Origin
Plymouth, MA
Afternoon in Plymouth on Thursday
Local time
3:16 PM
EDT
Current temp
41°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Plymouth, MA to Burlington, MA
Last recalculated Apr 16, 2026
Drive Time
1h 14m
Distance
52.6 mi
85 km
Drive Score
9/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$8
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 8m
★
6 AM
1h 14m
8 AM
1h 26m
10 AM
1h 18m
12 PM
1h 17m
3 PM
1h 19m
5 PM
1h 25m
8 PM
1h 11m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Plymouth, MA
Wikimedia Commons
Burlington, MA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
The drive from Plymouth, MA to Burlington, MA covers 52.6 miles and takes about 1h 14m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on Pilgrims Highway, MA 3, John F. Fitzgerald Expressway for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is mixed drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 27.5 miles on Pilgrims Highway. At current regular gas prices, budget about $8.42 one way before food or hotel costs.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 14m. Total distance: 52.6 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 14m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (31%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Scenic Drive
Mixed drive route profile with national parks nearby.
Drive Character
The drive from Plymouth, MA to Burlington, MA covers 52.6 miles and takes about 1h 14m, 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 23 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Pilgrims Highway is the longest continuous segment at about 27.5 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. You will hit about 13 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 1.2 miles in near US 44; MA 3 / Pilgrims Highway.
Driving Effort
6/10
Moderate - straightforward overall, but long enough or busy enough to require pacing
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 52.6 miles you will encounter 13 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 1.2 miles (US 44; MA 3 / Pilgrims Highway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 40.3 miles (I 93): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 43.4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 13 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
5
1.2 mi into trip
|
~3m in
|
US 44; MA 3 / Pilgrims Highway
Merge onto US 44; MA 3 / Pilgrims Highway
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
40.3 mi into trip
|
~54m in
|
I 93
Keep slight right at fork onto I 93 toward I 93 North: Concord NH
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight left lanes.
Toward I 93 North: Concord NH
8
43.4 mi into trip
|
~58m in
Take the exit toward MA 16 West: Mystic Valley Parkway, Arlington
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 22
Toward MA 16 West: Mystic Valley Parkway, Arlin...
5
44.7 mi into trip
|
~1h 1m in
|
MA 38 / Winthrop Street
Turn right onto MA 38 / Winthrop Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
6
44.9 mi into trip
|
~1h 1m in
|
Winthrop Street
Enter roundabout onto Winthrop Street
Roundabout - know your exit number before entering
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 Plymouth, MA to Burlington, MA, road signs begin pointing toward Arlington along the way.
Arlington
43.4 mi in
|
~58m
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Pilgrims Highway | 27.5 mi | 34m |
| MA 3 | 8.4 mi | 11m |
| John F. Fitzgerald Expressway | 3.2 mi | 5m |
| I 93 | 3.1 mi | 4m |
| Cambridge Street | 2.8 mi | 4m |
| Cambridge Road | 2 mi | 2m |
| Winthrop Street | 1.4 mi | 2m |
| Mystic Valley Parkway | 1.1 mi | 2m |
Longest stretch:
Pilgrims Highway
— 27.5 mi, about 34m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Plymouth, MA and Burlington, MA.
1
Start on MA 3A
0.2 mi
·
42 sec
·
Court Street
2
Turn left onto US 44
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
Samoset Street
3
Take the ramp onto US 44
0.3 mi
·
39 sec
·
US 44
Toward MA 3 North: Kingston, Boston
4
Merge onto US 44; MA 3
27 mi
·
34 min
·
Pilgrims Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
5
Continue on MA 3
8.4 mi
·
11 min
·
MA 3
Exit 43B
Toward I 93 North: Boston
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
Continue on I 93; US 1; MA 3
3.2 mi
·
5 min
·
John F. Fitzgerald Expressway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Keep slight right at fork onto I 93
3.1 mi
·
4 min
·
I 93
Toward I 93 North: Concord NH
Use the straight / slight left lanes.
8
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
31 sec
Exit 22
Toward MA 16 West: Mystic Valley Parkway, Arlington
Use the slight right lane.
9
Continue on MA 16
1.1 mi
·
2 min
·
Mystic Valley Parkway
10
Turn right onto MA 38
0.1 mi
·
22 sec
·
Winthrop Street
Use the right lane.
11
Enter roundabout onto Winthrop Street
117 ft
·
2 sec
·
Winthrop Street
12
Continue on Winthrop Street
1.3 mi
·
1 min
·
Winthrop Street
13
Continue on MA 38
0.5 mi
·
46 sec
·
Main Street
14
Enter roundabout onto Bacon Street
94 ft
·
1 sec
·
Bacon Street
15
Continue on Bacon Street
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
Bacon Street
16
Turn left onto Church Street
0.3 mi
·
38 sec
·
Church Street
17
Turn right onto US 3
1.1 mi
·
1 min
·
Cambridge Street
18
Continue on US 3
2.0 mi
·
2 min
·
Cambridge Road
19
Continue on US 3
0.6 mi
·
47 sec
·
Cambridge Street
20
Continue on MA 3A
1.1 mi
·
2 min
·
Cambridge Street
21
Turn right
33 ft
·
7 sec
22
Turn left
93 ft
·
6 sec
23
Arrive at destination
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 26.3 mi from Plymouth, MA · 34m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
26 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 12 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 26.3 miles from Plymouth, MA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Burlington, MA
The final approach into Burlington, MA usually feels slower than the middle of the drive, so avoid planning your tightest schedule at the very end.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$8.42 one way
$16.84 round trip
$4.07/gal
25.4 MPG avg
18 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.43 | $9.18 | $18.36 |
| premium | $4.82 | $9.99 | $19.98 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $11.61 | $23.23 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$8
Estimated CO2 emission: 18.4 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $6 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 15.8 | 0 | $5.52 | $2.52 |
| Efficient EV | 13.2 | 0 | $4.60 | $2.10 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 21 | 0 | $7.36 | $3.37 |
Gas CO2
18 kg
EV CO2
6 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
Burlington, MA
Afternoon in Burlington on Thursday
Local time
3:16 PM
EDT
Current temp
41°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
1h 14m 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 Plymouth, MA to Burlington, MA covers 52.6 miles and takes about 1h 14m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Pilgrims Highway, MA 3, John F. Fitzgerald Expressway. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 26.3 miles from Plymouth, MA. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $8.42 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 drive requires moderate attention. Across 52.6 miles you will encounter 13 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.
The main spots that need attention: at 1.2 miles (US 44; MA 3 / Pilgrims Highway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 40.3 miles (I 93): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 43.4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
On the drive from Plymouth, MA to Burlington, MA, road signs begin pointing toward Arlington along the way.
Yes. Nearby national parks include Boston National Historical Park, Adams National Historical Park and Boston Harbor Islands National Recreation Area. There are 6 parks within detour distance of this route.
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