How far is Nantucket, MA from Cambridge, MA?

The driving distance from Nantucket, MA to Cambridge, MA is about 104.1 miles (167.6 km), with a travel time of about 03h 52m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 91.5 miles (147.3 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 07h 45m of driving time before adding stops, traffic, or weather delays.
  • A comfortable departure window is usually 6:00 AM to 8:00 AM EDT.
Trip Tools

Reverse, save, or send this route

This drive is better planned with a longer stop or an overnight stay. Copy the route link, send it to another device, or print a clean version before you head out.

Reverse Route
Quick Snapshot
Road
104.11 mi
03h 52m
Flight
91.5 mi
147.25 km direct

This drive is better planned with a longer stop or an overnight stay.

Learn Distance

Choose another destination from Nantucket.

Flight Distance

Direct air line
91.5 mi
Kilometers
147.25 km
Flight Time
00h 11m

Driving Distance

Road route
104.11 mi
Kilometers
167.55 km
Drive Time
03h 52m

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 03h 52m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in Cambridge
Sun, Apr 19, 12:15 PM EDT
Return by in Nantucket
Sun, Apr 19, 4:08 PM EDT
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave Nantucket
2026-04-19T08:23
Arrive Cambridge
Sun, Apr 19, 12:15 PM EDT
Route Timing
03h 52m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
6:00 AM to 8:00 AM EDT
Leave early for more breathing room
Arrive between
9:53 AM to 11:53 AM EDT

An early departure helps you fit a real stop into the day without turning the return into a late-night drive.

Leave by
9:14 AM EDT
Keeps a same-day return open with about 04h 00m at the destination.
Back in Nantucket
9:00 PM EDT
Early departure recommended

You are leaving earlier than the recommended window, which gives you extra margin for breaks and traffic.

Halfway Point

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

Mid-route stop
White Island Shores
MA

Census-designated place in Plymouth County, Massachusetts

From Nantucket
51.6 mi
01h 56m
To Cambridge
52.5 mi
01h 56m

Route Weather Snapshot

Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.

Origin
Nantucket Weather
MA
Live fallback forecast
53°F
Sunday
Using Chatham as the closest live forecast in the Massachusetts weather hub.

Rain Showers Likely

Starts
Sun, Apr 19 6:00 AM EDT
Wind
12 to 18 mph SW
Destination
58°F
Sunday

Rain Showers Likely

Starts
Sun, Apr 19 6:00 AM EDT
Wind
6 to 10 mph SW

Driving Route Map

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

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

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

  1. 1

    Start on Centre Street

    68 m · 11 sec · Centre Street

  2. 2

    Turn right onto India Street

    536 ft · 29 sec · India Street

  3. 3

    At the end of the road, turn right onto South Water Street

    24 m · 6 sec · South Water Street

  4. 4

    Turn left onto Cambridge Street

    56 m · 14 sec · Cambridge Street

  5. 5

    Turn left onto Easy Street

    145 m · 12 sec · Easy Street

  6. 6

    Turn right onto Steamboat Wharf

    75 m · 14 sec · Steamboat Wharf

  7. 7

    Continue on Steamboat Wharf

    20 m · 6 sec · Steamboat Wharf

  8. 8

    Turn right

    44 m · 10 sec

  9. 9

    Continue on Hyannis - Nantucket

    28.3 mi · 2 hr 15 min · Hyannis - Nantucket

  10. 10

    Continue on Slip 1

    60 m · 15 sec · Slip 1

  11. 11

    Turn slight right

    117 m · 30 sec

  12. 12

    Turn right onto South Street

    624 ft · 20 sec · South Street

  13. 13

    At the end of the road, turn left onto Lewis Bay Road

    1081 ft · 24 sec · Lewis Bay Road

  14. 14

    Continue on Camp Street

    1480 ft · 30 sec · Camp Street

  15. 15

    Turn slight right onto Yarmouth Road

    36 m · 8 sec · Yarmouth Road

  16. 16

    Turn left onto Iyannough Road

    1.1 km · 1 min · Iyannough Road

  17. 17

    Enter the roundabout and take exit 1 toward Airport Rotary

    94 m · 6 sec · Iyannough Road

  18. 18

    Exit the rotary onto Iyannough Road

    3 mi · 6 min · Iyannough Road

  19. 19

    Take the ramp slight right toward US 6 West: Boston, Providence, RI

    1780 ft · 45 sec

  20. 20

    Merge slight left onto Mid Cape Highway

    13.1 mi · 18 min · Mid Cape Highway

  21. 21

    Continue on Sagamore Bridge

    2134 ft · 46 sec · Sagamore Bridge

  22. 22

    Continue on Pilgrim Highway

    1336 ft · 20 sec · Pilgrim Highway

  23. 23

    Continue on Pilgrims Highway

    42.3 mi · 53 min · Pilgrims Highway

  24. 24

    Continue on I 93 North: Boston

    8.4 mi · 11 min

  25. 25

    Continue on John F. Fitzgerald Expressway

    2.5 mi · 4 min · John F. Fitzgerald Expressway

  26. 26

    Take the exit slight right toward Storrow Drive

    2408 ft · 59 sec

  27. 27

    Keep slight left to continue on MA 28 North: Leverett Circle, North Station

    635 ft · 16 sec

  28. 28

    Keep slight left to continue on MA 28 North: O'Brien Highway

    65 m · 9 sec

  29. 29

    Continue on Charles River Dam Road

    1802 ft · 1 min · Charles River Dam Road

  30. 30

    Continue on Monsignor O'Brien Highway

    955 ft · 35 sec · Monsignor O'Brien Highway

  31. 31

    Turn left onto Cambridge Street

    1.4 mi · 5 min · Cambridge Street

  32. 32

    Turn right onto Line Street

    1062 ft · 52 sec · Line Street

  33. 33

    Turn left onto Leonard Avenue

    140 m · 20 sec · Leonard Avenue

  34. 34

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec · Leonard Avenue

Car Route Details

A richer read on the saved driving route between Nantucket and Cambridge.

OSRM road route
Drive Character

Highway-focused drive

Most of the mileage stays on named highways, so the important moments are ramps, exits, merges, and the final local approach.

Directions
34 steps
16 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
5
1 merges, 4 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
32.7 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
Pilgrims Highway
42.3 mi · 41%
Hyannis - Nantucket
28.3 mi · 27%
Mid Cape Highway
13.1 mi · 13%
I 93 North
8.41 mi · 8%
Iyannough Road
3.68 mi · 4%
John F. Fitzgerald Expressway
2.49 mi · 2%
Longest Stretch

Pilgrims Highway

Continue on Pilgrims Highway

42.3 mi · 00h 53m

Route Summary

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

Trip Read

A longer out-and-back drive

This is still possible in one day, but it becomes a long driving day. Leaving early and planning your stop window matters more here.

Drive Time
03h 52m
Long day trip
Same-Day Return
07h 46m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+12.6 mi
91.5 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
White Island Shores
01h 56m from Nantucket
Leave By
9:14 AM EDT
Early departure recommended
Weather Watch

Rain Showers Likely leaving Nantucket and Rain Showers Likely near Cambridge.

Trip Questions

Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.

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

The road trip is about 104.1 miles (167.6 km) and usually takes 03h 52m in normal driving conditions.

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

This is still possible in one day, but it becomes a long driving day. Leaving early and planning your stop window matters more here.

What is the halfway point on this route?

White Island Shores is a useful midpoint, sitting about 51.6 miles from Nantucket and 52.5 miles from Cambridge.

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

The direct path is about 91.5 miles (147.3 km), while the road route adds roughly 12.6 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 6:00 AM to 8:00 AM EDT. If you want a more comfortable same-day return, try to leave by 9:14 AM EDT.

How much will gas cost for this route?

Using about 28.3 MPG, regular gas is estimated at $14.28 one way or $28.55 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 32.6 kg one way.

What should you check before leaving?

Before you leave, expect Rain Showers Likely around Nantucket and Rain Showers Likely near Cambridge.

Stop Ideas Near White Island Shores

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

Mid-route Guidance
Local place coverage is thin around White Island Shores, so nearby transit and meeting points are shown instead.
Reviewed stop coverage is still thin around this midpoint, so practical transit waypoints are shown on the right.

Transit and Meeting Points

Useful pickup, handoff, or rendezvous points close to White Island Shores.

RAIL

Route 128 station

62 mi away
50 University Ave
RAIL

Providence station

65 mi away
100 Gaspee Street
RAIL

South Station

70 mi away
2 South Station
RAIL

Back Bay station

71 mi away
145 Dartmouth St.

Flight Path Map

This map shows the direct air route between Nantucket and Cambridge. Straight-line distance: 91.5 mi (147.25 km).

Nantucket

#1 Nantucket

Island of Massachusetts, United States

Population11,376
Coordinates41.2834600, -70.0994600
Altitude13
CountryUnited States
Cambridge

#2 Cambridge

The most populous city in Middlesex County, Massachusetts.

Population119,192
Coordinates42.3751000, -71.1056100
Altitude5
CountryUnited States
Start: Center Street (-70.099614, 41.283395)
End: Leonard Avenue (-71.105735, 42.375115)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 168 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)03h 28m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)02h 36m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)02h 04m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)01h 44m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)01h 29m
80 mph (129 km/h)01h 17m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
3.67 gal
13.91 L · about $14.28
Round trip
$28.55
7.34 gal · 27.82 L
Estimated CO2
32.6 kg one way
Round trip: 65.2 kg / 144 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $3.89 $14.28 $28.55
Mid-grade $4.40 $16.14 $32.27
Premium $4.80 $17.61 $35.22
Diesel $4.49 $16.47 $32.94

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 19, 2026

There is no time difference between Nantucket and Cambridge. The current time is 08:23:24.

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.