Origin
Chelmsford, MA
Late night in Chelmsford on Thursday
Local time
4:46 AM
EDT
Current temp
56°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Chelmsford, MA to Boston, MA
Last recalculated Apr 16, 2026
Drive Time
43m
Distance
27.2 mi
44 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.
Chelmsford, MA
Wikimedia Commons
Boston, MA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
If you are planning to head from Chelmsford into the heart of Boston, you are looking at a straightforward 27.2-mile trek. Expect the journey to take roughly 43 minutes, making it an ideal day trip that requires no overnight stops. Your route primarily utilizes US 3 and the Interstate 93 HOV lane, supplemented by stretches of Billerica Road. With an estimated fuel cost of just $4, this is a very budget-friendly transit between these two Northeast locations. Because the distance is relatively short, you have plenty of flexibility to plan your departure around your personal schedule rather than worrying about long-haul fatigue.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 43m. Total distance: 27.2 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
This trip offers a mixed drive profile, balancing local navigation with high-speed transit. You will spend 54% of your time on highways, providing a consistent flow as you move toward the city. The longest uninterrupted segment occurs on US 3, where you will cover 10 miles of open road before transitioning into the next phase of your journey. As you move away from the quieter streets of Chelmsford and merge onto the major arteries, the pace of the drive shifts significantly. You can expect a functional, utilitarian experience that favors efficiency over winding scenery.
This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 37 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Westford 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 Chelmsford, MA to Boston, 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 Chelmsford, MA to Boston, MA is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Westford Street | — | — |
| Academy Street | — | — |
| North Road | — | — |
| Littleton Road | — | — |
| Billerica Road | — | — |
| US 3 South | — | — |
| I 95 North | — | — |
| Yankee Division Highway | — | — |
Some road-level metrics are being recalculated.
Longest stretch:
Westford Street
— detailed segment metrics are refreshing.
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Chelmsford, MA and Boston, MA.
1
Start on Clover Hill Drive
0.2 mi
·
45 sec
·
Clover Hill Drive
2
Turn right onto Westford Street
0.7 mi
·
2 min
·
Westford Street
3
Turn left onto Academy Street
364 ft
·
12 sec
·
Academy Street
4
Turn right onto North Road
499 ft
·
17 sec
·
North Road
5
Turn left onto Littleton Road
220 ft
·
8 sec
·
Littleton Road
6
Continue on Billerica Road
2.2 mi
·
4 min
·
Billerica Road
7
Take the ramp slight right toward US 3 South: Burlington
0.4 mi
·
58 sec
·
US 3 South: Burlington
8
Merge slight left
8.5 mi
·
9 min
9
Keep slight left to continue on I 95 North, US 3 South: Boston, Peabody
1.0 mi
·
2 min
·
I 95 North, US 3 South: Boston, Peabody
10
Keep slight left
0.3 mi
·
43 sec
11
Merge slight left onto Yankee Division Highway
0.9 mi
·
1 min
·
Yankee Division Highway
12
Take the exit slight right toward US 3 South: Winchester
0.2 mi
·
32 sec
·
US 3 South: Winchester
13
Merge slight left onto Cambridge Street
0.4 mi
·
35 sec
·
Cambridge Street
14
Continue on Cambridge Road
2.0 mi
·
2 min
·
Cambridge Road
15
Continue on Cambridge Street
1.1 mi
·
1 min
·
Cambridge Street
16
Turn left onto Church Street
0.3 mi
·
38 sec
·
Church Street
17
Turn right onto Bacon Street
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
Bacon Street
18
Enter the roundabout and take exit 1 toward Main Street
36 ft
·
1 sec
·
Main Street
19
Exit the roundabout onto Main Street
0.5 mi
·
45 sec
·
Main Street
20
Continue on Winthrop Street
1.3 mi
·
1 min
·
Winthrop Street
21
Enter the roundabout and take exit 2 toward Winthrop Street
98 ft
·
4 sec
·
Winthrop Street
22
Exit the roundabout onto Winthrop Street
0.1 mi
·
28 sec
·
Winthrop Street
23
Turn left onto Mystic Valley Parkway
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
Mystic Valley Parkway
24
Continue on Mystic Valley Parkway
0.1 mi
·
10 sec
·
Mystic Valley Parkway
25
Take the ramp slight left toward I 93: Boston, Concord New Hampshire
0.1 mi
·
14 sec
·
I 93: Boston, Concord New Hampshire
26
Keep slight right to continue on I 93 South: Boston
0.3 mi
·
32 sec
·
I 93 South: Boston
27
Merge slight left
1.1 mi
·
1 min
28
Keep slight left to continue on Interstate 93 HOV lane
1.7 mi
·
1 min
·
Interstate 93 HOV lane
29
Keep slight left to continue on Interstate 93 HOV lane
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
Interstate 93 HOV lane
30
Merge slight right onto John F. Fitzgerald Expressway
0.5 mi
·
38 sec
·
John F. Fitzgerald Expressway
31
Take the exit slight right toward MA 1A Toll: Airport, Government Center
0.2 mi
·
22 sec
·
MA 1A Toll: Airport, Government Center
32
Keep slight right to continue on Government Center
0.2 mi
·
31 sec
·
Government Center
33
Turn straight onto John F. Fitzgerald Surface Road
0.1 mi
·
27 sec
·
John F. Fitzgerald Surface Road
34
Turn right onto State Street
0.3 mi
·
55 sec
·
State Street
35
Continue on Court Street
472 ft
·
20 sec
·
Court Street
36
Turn left onto Tremont Street
335 ft
·
12 sec
·
Tremont Street
37
Arrive at your destination
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$4.35 one way
$8.71 round trip
$4.07/gal
25.4 MPG avg
10 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.43 | $4.75 | $9.49 |
| premium | $4.82 | $5.16 | $10.33 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $6.01 | $12.01 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$4
Estimated CO2 emission: 9.5 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $3 in charging · 0 stops · 70% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 8.2 | 0 | $2.86 | $1.31 |
| Efficient EV | 6.8 | 0 | $2.38 | $1.09 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 10.9 | 0 | $3.81 | $1.74 |
Gas CO2
10 kg
EV CO2
3 kg (70% 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
Boston, MA
Late night in Boston on Thursday
Local time
4:46 AM
EDT
Current temp
62°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 warmer 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 Chelmsford, MA to Boston, MA covers 27.2 miles and takes about 43m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Westford Street, Academy Street, North Road. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 13.6 miles from Chelmsford, MA. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $4.35 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 Chelmsford, MA to Boston, 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 Chelmsford, MA to Boston, MA is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
The route from Chelmsford, MA to Boston, MA does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
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