How far is Cambridge, MA from Lexington, MA?

The driving distance from Cambridge, MA to Lexington, MA is about 9.2 miles (14.8 km), with a travel time of about 00h 19m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 7.8 miles (12.6 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 00h 38m 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
9.19 mi
00h 19m
Flight
7.85 mi
12.64 km direct

This is an easy same-day return drive.

Learn Distance

Choose another destination from Cambridge.

Flight Distance

Direct air line
7.85 mi
Kilometers
12.64 km
Flight Time

Driving Distance

Road route
9.19 mi
Kilometers
14.79 km
Drive Time
00h 19m

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 19m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in Lexington
Fri, Apr 10, 11:03 AM EDT
Return by in Cambridge
Fri, Apr 10, 11:22 AM EDT
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave Cambridge
2026-04-10T10:43
Arrive Lexington
Fri, Apr 10, 11:03 AM EDT
Route Timing
00h 19m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
7:00 AM to 7:00 PM EDT
Leave when it suits your day
Arrive between
7:19 AM to 7:19 PM EDT

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

Leave by
7:52 PM EDT
Keeps a same-day return open with about 01h 30m at the destination.
Back in Cambridge
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
Arlington
MA

Town in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States

From Cambridge
4.6 mi
00h 09m
To Lexington
4.6 mi
00h 09m

Route Weather Snapshot

Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.

Origin
64°F
Today

Sunny

Starts
Fri, Apr 10 7:00 AM EDT
Wind
7 to 14 mph SW
Destination
66°F
Friday

Sunny

Starts
Fri, Apr 10 2:00 AM EDT
Wind
3 to 13 mph SW

Driving Route Map

The map below follows the saved road route between Cambridge and Lexington.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Cambridge and Lexington.

  1. 1

    Start on Leonard Avenue

    81 m · 14 sec · Leonard Avenue

  2. 2

    Turn right onto Cambridge Street

    1.1 km · 3 min · Cambridge Street

  3. 3

    Continue on Cambridge Street

    33 m · 4 sec · Cambridge Street

  4. 4

    Turn left onto Massachusetts Avenue

    49 m · 7 sec · Massachusetts Avenue

  5. 5

    Turn right onto Garden Street

    1679 ft · 1 min · Garden Street

  6. 6

    Continue on Concord Avenue

    1.1 mi · 3 min · Concord Avenue

  7. 7

    Enter the roundabout and take exit 2 toward Brodette Memorial Circle

    14 m · 2 sec · Concord Avenue

  8. 8

    Exit the rotary onto Concord Avenue

    875 ft · 32 sec · Concord Avenue

  9. 9

    Keep slight right to continue on Alewife Brook Parkway

    1 km · 53 sec · Alewife Brook Parkway

  10. 10

    Keep slight left to continue on Concord Turnpike

    3.2 mi · 5 min · Concord Turnpike

  11. 11

    Take the exit slight right toward MA 4 North, MA 225 West: Lexington, Bedford

    1168 ft · 32 sec

  12. 12

    Keep slight right to continue on MA 4 North, MA 225 West: Lexington, Bedford, Boston

    1378 ft · 34 sec

  13. 13

    Turn slight right onto Watertown Street

    1642 ft · 28 sec · Watertown Street

  14. 14

    Enter the roundabout and take exit 1 toward Pleasant Street

    11 m · 1 sec · Pleasant Street

  15. 15

    Exit the roundabout onto Pleasant Street

    2589 ft · 50 sec · Pleasant Street

  16. 16

    At the end of the road, turn left onto Massachusetts Avenue

    1.6 mi · 3 min · Massachusetts Avenue

  17. 17

    Turn right

    94 m · 23 sec

  18. 18

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec

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 19m
Quick drive
Same-Day Return
00h 38m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+1.4 mi
7.8 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
Arlington
00h 09m from Cambridge
Leave By
7:52 PM EDT
Flexible departure
Weather Watch

Sunny leaving Cambridge and Sunny near Lexington.

Trip Questions

Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.

How long does it take to drive from Cambridge to Lexington?

The road trip is about 9.2 miles (14.8 km) and usually takes 00h 19m 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?

Arlington is a useful midpoint, sitting about 4.6 miles from Cambridge and 4.6 miles from Lexington.

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

The direct path is about 7.8 miles (12.6 km), while the road route adds roughly 1.4 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 7:52 PM EDT.

How much will gas cost for this route?

Using about 28.3 MPG, regular gas is estimated at $1.24 one way or $2.49 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 2.8 kg one way.

What should you check before leaving?

Before you leave, expect Sunny around Cambridge and Sunny near Lexington.

Stop Ideas Near Arlington

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 Arlington and the surrounding midpoint area.
Cocobeet - Boston
Food stop 6.5 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 6.6 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 4.3 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 13.7 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 Arlington.

RAIL

North Station

10 mi away
100 Legends Way
RAIL

Back Bay station

10 mi away
145 Dartmouth St.
RAIL

South Station

11 mi away
2 South Station
RAIL

Anderson Regional Transportation Center

11 mi away
100 Atlantic Ave.

Flight Path Map

This map shows the direct air route between Cambridge and Lexington. Straight-line distance: 7.85 mi (12.64 km).

Cambridge

#1 Cambridge

The most populous city in Middlesex County, Massachusetts.

Population119,192
Coordinates42.3751000, -71.1056100
Altitude5
CountryUnited States
Lexington

#2 Lexington

Town in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States

Population33,003
Coordinates42.4473200, -71.2245000
Altitude65
CountryUnited States
Start: Cambridge (-71.10561, 42.3751)
End: Lexington (-71.2245, 42.44732)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 15 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)00h 18m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)00h 13m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)00h 11m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)00h 09m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)00h 07m
80 mph (129 km/h)00h 06m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
0.32 gal
1.23 L · about $1.24
Round trip
$2.49
0.64 gal · 2.46 L
Estimated CO2
2.8 kg one way
Round trip: 5.7 kg / 13 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $3.89 $1.24 $2.49
Mid-grade $4.40 $1.41 $2.81
Premium $4.80 $1.54 $3.07
Diesel $4.49 $1.44 $2.87

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 · Apr 10, 2026

There is no time difference between Cambridge and Lexington. The current time is 10:43:58.

Distance to Other Cities

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