Origin
Winthrop, MA
Evening in Winthrop on Thursday
Local time
6:12 PM
EDT
Current temp
63°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Winthrop, MA to Cambridge, MA
Last recalculated Apr 16, 2026
Drive Time
19m
Distance
8.3 mi
13 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$1
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 18m
★
6 AM
0h 20m
8 AM
0h 23m
10 AM
0h 21m
12 PM
0h 20m
3 PM
0h 21m
5 PM
0h 23m
8 PM
0h 19m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Winthrop, MA
Phil Evenden
Cambridge, MA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
The drive from Winthrop, MA to Cambridge, MA covers 8.3 miles and takes about 19m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on Cambridge Street, East Boston Expressway, Sumner Tunnel for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 1.4 miles on Cambridge Street. At current regular gas prices, budget about $1.33 one way before food or hotel costs.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 19m. Total distance: 8.3 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
19m 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 19m drive with frequent turns across 8.3 miles of local and secondary roads.
This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 20 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Cambridge Street is the longest continuous segment at about 1.4 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 2.1 miles in near MA 1A / McClellan Highway.
Driving Effort
9/10
Focused - lots of decisions in a short distance, but it is over quickly
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 11 decision points packed into just 8.3 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 19m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 2.1 miles (MA 1A / McClellan Highway): Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach. Lane positioning matters here; at 5.2 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 5.9 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 11 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
5
2.1 mi into trip
|
~4m in
|
MA 1A / McClellan Highway
Turn sharp left onto MA 1A / McClellan Highway
Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach. Lane positioning matters here
Use the left / straight lanes.
7
5.2 mi into trip
|
~10m in
Keep slight right at fork toward MA 3 North: Storrow Drive
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Toward MA 3 North: Storrow Drive
6
5.9 mi into trip
|
~11m in
Keep slight left at fork toward MA 28 North: Leverett Circle, North Station
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward MA 28 North: Leverett Circle, North Stat...
8
6 mi into trip
|
~11m in
Keep slight left at fork toward MA 28 North: O'Brien Highway
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
Toward MA 28 North: O'Brien Highway
6
6.6 mi into trip
|
~13m in
|
Cambridge Street
Turn left onto Cambridge Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left / straight lanes.
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Winthrop, MA and Cambridge, MA, road signs point toward Station and Somerville.
Station
5.9 mi in
|
~11m
Somerville
6.4 mi in
|
~13m
|
via MA 28
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Cambridge Street | 1.4 mi | 4m |
| East Boston Expressway | 1.2 mi | 2m |
| Sumner Tunnel | 1.1 mi | 2m |
| Saratoga Street | 0.7 mi | 1m |
| McClellan Highway | 0.7 mi | 1m |
| Main Street | 0.4 mi | <1m |
| MA 3 | 0.4 mi | <1m |
| Boardman Street | 0.4 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Cambridge Street
— 1.4 mi, about 4m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Winthrop, MA and Cambridge, MA.
1
Start on Winthrop Street
0.2 mi
·
16 sec
·
Winthrop Street
2
Continue on Hermon Street
0.4 mi
·
58 sec
·
Hermon Street
3
At end of road, turn left onto Main Street
0.4 mi
·
49 sec
·
Main Street
4
Continue on MA 145
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
Saratoga Street
5
Enter roundabout onto Boardman Street
26 ft
·
0 sec
·
Boardman Street
6
Continue on Boardman Street
0.4 mi
·
43 sec
·
Boardman Street
7
Turn sharp left onto MA 1A
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
McClellan Highway
Use the left / straight lanes.
8
Continue on MA 1A
0.6 mi
·
56 sec
·
East Boston Expressway
9
Keep slight right at fork onto MA 1A
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
East Boston Expressway
Toward MA 1A South: Sumner Tunnel
10
Continue on MA 1A
1.1 mi
·
2 min
·
Sumner Tunnel
11
Keep slight right at fork
0.3 mi
·
33 sec
Toward MA 3 North: Storrow Drive
Use the slight right lane.
12
Continue on MA 3
0.4 mi
·
54 sec
·
MA 3
13
Keep slight left at fork
0.1 mi
·
15 sec
Toward MA 28 North: Leverett Circle, North Station
14
Keep slight left at fork
213 ft
·
9 sec
Toward MA 28 North: O'Brien Highway
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
15
Continue on MA 28
0.3 mi
·
1 min
·
Charles River Dam Road
Use the straight lane.
16
Continue on MA 28
0.2 mi
·
34 sec
·
Monsignor O'Brien Highway
Toward MA 28 North: O'Brien Highway, Somerville
Use the straight lane.
17
Turn left onto Cambridge Street
1.4 mi
·
4 min
·
Cambridge Street
Use the left / straight lanes.
18
Turn right onto Line Street
0.2 mi
·
51 sec
·
Line Street
19
Turn left onto Leonard Avenue
460 ft
·
19 sec
·
Leonard Avenue
20
Arrive at destination
Leonard Avenue
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$1.33 one way
$2.66 round trip
$4.07/gal
25.4 MPG avg
3 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.43 | $1.45 | $2.90 |
| premium | $4.82 | $1.58 | $3.15 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $1.83 | $3.67 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$1
Estimated CO2 emission: 2.9 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $1 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 2.5 | 0 | $0.87 | $0.40 |
| Efficient EV | 2.1 | 0 | $0.73 | $0.33 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 3.3 | 0 | $1.16 | $0.53 |
Gas CO2
3 kg
EV CO2
1 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
Cambridge, MA
Evening in Cambridge on Thursday
Local time
6:12 PM
EDT
Current temp
62°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
1 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
19m 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 Winthrop, MA to Cambridge, MA covers 8.3 miles and takes about 19m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Cambridge Street, East Boston Expressway, Sumner Tunnel. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 4.1 miles from Winthrop, MA. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $1.33 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 11 decision points packed into just 8.3 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 19m.
The main spots that need attention: at 2.1 miles (MA 1A / McClellan Highway): Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach. Lane positioning matters here; at 5.2 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 5.9 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Between Winthrop, MA and Cambridge, MA, road signs point toward Station and Somerville.
Yes. Nearby national parks include Boston National Historical Park, Boston Harbor Islands National Recreation Area and Adams National Historical Park. There are 6 parks within detour distance of this route.
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