How far is Waltham, MA from Arlington, MA?

The driving distance from Waltham, MA to Arlington, MA is about 5.4 miles (8.7 km), with a travel time of about 00h 10m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 4.8 miles (7.8 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 00h 21m 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
5.39 mi
00h 10m
Flight
4.85 mi
7.81 km direct

This is an easy same-day return drive.

Learn Distance

Choose another destination from Waltham.

Flight Distance

Direct air line
4.85 mi
Kilometers
7.81 km
Flight Time

Driving Distance

Road route
5.39 mi
Kilometers
8.67 km
Drive Time
00h 10m

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 10m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in Arlington
Sat, Apr 18, 7:38 PM EDT
Return by in Waltham
Sat, Apr 18, 7:49 PM EDT
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave Waltham
2026-04-18T19:27
Arrive Arlington
Sat, Apr 18, 7:38 PM EDT
Route Timing
00h 10m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
7:00 AM to 7:00 PM EDT
Leave when it suits your day
Arrive between
7:11 AM to 7:11 PM EDT

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

Leave by
8:08 PM EDT
Keeps a same-day return open with about 01h 30m at the destination.
Back in Waltham
10:00 PM EDT
Flexible departure

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
Belmont
MA

Town in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States

From Waltham
2.7 mi
00h 05m
To Arlington
2.7 mi
00h 05m

Route Weather Snapshot

Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.

Origin
63°F
Saturday

Mostly Cloudy

Starts
Sat, Apr 18 6:00 AM EDT
Wind
7 mph E
Destination
61°F
Saturday

Mostly Cloudy

Starts
Sat, Apr 18 6:00 AM EDT
Wind
7 mph E

Driving Route Map

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

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

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

  1. 1

    Start on Main Street

    2829 ft · 1 min · Main Street

  2. 2

    Turn left onto Linden Street

    1946 ft · 33 sec · Linden Street

  3. 3

    Keep slight right to continue on Waverley Oaks Road

    1.3 mi · 2 min · Waverley Oaks Road

  4. 4

    Turn right onto Trapelo Road

    1691 ft · 42 sec · Trapelo Road

  5. 5

    Turn left onto Pleasant Street

    2.7 mi · 5 min · Pleasant Street

  6. 6

    Turn left onto Maple Street

    136 m · 22 sec · Maple Street

  7. 7

    Turn right

    97 m · 23 sec

  8. 8

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec

Car Route Details

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

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
8 steps
5 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
0
0 merges, 0 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
148.1 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
Pleasant Street
2.69 mi · 50%
Waverley Oaks Road
1.32 mi · 25%
Main Street
0.54 mi · 10%
Linden Street
0.37 mi · 7%
Trapelo Road
0.32 mi · 6%
Maple Street
0.08 mi · 2%
Longest Stretch

Pleasant Street

Turn left onto Pleasant Street

2.69 mi · 00h 05m

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 10m
Quick drive
Same-Day Return
00h 22m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+0.6 mi
4.8 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
Belmont
00h 05m from Waltham
Leave By
8:08 PM EDT
Flexible departure
Weather Watch

Mostly Cloudy leaving Waltham and Mostly Cloudy near Arlington.

Trip Questions

Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.

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

The road trip is about 5.4 miles (8.7 km) and usually takes 00h 10m 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?

Belmont is a useful midpoint, sitting about 2.7 miles from Waltham and 2.7 miles from Arlington.

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

The direct path is about 4.8 miles (7.8 km), while the road route adds roughly 0.6 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 7:00 AM to 7:00 PM EDT. If you want a more comfortable same-day return, try to leave by 8:08 PM EDT.

How much will gas cost for this route?

Using about 28.3 MPG, regular gas is estimated at $0.74 one way or $1.48 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 1.7 kg one way.

What should you check before leaving?

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

Stop Ideas Near Belmont

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 Belmont and the surrounding midpoint area.
Cocobeet - Boston
Food stop 7 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 7 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 4.6 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 12.1 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 Belmont.

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

14 mi away
100 Atlantic Ave.

Flight Path Map

This map shows the direct air route between Waltham and Arlington. Straight-line distance: 4.85 mi (7.81 km).

Waltham

#1 Waltham

A city in Middlesex County, Massachusetts.

Population62,069
Coordinates42.3764900, -71.2356100
Altitude20
CountryUnited States
Arlington

#2 Arlington

Town in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States

Population45,169
Coordinates42.4153700, -71.1564400
Altitude20
CountryUnited States
Start: Waltham (-71.23561, 42.37649)
End: Arlington (-71.15644, 42.41537)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 9 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)00h 10m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)00h 08m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)00h 06m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)00h 05m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)00h 04m
80 mph (129 km/h)00h 04m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
0.19 gal
0.72 L · about $0.74
Round trip
$1.48
0.38 gal · 1.44 L
Estimated CO2
1.7 kg one way
Round trip: 3.4 kg / 7 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $3.89 $0.74 $1.48
Mid-grade $4.40 $0.84 $1.67
Premium $4.80 $0.91 $1.82
Diesel $4.49 $0.85 $1.71

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 18, 2026

There is no time difference between Waltham and Arlington. The current time is 19:27:44.

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.