How far is Boston, MA from Waltham, MA?

The driving distance from Boston, MA to Waltham, MA is about 11.2 miles (18.1 km), with a travel time of about 00h 23m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 9.1 miles (14.6 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 00h 46m of driving time before adding stops, traffic, or weather delays.
  • A comfortable departure window is usually 7:00 AM to 7:00 PM EDT.
Trip Tools

Reverse, save, or send this route

This is an easy same-day return drive. Copy the route link, send it to another device, or print a clean version before you head out.

Reverse Route
Quick Snapshot
Road
11.23 mi
00h 23m
Flight
9.07 mi
14.59 km direct

This is an easy same-day return drive.

Learn Distance

Choose another destination from Boston.

Flight Distance

Direct air line
9.07 mi
Kilometers
14.59 km
Flight Time
00h 01m

Driving Distance

Road route
11.23 mi
Kilometers
18.08 km
Drive Time
00h 23m

Gas Cost Calculator

Leave and Arrive Planner

Pick a departure time to see your estimated arrival and same-day return window.

Drive time stays fixed at 00h 23m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in Waltham
Tue, May 12, 7:16 PM EDT
Return by in Boston
Tue, May 12, 7:39 PM EDT
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave Boston
2026-05-12T18:53
Arrive Waltham
Tue, May 12, 7:16 PM EDT
Route Timing
00h 23m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
7:00 AM to 7:00 PM EDT
Leave when it suits your day
Arrive between
7:23 AM to 7:23 PM EDT

This is a short drive, so your comfort window is wide. Traffic and current weather matter more than the clock.

Leave by
7:44 PM EDT
Keeps a same-day return open with about 01h 30m at the destination.
Back in Boston
10:00 PM EDT
Flexible departure

This departure sits inside the recommended comfort window for the route.

Halfway Point

A useful midpoint for breaks, coffee, or meeting in the middle.

Mid-route stop
Watertown
MA

City in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States

From Boston
5.3 mi
00h 11m
To Waltham
6 mi
00h 11m

Route Weather Snapshot

Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.

Origin
39°F
Overnight

Mostly Cloudy

Starts
Tue, May 12 5:00 AM EDT
Wind
6 mph N
Destination
43°F
Overnight

Mostly Cloudy

Starts
Tue, May 12 4:00 AM EDT
Wind
6 mph N

Driving Route Map

The map below follows the saved road route between Boston and Waltham.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Boston and Waltham.

  1. 1

    Start on Tremont Street

    1.2 km · 3 min · Tremont Street

  2. 2

    Continue on Tremont Street

    92 m · 17 sec · Tremont Street

  3. 3

    Continue on Tremont Street

    147 m · 21 sec · Tremont Street

  4. 4

    Turn right onto Marginal Road

    96 m · 13 sec · Marginal Road

  5. 5

    Take the ramp straight toward I 90 West, Massachusetts Turnpike Toll West

    753 ft · 12 sec

  6. 6

    Merge slight left onto Massachusetts Turnpike

    5.7 mi · 8 min · Massachusetts Turnpike

  7. 7

    Take the exit slight right toward Newton, Watertown

    1725 ft · 49 sec

  8. 8

    Keep slight right to continue on Watertown

    82 m · 9 sec

  9. 9

    Turn slight right onto Centre Street

    611 ft · 25 sec · Centre Street

  10. 10

    Continue on Galen Street

    2502 ft · 1 min · Galen Street

  11. 11

    Turn sharp left onto Main Street

    2.9 mi · 6 min · Main Street

  12. 12

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec · Main Street

Car Route Details

A richer read on the saved driving route between Boston and Waltham.

OSRM road route
Drive Character

Turn-heavy local drive

The route has frequent decision points for its length, so lane choice and turn timing will matter more than cruising speed.

Directions
12 steps
5 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
3
1 merges, 2 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
107.1 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
Massachusetts Turnpike
5.65 mi · 50%
Main Street
2.88 mi · 26%
Tremont Street
0.9 mi · 8%
Galen Street
0.47 mi · 4%
Newton
0.33 mi · 3%
I 90 West
0.14 mi · 1%
Longest Stretch

Massachusetts Turnpike

Merge slight left onto Massachusetts Turnpike

5.65 mi · 00h 08m

Route Summary

A quick read on whether this route feels easy, ambitious, or worth planning around.

Trip Read

A short regional drive

This route is short enough to handle as a quick errand, commute, or easy same-day return without much planning overhead.

Drive Time
00h 23m
Quick drive
Same-Day Return
00h 46m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+2.1 mi
9.1 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
Watertown
00h 11m from Boston
Leave By
7:44 PM EDT
Flexible departure
Weather Watch

Mostly Cloudy leaving Boston and Mostly Cloudy near Waltham.

Trip Questions

Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.

How long does it take to drive from Boston to Waltham?

The road trip is about 11.2 miles (18.1 km) and usually takes 00h 23m in normal driving conditions.

Is this a same-day trip or an overnight route?

This route is short enough to handle as a quick errand, commute, or easy same-day return without much planning overhead.

What is the halfway point on this route?

Watertown is a useful midpoint, sitting about 5.3 miles from Boston and 6 miles from Waltham.

How much longer is the road route than the straight-line distance?

The direct path is about 9.1 miles (14.6 km), while the road route adds roughly 2.1 extra miles because roads do not follow the straight air line.

When is the best time to leave for this route?

A good departure window is usually 7:00 AM to 7:00 PM EDT. If you want a more comfortable same-day return, try to leave by 7:44 PM EDT.

How much will gas cost for this route?

Using about 28.3 MPG, regular gas is estimated at $1.56 one way or $3.11 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 3.6 kg one way.

What should you check before leaving?

Before you leave, expect Mostly Cloudy around Boston and Mostly Cloudy near Waltham.

Stop Ideas Near Watertown

Useful break, food, and waypoint ideas within about 15 miles of the route midpoint.

Mid-route Guidance
These suggestions come from reviewed places and nearby services around Watertown and the surrounding midpoint area.
Cocobeet - Boston
Food stop 4.6 mi away

Cocobeet - Boston

Boston , MA
100 City Hall Plaza, Boston, MA 02108
Rating 4.4/5 198 reviews Health food restaurant,Juice shop,Raw food restaurant,Vegan restaurant
Boston's Old City Hall
Scenic stop 4.6 mi away

Boston's Old City Hall

Boston , MA
45 School St, Boston, MA 02108, United States
Rating 4.6/5 346 reviews Tourist attraction,Historical landmark
Cambridge City Hall
Meeting point 2.3 mi away

Cambridge City Hall

Cambridge , MA
795 Massachusetts Ave, Cambridge, MA 02139
Rating 4.4/5 47 reviews City Hall,City government office
Shoppers World
Nearby stop 13.2 mi away

Shoppers World

Framingham , MA
1 Worcester Rd, Framingham, MA 01701, United States
Rating 4.3/5 2,625 reviews Shopping mall

Transit and Meeting Points

Useful pickup, handoff, or rendezvous points close to Watertown.

RAIL

Back Bay station

9 mi away
145 Dartmouth St.
RAIL

North Station

10 mi away
100 Legends Way
RAIL

South Station

11 mi away
2 South Station
RAIL

Anderson Regional Transportation Center

16 mi away
100 Atlantic Ave.

Flight Path Map

This map shows the direct air route between Boston and Waltham. Straight-line distance: 9.07 mi (14.59 km).

Boston

#1 Boston

The twenty-first most populous city in the United States and the center of the Boston metropolitan area.

Population691,531
Coordinates42.3584300, -71.0597700
Altitude14
CountryUnited States
Waltham

#2 Waltham

A city in Middlesex County, Massachusetts.

Population62,069
Coordinates42.3764900, -71.2356100
Altitude20
CountryUnited States
Start: Tremont Street (-71.060061, 42.358547)
End: Main Street (-71.235588, 42.376412)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 18 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)00h 22m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)00h 16m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)00h 13m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)00h 11m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)00h 09m
80 mph (129 km/h)00h 08m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
0.4 gal
1.5 L · about $1.56
Round trip
$3.11
0.8 gal · 3 L
Estimated CO2
3.6 kg one way
Round trip: 7.1 kg / 16 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $3.89 $1.56 $3.11
Mid-grade $4.40 $1.76 $3.52
Premium $4.80 $1.92 $3.84
Diesel $4.49 $1.80 $3.59

Assumes 8.3 L/100 km (about 28.3 MPG). CO2 is an estimate and varies by vehicle, fuel blend, traffic, and terrain.

Prices in Massachusetts · May 12, 2026

There is no time difference between Boston and Waltham. The current time is 18:53:17.

Distance to Other Cities

Planning a road trip? See the full trip guide on Trip.ovh — stops, fuel costs, weather, and departure timing.

How did we calculate? Place names are translated into coordinates. The Haversine formula calculates straight-line distance; driving distance uses road network data.