Origin
Palmer, MA
Afternoon in Palmer on Sunday
Local time
2:33 PM
EDT
Current temp
77°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Palmer, MA to Cambridge, MA
Drive Time
1h 16m
Distance
71.5 mi
115 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$11
one way
Photo: Phil Evenden
Trip Overview
The drive from Palmer, MA to Cambridge, MA covers 71.5 miles and takes about 1h 16m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on Thorndike Street, Massachusetts Turnpike, Allston-Brighton for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. At current regular gas prices, budget about $11.38 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
A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.
Midpoint
35.7 miles from Palmer, MA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 38m into the drive .
Drive Character
Expect a 1h 16m drive with frequent turns across 71.5 miles of local and secondary roads.
This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 16 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Thorndike 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 Palmer, MA to Cambridge, MA is easy. At 1h 16m 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 Palmer, MA to Cambridge, MA is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Thorndike Street | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| Massachusetts Turnpike | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| Allston-Brighton | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| Cambridge | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| Cambridge Street | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| River Street | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| Prospect Street | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| Hampshire Street | Unavailable | Refreshing |
Per-road distance and duration are being refreshed from OSRM for this route.
Longest stretch:
Thorndike Street
— detailed segment metrics are refreshing.
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Palmer, MA and Cambridge, MA.
1
Start on Pleasant Street
190 ft
·
9 sec
·
Pleasant Street
2
Merge slight left onto Thorndike Street
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
Thorndike Street
3
Take the ramp left
0.2 mi
·
31 sec
4
Keep slight right
308 ft
·
7 sec
5
Continue straight
0.3 mi
·
42 sec
6
Merge slight left onto Massachusetts Turnpike
68 mi
·
1 hr 19 min
·
Massachusetts Turnpike
7
Take the exit slight left toward Allston-Brighton, Cambridge, Fenway Park
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
Allston-Brighton, Cambridge, Fenway Park
8
Keep slight right to continue on Cambridge, Somerville, Fenway Park
0.2 mi
·
23 sec
·
Cambridge, Somerville, Fenway Park
9
Turn slight right onto Cambridge Street
180 ft
·
6 sec
·
Cambridge Street
10
Continue on River Street
0.8 mi
·
2 min
·
River Street
11
Continue on Prospect Street
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
Prospect Street
12
Turn left onto Hampshire Street
0.1 mi
·
34 sec
·
Hampshire Street
13
Continue on Cambridge Street
0.1 mi
·
30 sec
·
Cambridge Street
14
Turn right onto Line Street
0.2 mi
·
52 sec
·
Line Street
15
Turn left onto Leonard Avenue
459 ft
·
20 sec
·
Leonard Avenue
16
Arrive at your destination
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 35.7 miles from Palmer, MA, or about 38m into the drive.
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 71.5 miles or 1h 16m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 35.7 miles or 38m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 1h 4m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Cambridge, MA than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Palmer, MA so your first major turns are already loaded.
+
Leave with enough water and a charging cable within reach, not packed away.
+
Check your fuel range against the first long segment, especially if you are starting outside city service areas.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Palmer, MA
This is one driving day of about 71.5 miles and 1h 16m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 80 miles from Palmer, MA.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
You may only need one short stretch stop if conditions stay smooth.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 35.7 mi from Palmer, MA · 38m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
36 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 71.5 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 35.7 miles from Palmer, MA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Cambridge, MA
The final approach into Cambridge, MA usually feels slower than the middle of the drive, so avoid planning your tightest schedule at the very end.
Try to arrive with enough fuel left to skip an immediate station stop unless you already know the area around Cambridge, MA.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$11.38 one way
$22.76 round trip
$4.04/gal
25.4 MPG avg
25 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.40 | $12.38 | $24.75 |
| premium | $4.80 | $13.51 | $27.02 |
| diesel | $5.64 | $15.88 | $31.77 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$11
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$36–$61
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 25 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-06.
Driving Electric?
About $8 in charging · 0 stops · 68% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 21.5 | 0 | $7.51 | $3.43 |
| Efficient EV | 17.9 | 0 | $6.26 | $2.86 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 28.6 | 0 | $10.01 | $4.58 |
Gas CO2
25 kg
EV CO2
8 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
Cambridge, MA
Afternoon in Cambridge on Sunday
Local time
2:33 PM
EDT
Current temp
51°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Along the Route
49°F
Brookhaven, NY
36 mi in
Seasonal Notes
Summer travel usually means heavier construction, hotter rest stops, and busier weekend traffic around major cities.
Winter travel shortens daylight, so a route that looks manageable on paper can feel much longer after dark.
Holiday weekends tend to make both departure and arrival windows slower than the raw route time suggests.
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
26 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
1h 16m 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 Palmer, MA to Cambridge, MA covers 71.5 miles and takes about 1h 16m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Thorndike Street, Massachusetts Turnpike, Allston-Brighton. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 35.7 miles from Palmer, MA. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $11.38 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 Palmer, MA to Cambridge, MA is easy. At 1h 16m 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 Palmer, MA to Cambridge, MA is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
The route from Palmer, MA to Cambridge, MA does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
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