Origin
Waltham, MA
Afternoon in Waltham on Sunday
Local time
3:55 PM
EDT
Current temp
76°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Waltham, MA to Amesbury, MA
Drive Time
1h 6m
Distance
49.9 mi
80 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$8
one way
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 1m
★
6 AM
1h 6m
8 AM
1h 17m
10 AM
1h 10m
12 PM
1h 9m
3 PM
1h 10m
5 PM
1h 16m
8 PM
1h 3m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Waltham, MA
Pixabay
Amesbury, MA
Italo Melo
Trip Overview
The drive from Waltham, MA to Amesbury, MA covers 49.9 miles and takes about 1h 6m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on I 495, US 3, Yankee Division Highway for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is highway-focused drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 27.8 miles on I 495. At current regular gas prices, budget about $7.94 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
25 miles from Waltham, MA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 34m into the drive .
Drive Character
This is a 1h 6m highway drive covering 49.9 miles, with most of the trip on I 495 and US 3. The longest continuous stretch is about 27.8 miles on I 495.
Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 19 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
I 495 is the longest continuous segment at about 27.8 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 495 and US 3. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near Church Street.
Route Complexity
10/10
High effort - long or complex enough to need steady focus all day
This is a demanding drive. With 16 significant decision points across 49.9 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: near the start (Church Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 8.7 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 8.9 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 16 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
6
0 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
Church Street
Turn left onto Church Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
8
8.7 mi into trip
|
~13m in
Take the exit toward US 3 North: Lowell, Middlesex Turnpike, Burlington, Nashua New Hampshire
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 50A-B
Toward US 3 North: Lowell, Middlesex Turnpike,...
9
8.9 mi into trip
|
~14m in
Keep slight right at fork toward US 3 North: Lowell, Nashua New Hampshire
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 50A
Toward US 3 North: Lowell, Nashua New Hampshire
9
19 mi into trip
|
~26m in
|
Lowell Connector
Keep slight right at fork onto Lowell Connector toward I 495 North: Lowell, Chelmsford, Lawrence
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 80-81A
Toward I 495 North: Lowell, Chelmsford, Lawrenc...
7
19.7 mi into trip
|
~27m in
Take the exit toward I 495 North: Lawrence
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 81A
Toward I 495 North: Lawrence
Towns Along This Route
Between Waltham, MA and Amesbury, MA, road signs point toward Middlesex Turnpike, Burlington, Nashua New Hampshire, Chelmsford and Lawrence.
Middlesex Turnpike
8.7 mi in
|
~13m
Burlington
8.7 mi in
|
~13m
Nashua New Hampshire
8.7 mi in
|
~13m
Chelmsford
19 mi in
|
~26m
|
via Lowell Connector
Lawrence
19 mi in
|
~26m
|
via Lowell Connector
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 495 | 27.8 mi | 32m |
| US 3 | 9.4 mi | 10m |
| Yankee Division Highway | 6 mi | 8m |
| MA 150 | 1.5 mi | 3m |
| Totten Pond Road | 1.2 mi | 1m |
| Lexington Street | 0.8 mi | 2m |
| Lowell Connector | 0.6 mi | <1m |
| Wyman Street | 0.3 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
I 495
— 27.8 mi, about 32m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Waltham, MA and Amesbury, MA.
1
Start on US 20
184 ft
·
8 sec
·
Main Street
2
Turn left onto Church Street
431 ft
·
13 sec
·
Church Street
Use the left lane.
3
Turn left
394 ft
·
16 sec
Use the left lane.
4
Turn right onto Lexington Street
0.8 mi
·
2 min
·
Lexington Street
Use the left / straight lanes.
5
Keep slight left at fork onto Totten Pond Road
1.2 mi
·
1 min
·
Totten Pond Road
6
Turn right onto Wyman Street
0.3 mi
·
33 sec
·
Wyman Street
7
Take the ramp
0.2 mi
·
25 sec
8
Merge onto I 95; MA 128
6.0 mi
·
8 min
·
Yankee Division Highway
Use the none lane.
9
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
21 sec
Exit 50A-B
Toward US 3 North: Lowell, Middlesex Turnpike, Burlington, Nashua New Hampshire
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Keep slight right at fork
0.3 mi
·
49 sec
Exit 50A
Toward US 3 North: Lowell, Nashua New Hampshire
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Continue on this road
0.4 mi
·
35 sec
·
this road
Exit 50A
Toward US 3 North: Lowell, Nashua New Hampshire
12
Continue on US 3
9.4 mi
·
10 min
·
US 3
Use the none lane.
13
Keep slight right at fork onto Lowell Connector
0.6 mi
·
52 sec
·
Lowell Connector
Exit 80-81A
Toward I 495 North: Lowell, Chelmsford, Lawrence
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
14
Take the exit
0.7 mi
·
1 min
Exit 81A
Toward I 495 North: Lawrence
Use the slight right lane.
15
Merge onto I 495
28 mi
·
32 min
·
I 495
Use the none / straight / slight right lanes.
16
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
33 sec
Exit 118
Toward MA 150: Amesbury
17
Turn right onto MA 150
1.5 mi
·
3 min
·
MA 150
18
Continue on MA 150
233 ft
·
4 sec
·
Market Street
19
Arrive at destination
MA 150
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 25 miles from Waltham, MA, or about 34m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 27.8 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 49.9 miles or 1h 6m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 25 miles or 34m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 54m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Amesbury, MA than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Waltham, 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 Waltham, MA
This is one driving day of about 49.9 miles and 1h 6m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 80 miles from Waltham, 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 I 495 for about 27.8 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 25 mi from Waltham, MA · 34m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
25 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
Arriving in Amesbury, MA
The final approach into Amesbury, 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 Amesbury, 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
$7.94 one way
$15.89 round trip
$4.04/gal
25.4 MPG avg
18 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.40 | $8.64 | $17.28 |
| premium | $4.80 | $9.43 | $18.86 |
| diesel | $5.64 | $11.09 | $22.17 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$8
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$33–$58
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 17.5 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-06.
Driving Electric?
About $5 in charging · 0 stops · 65% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 15 | 0 | $5.24 | $2.40 |
| Efficient EV | 12.5 | 0 | $4.37 | $2.00 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 20 | 0 | $6.99 | $3.19 |
Gas CO2
17 kg
EV CO2
6 kg (65% 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
Amesbury, MA
Afternoon in Amesbury on Sunday
Local time
3:55 PM
EDT
Current temp
73°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
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
3 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 6m 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 Waltham, MA to Amesbury, MA covers 49.9 miles and takes about 1h 6m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are I 495, US 3, Yankee Division Highway. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 25 miles from Waltham, MA. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $7.94 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 16 significant decision points across 49.9 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: near the start (Church Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 8.7 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 8.9 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Between Waltham, MA and Amesbury, MA, road signs point toward Middlesex Turnpike, Burlington, Nashua New Hampshire, Chelmsford and Lawrence.
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