.
1
Start on Leonard Avenue
267 ft
·
13 sec
·
Leonard Avenue
2
Turn right onto Cambridge Street
0.7 mi
·
2 min
·
Cambridge Street
Use the straight / right lanes.
3
Continue on Cambridge Street
108 ft
·
4 sec
·
Cambridge Street
4
Turn left onto MA 2A
162 ft
·
7 sec
·
Massachusetts Avenue
5
Turn right onto Garden Street
0.3 mi
·
1 min
·
Garden Street
Use the straight / right lanes.
6
Continue on Concord Avenue
1.1 mi
·
3 min
·
Concord Avenue
Use the left lane.
7
Enter roundabout onto US 3; MA 2; MA 16
45 ft
·
1 sec
·
Concord Avenue
Toward MA 2 West, US 3 North, MA 16 East
8
Continue on US 3; MA 2; MA 16
0.2 mi
·
31 sec
·
Concord Avenue
Toward MA 2 West, US 3 North, MA 16 East
9
Keep slight right at fork onto US 3; MA 2; MA 16
0.6 mi
·
49 sec
·
Alewife Brook Parkway
Toward MA 2 West, US 3 North, MA 16 East
10
Keep slight left at fork onto MA 2
4.1 mi
·
5 min
·
Concord Turnpike
Toward MA 2 West: Concord
Use the straight lane.
11
Continue on MA 2
2.9 mi
·
3 min
·
Concord Highway
12
Continue on MA 2
3.3 mi
·
5 min
·
Cambridge Turnpike
Use the straight / right lanes.
13
Continue on MA 2; MA 2A
3.9 mi
·
6 min
·
Concord Turnpike
14
Continue on MA 2; MA 2A
0.3 mi
·
35 sec
·
Elm Street
15
Enter roundabout onto MA 2; MA 111
407 ft
·
5 sec
·
Union Turnpike
16
Continue on MA 2; MA 111
0.6 mi
·
39 sec
·
Union Turnpike
17
Continue on MA 2; MA 111
6.2 mi
·
9 min
·
Massachusetts Avenue
Use the straight / slight left lanes.
18
Continue on MA 2
0.3 mi
·
21 sec
·
George W Stanton Highway
19
Continue on MA 2
0.3 mi
·
26 sec
·
Captain Isaac Davis Highway
20
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
18 sec
Exit 112
Toward Littleton
21
Keep slight left at fork
214 ft
·
6 sec
Toward Littleton
22
Turn left onto Taylor Street
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
Taylor Street
23
Turn right onto King Street
0.1 mi
·
22 sec
·
King Street
24
At end of road, turn left onto MA 2A; MA 110
1.8 mi
·
2 min
·
Ayer Road
25
Continue on MA 2A; MA 110
1.9 mi
·
2 min
·
Littleton Road
26
Enter roundabout onto MA 2A; MA 111
228 ft
·
3 sec
·
East Main Street
27
Continue on MA 2A; MA 111
1.0 mi
·
2 min
·
East Main Street
28
Turn right onto MA 2A; MA 111
420 ft
·
6 sec
·
Park Street
29
Arrive at destination
MA 2A; MA 111
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 15.5 mi from Cambridge, MA · 27m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
16 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 31 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 15.5 miles from Cambridge, MA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Ayer, MA
Allow a few extra minutes for the final approach into Ayer, MA if you are unfamiliar with the area.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$4.98 one way
$9.95 round trip
$4.07/gal
25.4 MPG avg
11 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.43 | $5.43 | $10.86 |
| premium | $4.82 | $5.91 | $11.81 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $6.87 | $13.73 |
Estimated Tolls: $0.83
Concord Turnpike
(4.1 mi)
$0.29
Concord Turnpike
(3.9 mi)
$0.27
Cambridge Turnpike
(3.3 mi)
$0.23
Union Turnpike
(0.6 mi)
$0.04
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$5
Tolls
$1
Total
$6
Estimated CO2 emission: 10.9 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $3 in charging · 0 stops · 64% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 9.3 | 0 | $3.27 | $1.49 |
| Efficient EV | 7.8 | 0 | $2.72 | $1.24 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 12.4 | 0 | $4.35 | $1.99 |
Gas CO2
11 kg
EV CO2
4 kg (64% 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
Ayer, MA
Evening in Ayer on Thursday
Local time
8:49 PM
EDT
Current temp
40°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
56°F
Lexington, MA
16 mi in
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
22 degrees cooler at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
52m 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 Cambridge, MA to Ayer, MA covers 31.1 miles and takes about 52m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Concord Turnpike, Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge Turnpike. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 15.5 miles from Cambridge, MA. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $4.98 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 short but busy drive. With 15 decision points packed into just 31.1 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 52m.
The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (Cambridge Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 2.2 miles (US 3; MA 2; MA 16 / Concord Avenue): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 2.4 miles (US 3; MA 2; MA 16 / Alewife Brook Parkway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
On the drive from Cambridge, MA to Ayer, MA, road signs begin pointing toward Littleton along the way.
Yes. Nearby national parks include Minute Man National Historical Park, Boston National Historical Park and Adams National Historical Park. There are 6 parks within detour distance of this route.
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