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Trip from Holliston, MA to Cambridge, MA

Last recalculated Apr 16, 2026

Drive Time

46m

Distance

23.2 mi

37 km

Drive Score

7/10

Good drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$4

one way

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 11 min
4 AM
0h 43m ★
6 AM
0h 46m
8 AM
0h 54m
10 AM
0h 49m
12 PM
0h 48m
3 PM
0h 49m
5 PM
0h 54m
8 PM
0h 44m

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

Downtown Holliston, MA, MA

Holliston, MA

Italo Melo

city in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States of America

Cambridge, MA

Wikimedia Commons

Trip Overview

The drive from Holliston, MA to Cambridge, MA covers 23.2 miles and takes about 46m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.

The route leans on Washington Street, Massachusetts Turnpike, Eliot Street for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 9.1 miles on Washington Street. At current regular gas prices, budget about $3.71 one way before food or hotel costs.

Trip Pace

Same-day drive is realistic

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

Break Rhythm

0 planned breaks

This drive is short enough that no stops are needed.

Midpoint

11.6 miles from Holliston, MA

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 21m into the drive .

Drive Character

Expect a 46m drive with frequent turns across 23.2 miles of local and secondary roads.

This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 24 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Washington Street is the longest continuous segment at about 9.1 miles.

How Hard Is This Drive?

Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near Central Street.

Route Complexity 7/10

Focused - busy navigation packed into a short drive

This is a short but busy drive. With 14 decision points packed into just 23.2 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 46m.

Where does it get tricky?

The main spots that need attention: near the start (Central Street): Navigation decision point; near the start (Railroad Street): Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach; at 12.5 miles (Walnut Street): Lane positioning matters here.

Critical Maneuvers

5 of 14 key points

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

5
0 mi into trip | ~0m in | Central Street

Turn left onto Central Street

Navigation decision point

6
0 mi into trip | ~0m in | Railroad Street

Turn sharp right onto Railroad Street

Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach

5
12.5 mi into trip | ~24m in | Walnut Street

Turn right onto Walnut Street

Lane positioning matters here

Use the right lane.
8
20.6 mi into trip | ~38m in

Take the exit toward Allston-Brighton, Cambridge, Fenway Park

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Use the slight left lane. Exit 131 Toward Allston-Brighton, Cambridge, Fenway Park
8
21.1 mi into trip | ~39m in

Keep slight right at fork toward Cambridge, Somerville, Fenway Park

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Use the slight left / slight right lanes. Toward Cambridge, Somerville, Fenway Park

Towns Mentioned on Route Signs

Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.

Between Holliston, MA and Cambridge, MA, road signs point toward Newton, Watertown, Allston-Brighton, Fenway Park and Somerville.

Newton

13.8 mi in | ~27m | via MA 16

Watertown

13.8 mi in | ~27m | via MA 16

Allston-Brighton

20.6 mi in | ~38m

Fenway Park

20.6 mi in | ~38m

Somerville

21.1 mi in | ~39m

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
Washington Street 9.1 mi 18m
Massachusetts Turnpike 5.1 mi 6m
Eliot Street 3.7 mi 5m
Walnut Street 0.9 mi 2m
Woodland Street 0.9 mi 2m
River Street 0.8 mi 2m
Prospect Street 0.6 mi 1m
North Main Street 0.4 mi 1m
Longest stretch: Washington Street — 9.1 mi, about 18m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Holliston, MA and Cambridge, MA.

1

Start on Winthrop Street

28 ft · 7 sec · Winthrop Street
2

Turn left onto Central Street

169 ft · 9 sec · Central Street
3

Turn sharp right onto Railroad Street

0.2 mi · 34 sec · Railroad Street
4

Continue on Woodland Street

0.9 mi · 2 min · Woodland Street
5

Turn right onto MA 16

3.2 mi · 5 min · Washington Street
6

Turn straight onto Washington Street

0.1 mi · 12 sec · Washington Street
7

Turn straight onto MA 16; MA 27

0.4 mi · 1 min · North Main Street
8

Turn right onto MA 16

3.7 mi · 5 min · Eliot Street
9

Continue on MA 16

3.9 mi · 9 min · Washington Street
Use the straight lane.
10

Turn right onto Walnut Street

0.9 mi · 2 min · Walnut Street
Use the right lane.
11

Turn right onto MA 16

0.3 mi · 50 sec · Washington Street
Use the right lane.
12

Continue on MA 16

1.5 mi · 3 min · Washington Street
Toward West Newton, Watertown
13

Take the ramp

0.3 mi · 37 sec
Toward I 90 East: Boston
14

Merge onto I 90

5.1 mi · 6 min · Massachusetts Turnpike
15

Take the exit

0.5 mi · 1 min
Exit 131 Toward Allston-Brighton, Cambridge, Fenway Park Use the slight left lane.
16

Keep slight right at fork

0.2 mi · 23 sec
Toward Cambridge, Somerville, Fenway Park Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
17

Turn slight right onto Cambridge Street

180 ft · 6 sec · Cambridge Street
18

Continue on River Street

0.8 mi · 2 min · River Street
Use the straight / left lanes.
19

Continue on Prospect Street

0.6 mi · 1 min · Prospect Street
20

Turn left onto Hampshire Street

0.1 mi · 33 sec · Hampshire Street
Use the left lane.
21

Continue on Cambridge Street

0.1 mi · 30 sec · Cambridge Street
Use the straight lane.
22

Turn right onto Line Street

0.2 mi · 51 sec · Line Street
23

Turn left onto Leonard Avenue

460 ft · 19 sec · Leonard Avenue
24

Arrive at destination

Leonard Avenue

Trip Plan

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 11.6 miles from Holliston, MA, or about 21m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 9.1 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 23 miles or 45m in

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

Halfway reset

Around 11.6 miles or 21m in

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

Final approach

Final hour starts around 36m

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

Before You Leave

+

Have your navigation ready before leaving Holliston, MA.

Day 1

Settle into the route from Holliston, MA

This is one driving day of about 23.2 miles and 46m.

At 23.2 miles this is a quick drive — no planned stops needed.
The longest stretch is on Washington Street for about 9.1 miles.

Where to Stop

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

Halfway Point

Midpoint

About 11.6 mi from Holliston, MA · 21m into the drive

Pacing Suggestions

Somerville, MA

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 23 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Newton, MA

Meal break

The midpoint is around 11.6 miles from Holliston, MA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Arriving in Cambridge, MA

Allow a few extra minutes for the final approach into Cambridge, 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

$3.71 one way

$7.43 round trip

$4.07/gal 25.4 MPG avg 8 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.43 $4.05 $8.10
premium $4.82 $4.41 $8.81
diesel $5.61 $5.12 $10.24

Estimated Tolls: $0.31

Massachusetts Turnpike (5.1 mi) $0.31

Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$4

Tolls

$0

Meals

$25–$50

Total

$29–$54

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

Estimated CO2 emission: 8.1 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $2 in charging · 0 stops · 63% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 7 0 $2.44 $1.11
Efficient EV 5.8 0 $2.03 $0.93
EV Truck/SUV 9.3 0 $3.25 $1.48

Gas CO2

8 kg

EV CO2

3 kg (63% 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 as of Apr 15, 2026

Origin

Holliston, MA

Night in Holliston on Wednesday

Local time

10:34 PM

EDT

Current temp

40°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Cambridge, MA

Night in Cambridge on Wednesday

Local time

10:34 PM

EDT

Current temp

40°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

46m 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 Holliston, MA to Cambridge, MA covers 23.2 miles and takes about 46m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Washington Street, Massachusetts Turnpike, Eliot Street. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 11.6 miles from Holliston, MA. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $3.71 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 14 decision points packed into just 23.2 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 46m.
The main spots that need attention: near the start (Central Street): Navigation decision point; near the start (Railroad Street): Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach; at 12.5 miles (Walnut Street): Lane positioning matters here.
Between Holliston, MA and Cambridge, MA, road signs point toward Newton, Watertown, Allston-Brighton, Fenway Park and Somerville.

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