Trip from Amherst, MA to Lawrence, MA

Drive Time

1h 43m

Distance

90.4 mi

145 km

Drive Score

7/10

Good drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$14

one way

Downtown Lawrence, MA, MA

Photo: cottonbro studio

Trip Overview

The drive from Amherst, MA to Lawrence, MA covers 90.4 miles and takes about 1h 43m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.

The route leans on South Pleasant Street, College Street, Dickinson Street for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. At current regular gas prices, budget about $14.39 one way before food or hotel costs.

Trip Pace

Same-day drive is realistic

A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.

Break Rhythm

0 planned breaks

A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.

Midpoint

45.2 miles from Amherst, MA

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 51m into the drive .

Drive Character

Expect a 1h 43m drive with frequent turns across 90.4 miles of local and secondary roads.

This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 24 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
South Pleasant Street is one of the defining roads on this drive.

How Hard Is This Drive?

Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. Navigation is very simple — set it and forget it for most of the drive.

Route Complexity 1/10

Very easy - short and simple to drive

The drive from Amherst, MA to Lawrence, MA is easy. At 1h 43m with 0% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.

Where does it get tricky?

This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Amherst, MA to Lawrence, MA is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
South Pleasant Street Unavailable Refreshing
College Street Unavailable Refreshing
Dickinson Street Unavailable Refreshing
Main Street Unavailable Refreshing
Pelham Road Unavailable Refreshing
Amherst Road Unavailable Refreshing
Daniel Shays Highway Unavailable Refreshing
Concord Turnpike Unavailable Refreshing

Per-road distance and duration are being refreshed from OSRM for this route.

Longest stretch: South Pleasant Street — detailed segment metrics are refreshing.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Amherst, MA and Lawrence, MA.

1

Start on Depot Road

449 ft · 20 sec · Depot Road
2

Turn right onto South Pleasant Street

0.4 mi · 53 sec · South Pleasant Street
3

Turn right onto College Street

0.3 mi · 55 sec · College Street
4

Turn left onto Dickinson Street

0.2 mi · 24 sec · Dickinson Street
5

At the end of the road, turn right onto Main Street

0.9 mi · 2 min · Main Street
6

Continue on Pelham Road

0.9 mi · 1 min · Pelham Road
7

Continue on Amherst Road

4.2 mi · 8 min · Amherst Road
8

Turn left onto Daniel Shays Highway

14 mi · 23 min · Daniel Shays Highway
9

Take the ramp slight right

18 mi · 25 min
10

Continue straight

12 mi · 17 min
11

Keep slight left to continue on Concord Turnpike

12 mi · 16 min · Concord Turnpike
12

Take the exit slight right toward I 495 North: Lowell

0.5 mi · 59 sec · I 495 North: Lowell
13

Keep slight left to continue on I 495 North: Lowell, Lawrence

0.2 mi · 24 sec · I 495 North: Lowell, Lawrence
14

Merge slight left

22 mi · 24 min
15

Take the exit slight right toward MA 28 North: Lawrence

0.3 mi · 52 sec · MA 28 North: Lawrence
16

Turn straight onto Union Street

0.2 mi · 22 sec · Union Street
17

Keep slight right to continue on South Union Street

0.7 mi · 1 min · South Union Street
18

Turn left onto Winthrop Avenue

0.3 mi · 36 sec · Winthrop Avenue
19

Continue on Parker Street

0.5 mi · 56 sec · Parker Street
20

Continue on Amesbury Street

0.3 mi · 41 sec · Amesbury Street
21

Turn right onto Canal Street

282 ft · 6 sec · Canal Street
22

Turn left onto Lawrence Street

492 ft · 19 sec · Lawrence Street
23

Turn left onto Essex Street

499 ft · 12 sec · Essex Street
24

Arrive at your destination

Trip Plan

Morning Departure

Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch.

Evening Departure

Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.

You can normally do this drive in one day.
You may only need one short stretch break if traffic stays light.
The halfway point lands around 45.2 miles from Amherst, MA, or about 51m into the drive.

This is a comfortable same-day trip.

Departure

Before you leave

Start with fuel, water, and navigation already sorted so the first hour feels easy.

First stop

Around 80 miles or 1h 31m in

Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.

Halfway reset

Around 45.2 miles or 51m in

This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.

Final approach

Final hour starts around 1h 24m

Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Lawrence, MA than in the middle of the route.

Before You Leave

+

Open the route before leaving Amherst, MA so your first major turns are already loaded.

+

Leave with enough water and a charging cable within reach, not packed away.

+

Check your fuel range against the first long segment, especially if you are starting outside city service areas.

Day 1

Settle into the route from Amherst, MA

This is one driving day of about 90.4 miles and 1h 43m.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 80 miles from Amherst, MA.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
You may only need one short stretch stop if conditions stay smooth.

Where to Stop

Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.

Halfway Point

Midpoint

About 45.2 mi from Amherst, MA · 51m into the drive

Downtown Albany, NY, NY

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Albany, NY

45 mi into the route

Best for: Lunch, fuel, and a longer reset

This sits close to the middle of the route, so it works well for the longest stop of the day.

Pacing Suggestions

Brookhaven, NY

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 80 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Albany, NY

Meal break

The midpoint is around 45.2 miles from Amherst, MA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Arriving in Lawrence, MA

The final approach into Lawrence, MA usually feels slower than the middle of the drive, so avoid planning your tightest schedule at the very end.

Try to arrive with enough fuel left to skip an immediate station stop unless you already know the area around Lawrence, MA.

These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$14.39 one way

$28.78 round trip

$4.04/gal 25.4 MPG avg 32 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $3.85 $13.70 $27.40
premium $4.15 $14.77 $29.54
diesel $5.64 $20.08 $40.17

No toll roads detected on this route.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$14

Meals

$25–$50

Total

$39–$64

Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.

Estimated CO2 emission: 31.6 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-06.

Driving Electric?

About $9 in charging · 0 stops · 66% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 27.1 0 $9.49 $4.34
Efficient EV 22.6 0 $7.91 $3.62
EV Truck/SUV 36.2 0 $12.66 $5.79

Gas CO2

32 kg

EV CO2

11 kg (66% 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

Local time and weather at both ends of the drive

Current conditions at both ends of the drive. If you're planning ahead, check the forecast closer to your travel date.

Forecast data refreshed 1 day ago

Origin

Amherst, MA

Afternoon in Amherst on Saturday

Local time

3:42 PM

EDT

Current temp

57°F

Forecast unavailable right now

EDT Live forecast

Destination

Lawrence, MA

Afternoon in Lawrence on Saturday

Local time

3:42 PM

EDT

Current temp

52°F

Forecast unavailable right now

EDT Live forecast

Along the Route

48°F

Albany, NY

45 mi in

Seasonal Notes

Summer travel usually means heavier construction, hotter rest stops, and busier weekend traffic around major cities.

Winter travel shortens daylight, so a route that looks manageable on paper can feel much longer after dark.

Holiday weekends tend to make both departure and arrival windows slower than the raw route time suggests.

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

5 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

1h 43m 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.

Frequently Asked Questions

The drive from Amherst, MA to Lawrence, MA covers 90.4 miles and takes about 1h 43m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are South Pleasant Street, College Street, Dickinson Street. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 45.2 miles from Amherst, MA. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $14.39 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.
The drive from Amherst, MA to Lawrence, MA is easy. At 1h 43m with 0% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.
This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Amherst, MA to Lawrence, MA is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
The route from Amherst, MA to Lawrence, MA does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.

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Explore More

Return Trip

Lawrence, MA to Amherst, MA

Plan the drive back the other way.

88 mi 2h 7m

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