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Trip from Waltham, MA to Lynn, MA

Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 17, 2026 · Editorial standards

Drive Time

36m

Distance

19.5 mi

31 km

Drive Score

7/10

Good drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$3

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 9 min
4 AM
0h 33m ★
6 AM
0h 36m
8 AM
0h 42m
10 AM
0h 38m
12 PM
0h 38m
3 PM
0h 39m
5 PM
0h 42m
8 PM
0h 34m

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

Downtown Waltham, MA, MA

Waltham, MA

Wikimedia Commons

city in Essex County, Massachusetts, United States

Lynn, MA

Wikimedia Commons

Trip Overview

This straightforward 19.5-mile drive from Waltham to Lynn, Massachusetts, is easily manageable in about 36 minutes, making it an ideal single-day trip. You'll navigate primarily via Pleasant Street, Lynn Street, and Lincoln Avenue, with about 20% of the journey on highways. With a modest fuel cost estimated at $3, this route offers a quick and efficient connection within the Northeast region of Massachusetts. It’s a simple, direct journey perfect for when you need to get from point A to point B without much fuss.

Who Is This Route For?

Weekend Trip

Doable as a same-day drive at 36m. Total distance: 19.5 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

36m drive, comfortable solo distance.

EV Driver

0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.

Scenic Drive

Turn-heavy local drive route profile with national parks nearby.

Drive Character

Expect a 'turn-heavy' local drive for the majority of this trip. While 20% of the route incorporates highway driving, the personality of this journey is defined by its numerous turns and local street navigation. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is 1.9 miles along Pleasant Street. This means you'll be frequently adjusting speed and direction, experiencing a dynamic road that keeps you engaged rather than settling into a monotonous highway cruise. It’s a route that requires your attention to local traffic patterns and turns.

This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 38 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Pleasant Street is the longest continuous segment at about 1.9 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 around 0.5 miles in near MA 60 / Linden Street.

Driving Effort 8/10

Focused - busy navigation packed into a short drive

Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.

This is a short but busy drive. With 23 decision points packed into just 19.5 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 36m.

Where does it get tricky?

The main spots that need attention: at 0.5 miles (MA 60 / Linden Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 4.5 miles: Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 5.7 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.

Critical Maneuvers

5 of 23 key points

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

5
0.5 mi into trip | ~1m in | MA 60 / Linden Street

Turn left onto MA 60 / Linden Street

Lane positioning matters here

Use the left lane.
6
4.5 mi into trip | ~8m in

Take the ramp toward MA 2 East: Cambridge , Boston

Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Toward MA 2 East: Cambridge , Boston
7
5.7 mi into trip | ~9m in

Take the exit toward MA 16 East, US 3 North: Medford, Woburn

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

Use the straight / left lanes. Toward MA 16 East, US 3 North: Medford, Woburn
6
6.8 mi into trip | ~12m in | Powder House Boulevard

Turn right onto Powder House Boulevard

Lane positioning matters here

Use the right lane.
7
10.3 mi into trip | ~19m in | Krystyl K. Poirier Memorial Roadway

Enter roundabout onto Krystyl K. Poirier Memorial Roadway toward MA 99: Everett, Boston

Roundabout - know your exit number before entering. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Toward MA 99: Everett, Boston

Towns Mentioned on Route Signs

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

Between Waltham, MA and Lynn, MA, road signs point toward Boston, Woburn and Medford.

Boston

4.5 mi in | ~8m

Woburn

5.7 mi in | ~9m

Medford

5.8 mi in | ~10m | via US 3; MA 16

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
Pleasant Street 1.9 mi 3m
Lynn Street 1.6 mi 2m
Lincoln Avenue 1.6 mi 2m
Broadway 1.6 mi 2m
Waverley Oaks Road 1.3 mi 2m
Mystic Valley Parkway Connector 1.1 mi 2m
Western Avenue 1 mi 2m
Concord Turnpike 1 mi 1m
Longest stretch: Pleasant Street — 1.9 mi, about 3m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Waltham, MA and Lynn, MA.

1

Start on US 20

0.5 mi · 1 min · Main Street
Use the straight lane.
2

Turn left onto MA 60

0.4 mi · 33 sec · Linden Street
Use the left lane.
3

Keep slight right at fork onto MA 60

1.3 mi · 2 min · Waverley Oaks Road
4

Turn right onto MA 60

0.3 mi · 42 sec · Trapelo Road
Use the left lane.
5

Turn left onto MA 60

1.9 mi · 3 min · Pleasant Street
Use the left lane.
6

Turn right onto Lake Street

383 ft · 9 sec · Lake Street
7

Take the ramp

0.1 mi · 18 sec
Toward MA 2 East: Cambridge , Boston
8

Merge onto MA 2

1.0 mi · 1 min · Concord Turnpike
9

Take the exit

473 ft · 13 sec
Toward MA 16 East, US 3 North: Medford, Woburn Use the straight / left lanes.
10

Merge onto US 3; MA 16

1.0 mi · 2 min · Alewife Brook Parkway
Toward US 3 North, MA 16 East: Arlington, Medford
11

Turn right onto Powder House Boulevard

0.9 mi · 1 min · Powder House Boulevard
Use the right lane.
12

Enter roundabout

234 ft · 4 sec
13

Continue

28 ft · 0 sec
14

Continue on Warner Street

0.2 mi · 20 sec · Warner Street
15

Continue on Harvard Street

0.6 mi · 1 min · Harvard Street
16

Continue on Mystic Valley Parkway Connector

1.1 mi · 2 min · Mystic Valley Parkway Connector
Use the left / straight lanes.
17

Merge onto MA 16

0.6 mi · 1 min · Revere Beach Parkway
18

Enter roundabout onto Krystyl K. Poirier Memorial Roadway

0.2 mi · 16 sec · Krystyl K. Poirier Memorial Roadway
Toward MA 99: Everett, Boston
19

Continue on Krystyl K. Poirier Memorial Roadway

0.4 mi · 35 sec · Krystyl K. Poirier Memorial Roadway
Toward MA 99: Everett, Boston
20

Enter roundabout onto MA 99

485 ft · 8 sec · Broadway
21

Continue on MA 99

1.5 mi · 2 min · Broadway
22

Turn slight right onto Lynn Street

1.6 mi · 2 min · Lynn Street
Use the slight right / right lanes.
23

Continue on Salem Street

0.7 mi · 1 min · Salem Street
Use the left lane.
24

Continue on Lincoln Avenue

0.4 mi · 40 sec · Lincoln Avenue
25

Continue on Lincoln Avenue

1.2 mi · 2 min · Lincoln Avenue
26

Turn slight right

100 ft · 5 sec
27

Turn right onto Ballard Street

0.6 mi · 58 sec · Ballard Street
28

Turn left onto MA 107

0.1 mi · 18 sec · Salem Turnpike
29

Continue on MA 107

1.0 mi · 2 min · Western Avenue
Use the straight lane.
30

Enter roundabout onto Market Square

110 ft · 2 sec · Market Square
31

Continue on Market Square

0.2 mi · 13 sec · Market Square
32

Continue on South Common Street

0.5 mi · 49 sec · South Common Street
33

Continue on City Hall Square

0.1 mi · 11 sec · City Hall Square
34

Continue on Central Avenue

0.1 mi · 10 sec · Central Avenue
35

Turn left onto Liberty Street

0.2 mi · 31 sec · Liberty Street
36

Turn left onto Essex Street

0.2 mi · 23 sec · Essex Street
37

Turn right onto Rogers Avenue

66 ft · 2 sec · Rogers Avenue
38

Arrive at destination

Rogers Avenue

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$3.12 one way

$6.24 round trip

$4.07/gal 25.4 MPG avg 7 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.43 $3.40 $6.81
premium $4.82 $3.70 $7.41
diesel $5.61 $4.31 $8.61

Estimated Tolls: $0.07

Concord Turnpike (1 mi) $0.07

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

Drive Cost (one way)

Fuel

$3

Tolls

$0

Total

$3

Estimated CO2 emission: 6.8 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $2 in charging · 0 stops · 71% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 5.9 0 $2.05 $0.94
Efficient EV 4.9 0 $1.71 $0.78
EV Truck/SUV 7.8 0 $2.73 $1.25

Gas CO2

7 kg

EV CO2

2 kg (71% 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 16, 2026

Origin

Waltham, MA

Morning in Waltham on Friday

Local time

9:08 AM

EDT

Current temp

63°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Lynn, MA

Morning in Lynn on Friday

Local time

9:08 AM

EDT

Current temp

54°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

9 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

36m 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 Lynn, MA covers 19.5 miles and takes about 36m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.

The main roads are Pleasant Street, Lynn Street, Lincoln Avenue. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.

This is a comfortable same-day trip.

The midpoint is about 9.7 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 $3.12 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 23 decision points packed into just 19.5 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 36m.

The main spots that need attention: at 0.5 miles (MA 60 / Linden Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 4.5 miles: Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 5.7 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.

Between Waltham, MA and Lynn, MA, road signs point toward Boston, Woburn and Medford.

Yes. Nearby national parks include Boston National Historical Park, Salem Maritime National Historical Park and Minute Man National Historical Park. There are 6 parks within detour distance of this route.

How this page is built

Compiled and maintained by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy (Helsinki). Each route is built from authoritative open government and mapping datasets rather than crowdsourced reviews. Distances and geometry come from OSRM over OpenStreetMap. Fuel cost uses EIA weekly regional averages. National park proximity is from the NPS API. Pages are published only after passing our data-quality checks; our methodology page documents refresh cadence, editorial standards, and known limitations.

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