Skip to main content
Trip.ovh Logo
Trip.ovh

Trip from Quincy, MA to Arlington, MA

Data updated 2 hours ago

Drive Time

31m

Distance

16.7 mi

27 km

Drive Score

8/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$3

one way

EV Charging

None

0 DC fast

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 8 min
4 AM
0h 28m ★
6 AM
0h 31m
8 AM
0h 36m
10 AM
0h 33m
12 PM
0h 32m
3 PM
0h 33m
5 PM
0h 36m
8 PM
0h 29m

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

Best Time Drive vs Fly
Google Maps Waze Apple Maps
Download GPX
city in Norfolk County, Massachusetts, United States

Quincy, MA

Wikimedia Commons

town in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States

Arlington, MA

Wikimedia Commons

Trip Overview

The drive from Quincy, MA to Arlington, MA covers 16.7 miles and takes about 31m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.

The route leans on Southeast Expressway, John F. Fitzgerald Expressway, Newport Avenue for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is mixed drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 3.3 miles on Southeast Expressway. At current regular gas prices, budget about $2.67 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

8.3 miles from Quincy, MA

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 14m into the drive .

Loading map...

Drive Character

The drive from Quincy, MA to Arlington, MA covers 16.7 miles and takes about 31m, 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 25 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Southeast Expressway is the longest continuous segment at about 3.3 miles.

How Hard Is This Drive?

This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 0.1 miles in near Hancock Street.

Route Complexity 10/10

High effort - long or complex enough to need steady focus all day

This is a demanding drive. With 18 significant decision points across 16.7 miles, you will need to stay alert — especially through interchange areas and urban stretches. Consider splitting it into segments if you are not comfortable with fast highway navigation.

Where does it get tricky?

The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (Hancock Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 3.4 miles (MA 3A / William T. Morrissey Boulevard): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 10.2 miles (I 93): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.

Critical Maneuvers

5 of 18 key points

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

6
0.1 mi into trip | ~0m in | Hancock Street

Turn right onto Hancock Street

Lane positioning matters here

Use the right lane.
6
3.4 mi into trip | ~7m in | MA 3A / William T. Morrissey Boulevard

Merge onto MA 3A / William T. Morrissey Boulevard

Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / left lanes.
7
10.2 mi into trip | ~18m 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
11.8 mi into trip | ~20m in

Take the exit toward MA 28, MA 38: Somerville, Medford

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 21 Toward MA 28, MA 38: Somerville, Medford
9
11.9 mi into trip | ~20m in

Keep slight left at fork toward MA 28 South, MA 38 North: Somerville, Medford

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

Use the slight left / slight right lanes. Toward MA 28 South, MA 38 North: Somerville, Me...

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 Quincy, MA to Arlington, MA, road signs begin pointing toward Medford along the way.

Medford

11.8 mi in | ~20m

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
Southeast Expressway 3.3 mi 4m
John F. Fitzgerald Expressway 3.2 mi 5m
Newport Avenue 2.3 mi 4m
I 93 1.6 mi 2m
Mystic Avenue 1.2 mi 2m
Broadway 1.2 mi 2m
Powder House Boulevard 0.8 mi 1m
Harvard Street 0.7 mi 1m
Longest stretch: Southeast Expressway — 3.3 mi, about 4m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Quincy, MA and Arlington, MA.

1

Start on Faxon Avenue

362 ft · 17 sec · Faxon Avenue
2

Turn right onto Coddington Street

265 ft · 7 sec · Coddington Street
3

Turn right onto Hancock Street

0.3 mi · 33 sec · Hancock Street
Use the right lane.
4

Keep slight left at fork onto Adams Street

0.3 mi · 42 sec · Adams Street
5

Turn right onto Newport Avenue

2.3 mi · 4 min · Newport Avenue
Use the right lane.
6

Turn slight left onto MA 3A

0.3 mi · 33 sec · Hancock Street
7

Continue on MA 3A

0.2 mi · 19 sec · Neponset Avenue
8

Merge onto MA 3A

247 ft · 6 sec · William T. Morrissey Boulevard
Use the straight / left lanes.
9

Take the exit onto MA 3A

0.3 mi · 34 sec · MA 3A
Toward I 93 North, US 1 North: Boston
10

Merge onto I 93; US 1; MA 3

3.3 mi · 4 min · Southeast Expressway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11

Continue on I 93; US 1; MA 3

3.2 mi · 5 min · John F. Fitzgerald Expressway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12

Keep slight right at fork onto I 93

1.6 mi · 2 min · I 93
Toward I 93 North: Concord NH Use the straight / slight left lanes.
13

Take the exit

0.1 mi · 19 sec
Exit 21 Toward MA 28, MA 38: Somerville, Medford Use the slight right lane.
14

Keep slight left at fork

0.1 mi · 18 sec
Toward MA 28 South, MA 38 North: Somerville, Medford Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
15

Turn straight onto MA 38

1.2 mi · 2 min · Mystic Avenue
Use the straight / right lanes.
16

Turn left onto Harvard Street

0.7 mi · 1 min · Harvard Street
Use the left lane.
17

Continue on Warner Street

0.2 mi · 20 sec · Warner Street
18

Enter roundabout onto Powder House Boulevard

127 ft · 2 sec · Powder House Boulevard
19

Continue on Powder House Boulevard

0.8 mi · 1 min · Powder House Boulevard
20

Turn left onto North Street

0.1 mi · 20 sec · North Street
21

At end of road, turn right onto Broadway

1.2 mi · 2 min · Broadway
22

At end of road, turn right onto US 3; MA 2A

0.3 mi · 53 sec · Massachusetts Avenue
Use the left lane.
23

Turn left onto Academy Street

320 ft · 18 sec · Academy Street
24

Turn left

203 ft · 14 sec
25

Arrive at 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 8.3 miles from Quincy, MA, or about 14m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 3.3 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 16.7 miles or 31m in

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

Halfway reset

Around 8.3 miles or 14m in

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

Final approach

Final hour starts around 25m

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

Before You Leave

+

Open the route before leaving Quincy, 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 Quincy, MA

This is one driving day of about 16.7 miles and 31m.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 80 miles from Quincy, 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.
The longest stretch is on Southeast Expressway for about 3.3 miles.

Where to Stop

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

Halfway Point

Midpoint

About 8.3 mi from Quincy, MA · 14m into the drive

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Brookhaven, NY

8 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

Brookhaven, NY

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 16.7 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Brookhaven, NY

Meal break

The midpoint is around 8.3 miles from Quincy, MA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Arriving in Arlington, MA

The final approach into Arlington, 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 Arlington, MA.

These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.

National Parks Near This Route

Worth a detour if your schedule allows.

Adams National Historical Park

Adams National Historical Park

National Historical Park

From the sweet little farm at the foot of Penn’s Hill to the gentleman’s country estate at Peace field, Adams National Historical Park is the story of “heroes, statesmen, philosophers…and learned wome...

0 mi from route $15 near mile 0.6
Park Closure: Historic Homes Closed for Season
View on nps.gov
Boston National Historical Park

Boston National Historical Park

National Historical Park

Discover how one city could be the Cradle of Liberty, site of the first major battle of American Revolution, and home to many who espoused that freedom can be extended to all.

0 mi from route ~1 min detour Free near mile 9.8
View on nps.gov
Boston Harbor Islands National Recreation Area

Boston Harbor Islands National Recreation Area

National Recreation Area

. . . where you can walk a Civil War-era fort, view historic lighthouses, explore tide pools, hike lush trails, camp under the stars, or relax while fishing, picnicking, or swimming—all within reach o...

5 mi from route ~13 min detour Free
View on nps.gov
Minute Man National Historical Park

Minute Man National Historical Park

National Historical Park

At Minute Man National Historical Park the opening battle of the Revolution is brought to life as visitors explore the battlefields and structures associated with April 19, 1775, and witness the Ameri...

8 mi from route ~20 min detour Free near mile 16.7
View on nps.gov
Salem Maritime National Historical Park

Salem Maritime National Historical Park

National Historical Park

Originally established in 1938 as the first National Historic Site in the United States, Salem Maritime National Historical Park consists of nine acres of land and twelve historic structures along the...

13 mi from route ~33 min detour Free near mile 12.1
View on nps.gov
Lowell National Historical Park

Lowell National Historical Park

National Historical Park

Lowell’s water-powered textile mills catapulted the nation – including immigrant families and early female factory workers – into an uncertain new industrial era. Nearly 200 years later, the changes t...

18 mi from route ~45 min detour Free near mile 16.7
View on nps.gov

Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$2.67 one way

$5.35 round trip

$4.07/gal 25.4 MPG avg 6 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.43 $2.91 $5.83
premium $4.82 $3.17 $6.34
diesel $5.61 $3.69 $7.37

No toll roads detected on this route.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$3

Meals

$25–$50

Total

$28–$53

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

Estimated CO2 emission: 5.8 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $2 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 5 0 $1.75 $0.80
Efficient EV 4.2 0 $1.46 $0.67
EV Truck/SUV 6.7 0 $2.34 $1.07

Gas CO2

6 kg

EV CO2

2 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.

Forecast data refreshed 4 days ago

Origin

Quincy, MA

Evening in Quincy on Tuesday

Local time

5:30 PM

EDT

Current temp

75°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Arlington, MA

Evening in Arlington on Tuesday

Local time

5:30 PM

EDT

Current temp

76°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

49°F

Brookhaven, NY

8 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

1 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

31m 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 Quincy, MA to Arlington, MA covers 16.7 miles and takes about 31m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Southeast Expressway, John F. Fitzgerald Expressway, Newport Avenue. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 8.3 miles from Quincy, MA. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $2.67 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 demanding drive. With 18 significant decision points across 16.7 miles, you will need to stay alert — especially through interchange areas and urban stretches. Consider splitting it into segments if you are not comfortable with fast highway navigation.
The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (Hancock Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 3.4 miles (MA 3A / William T. Morrissey Boulevard): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 10.2 miles (I 93): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
On the drive from Quincy, MA to Arlington, MA, road signs begin pointing toward Medford along the way.

Was this route helpful?

Thanks for your feedback!

Your tip has been submitted. Thanks!

/500

Explore More

Continue From Arlington, MA

Brockton, MA 32.3 mi · 50m

More from Quincy, MA

Vineyard Haven, MA 74.4 mi · 2h 21m Barre, MA 72.8 mi · 1h 47m East Dennis, MA 71 mi · 1h 36m Ashburnham, MA 63.1 mi · 1h 43m North Falmouth, MA 56.3 mi · 1h 17m Pocasset, MA 54.1 mi · 1h 14m

More trips to Arlington, MA

Fall River, MA 58.8 mi Haverhill, MA 32.7 mi Brockton, MA 31.4 mi Lawrence, MA 24.4 mi City of Lowell, MA 21.4 mi Lowell, MA 21 mi

Explore more options from Quincy, MA or browse trips ending in Arlington, MA.

Looking for more statewide routes? Browse MA road trips.

Explore maps for Quincy, MA or Arlington, MA on MapSof.net.