Origin
Cambridge, MA
Late night in Cambridge on Thursday
Local time
4:45 AM
EDT
Current temp
62°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Cambridge, MA to Chelmsford, MA
Last recalculated Apr 16, 2026
Drive Time
43m
Distance
25.2 mi
40 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$4
one way
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 39m
★
6 AM
0h 43m
8 AM
0h 50m
10 AM
0h 46m
12 PM
0h 45m
3 PM
0h 46m
5 PM
0h 50m
8 PM
0h 41m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Cambridge, MA
Wikimedia Commons
Chelmsford, MA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
The drive from Cambridge, MA to Chelmsford, MA covers 25.2 miles and takes about 43m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on Cambridge Street, Massachusetts Avenue, Alewife Brook Parkway for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. At current regular gas prices, budget about $4.03 one way before food or hotel costs.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 43m. Total distance: 25.2 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
43m 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
Turn-heavy local drive route profile.
Drive Character
Expect a 43m drive with frequent turns across 25.2 miles of local and secondary roads.
This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 25 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Cambridge Street is one of the defining roads on this drive.
How Hard Is This Drive?
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. Navigation is very simple - set it and forget it for most of the drive.
Route Complexity
1/10
Very easy - short and simple to drive
The drive from Cambridge, MA to Chelmsford, MA is easy. At 43m with 0% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.
Where does it get tricky?
This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Cambridge, MA to Chelmsford, MA is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Cambridge Street | — | — |
| Massachusetts Avenue | — | — |
| Alewife Brook Parkway | — | — |
| Broadway | — | — |
| Warren Street | — | — |
| Chestnut Street | — | — |
| Mystic Street | — | — |
| Cambridge Road | — | — |
Some road-level metrics are being recalculated.
Longest stretch:
Cambridge Street
— detailed segment metrics are refreshing.
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Cambridge, MA and Chelmsford, MA.
1
Start on Leonard Avenue
266 ft
·
14 sec
·
Leonard Avenue
2
Turn right onto Cambridge Street
0.7 mi
·
2 min
·
Cambridge Street
3
Turn straight
308 ft
·
13 sec
4
Turn straight onto Massachusetts Avenue
2.0 mi
·
5 min
·
Massachusetts Avenue
5
Turn right onto Alewife Brook Parkway
0.4 mi
·
1 min
·
Alewife Brook Parkway
6
Turn left onto Broadway
0.5 mi
·
47 sec
·
Broadway
7
Turn straight onto Warren Street
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
Warren Street
8
At the end of the road, turn left onto Chestnut Street
0.1 mi
·
22 sec
·
Chestnut Street
9
Turn right onto Mystic Street
1.5 mi
·
1 min
·
Mystic Street
10
Continue on Cambridge Street
1.9 mi
·
2 min
·
Cambridge Street
11
Continue on Cambridge Road
2.0 mi
·
2 min
·
Cambridge Road
12
Continue on Cambridge Street
0.6 mi
·
48 sec
·
Cambridge Street
13
Take the exit straight toward I 95 South, US 3 North: Waltham, Lowell
0.2 mi
·
27 sec
·
I 95 South, US 3 North: Waltham, Lowell
14
Merge slight left onto Yankee Division Highway
1.1 mi
·
1 min
·
Yankee Division Highway
15
Take the exit slight right toward US 3 North: Lowell, Middlesex Turnpike, Burlington, Nashua New Hampshire
0.1 mi
·
15 sec
·
US 3 North: Lowell, Middlesex Turnpike, Burlington, Nashua New Hampshire
16
Keep slight left to continue on US 3 North: Lowell, Nashua New Hampshire
0.3 mi
·
34 sec
·
US 3 North: Lowell, Nashua New Hampshire
17
Keep slight right to continue on US 3 North: Lowell, Nashua New Hampshire
9.3 mi
·
11 min
·
US 3 North: Lowell, Nashua New Hampshire
18
Take the exit slight right toward MA 129: Billerica, Chelmsford
0.3 mi
·
37 sec
·
MA 129: Billerica, Chelmsford
19
Keep slight right to continue on MA 129 West: Chelmsford
302 ft
·
7 sec
·
MA 129 West: Chelmsford
20
Turn straight onto Billerica Road
2.4 mi
·
4 min
·
Billerica Road
21
Turn right onto North Road
499 ft
·
23 sec
·
North Road
22
Turn left onto Academy Street
364 ft
·
9 sec
·
Academy Street
23
Turn right onto Westford Street
0.7 mi
·
2 min
·
Westford Street
24
Turn left onto Clover Hill Drive
0.2 mi
·
42 sec
·
Clover Hill Drive
25
Arrive at your destination
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$4.03 one way
$8.07 round trip
$4.07/gal
25.4 MPG avg
9 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.43 | $4.40 | $8.80 |
| premium | $4.82 | $4.79 | $9.57 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $5.56 | $11.13 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$4
Estimated CO2 emission: 8.8 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $3 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 7.6 | 0 | $2.65 | $1.21 |
| Efficient EV | 6.3 | 0 | $2.20 | $1.01 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 10.1 | 0 | $3.53 | $1.61 |
Gas CO2
9 kg
EV CO2
3 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.
Destination
Chelmsford, MA
Late night in Chelmsford on Thursday
Local time
4:45 AM
EDT
Current temp
56°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
6 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
43m 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 Chelmsford, MA covers 25.2 miles and takes about 43m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Cambridge Street, Massachusetts Avenue, Alewife Brook Parkway. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 12.6 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 $4.03 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.
The drive from Cambridge, MA to Chelmsford, MA is easy. At 43m with 0% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.
This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Cambridge, MA to Chelmsford, MA is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
The route from Cambridge, MA to Chelmsford, MA does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
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