Trip from Barre, MA to City of Lowell, MA

Drive Time

1h 21m

Distance

52 mi

84 km

Drive Score

9/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

one way

EV Charging

station data

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 19 min

4 AM

1h 15m ★

6 AM

1h 22m

8 AM

1h 34m

10 AM

1h 26m

12 PM

1h 25m

3 PM

1h 27m

5 PM

1h 34m

8 PM

1h 18m

Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.

Best Time Drive vs Fly

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City of Lowell, MA

Phil Evenden

Trip Overview

Spanning 52 miles, this trip from Barre to Lowell is a straightforward journey that typically takes about 1 hour and 21 minutes. It is an ideal candidate for a single-day excursion, as the modest transit time leaves plenty of room in your schedule for activities at your destination. You can expect to spend approximately $8 on fuel, making it a budget-friendly option for a quick getaway within Massachusetts. Because the route relies heavily on major thoroughfares, you will find it to be a practical, efficient connection between these two Northeast locations. Whether you are traveling for business or leisure, this drive offers a reliable pace that requires no overnight stops.

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

26 miles from Barre, MA

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 45m into the drive .

Drive Character

This highway-focused route is defined by a mix of primary arteries, including the Concord Turnpike, MA 2, and I-495. With 61% of your travel occurring on highways, you should prepare for a consistent, high-speed experience rather than a slow, winding backroad tour. Your longest uninterrupted stretch covers 12.3 miles along the Concord Turnpike, which allows you to settle into a steady driving rhythm. As you transition between these main roads, the character of the drive shifts from regional connectors to the broader, more heavily trafficked interstate system. It is a functional drive designed to get you from point A to point B with minimal complexity.

Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.

There are about 25 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.

Concord Turnpike is the longest continuous segment at about 12.3 miles.

How Hard Is This Drive?

This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Concord Turnpike and I 495. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near South Street.

Route Complexity 8/10

Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers

This is a demanding drive. With 14 significant decision points across 52 miles, you will need to stay alert — especially through interchange areas and urban stretches. Consider splitting it into segments if you are not comfortable with fast highway navigation.

Where does it get tricky?

The main spots that need attention: near the start (South Street): Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach; at 25.3 miles (MA 2 / Concord Turnpike): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 37.7 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.

Critical Maneuvers

5 of 14 key points

These are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.

0 mi into trip | ~0m in | South Street

Turn sharp left onto South Street

Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach

25.3 mi into trip | ~44m in | MA 2 / Concord Turnpike

Keep slight left at fork onto MA 2 / Concord Turnpike

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the none / straight / slight right lanes.

37.7 mi into trip | ~1h 1m in

Take the exit toward I 495 North: Lowell

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here

Use the right lane. Exit 113B Toward I 495 North: Lowell

38.1 mi into trip | ~1h 2m in

Keep slight left at fork toward I 495 North: Lowell, Lawrence

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Toward I 495 North: Lowell, Lawrence

48.5 mi into trip | ~1h 14m in

Take the exit toward MA 110: Chelmsford, Lowell

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Exit 88 Toward MA 110: Chelmsford, Lowell

Towns Along This Route

Between Barre, MA and City of Lowell, MA, road signs point toward Lawrence and Lowell.

Lawrence

38.1 mi in | ~1h 2m

Lowell

48.5 mi in | ~1h 14m

Main Roads

Road	Distance	Duration
Concord Turnpike	12.3 mi	16m
I 495	10.2 mi	11m
MA 2	8.9 mi	13m
South Street	3.6 mi	7m
Hubbardston Road	3.5 mi	6m
New Westminster Road	3.5 mi	6m
Chelmsford Street	2.9 mi	5m
Barre Road	2.4 mi	4m

Longest stretch: Concord Turnpike — 12.3 mi, about 16m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Barre, MA and City of Lowell, MA.

Start on MA 32; MA 122

171 ft · 10 sec · Concert Mall

Turn sharp left onto South Street

168 ft · 3 sec · South Street

Continue on MA 62

0.4 mi · 47 sec · Mechanic Street

Continue on MA 62

3.5 mi · 6 min · Hubbardston Road

Continue on MA 62

0.4 mi · 44 sec · Old Boston Turnpike

Turn left onto Barre Road

2.4 mi · 4 min · Barre Road

Continue on Elm Street

0.3 mi · 30 sec · Elm Street

Continue on Brigham Street

1.2 mi · 2 min · Brigham Street

Continue on New Westminster Road

3.5 mi · 6 min · New Westminster Road

Continue on South Street

3.6 mi · 7 min · South Street

At end of road, turn right onto MA 2A

0.7 mi · 1 min · Main Street

Take the ramp

0.3 mi · 46 sec

Merge onto MA 2

8.9 mi · 13 min · MA 2

Keep slight left at fork onto MA 2

12 mi · 16 min · Concord Turnpike

Use the none / straight / slight right lanes.

Take the exit

0.5 mi · 59 sec

Exit 113B Toward I 495 North: Lowell Use the right lane.

Keep slight left at fork

0.2 mi · 23 sec

Toward I 495 North: Lowell, Lawrence

Merge onto I 495

10 mi · 11 min · I 495

Use the none / straight / slight right lanes.

Take the exit

0.2 mi · 34 sec

Exit 88 Toward MA 110: Chelmsford, Lowell

Turn right onto MA 110

2.9 mi · 5 min · Chelmsford Street

Turn sharp left onto MA 3A

458 ft · 10 sec · Westford Street

Turn right onto Grand Street

448 ft · 23 sec · Grand Street

At end of road, turn left onto Middlesex Street

383 ft · 18 sec · Middlesex Street

Turn sharp right onto Arch Street

15 ft · 5 sec · Arch Street

Turn left

0.1 mi · 38 sec

Arrive at destination

Trip Plan

Since this is a relatively short 1 hour and 21 minute drive, you have significant flexibility regarding your departure time. However, keeping an eye on traffic patterns along the I-495 corridor is a smart way to ensure your trip remains stress-free. Because there are no scheduled stops required for a distance of 52 miles, you can easily manage the entire stretch in one go without needing to plan for breaks. If you want to optimize your travel, aim to head out during off-peak hours to avoid potential congestion on the highway sections. Always double-check your fuel level before leaving Barre, as your $8 budget estimate assumes consistent highway speeds rather than idling in heavy traffic.

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 26 miles from Barre, MA, or about 45m into the drive.

The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 12.3 miles.

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 52 miles or 1h 21m in

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

Halfway reset

Around 26 miles or 45m 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 9m

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

Before You Leave

Open the route before leaving Barre, 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 Barre, MA

This is one driving day of about 52 miles and 1h 21m.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 80 miles from Barre, 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.

The longest stretch is on Concord Turnpike for about 12.3 miles.

Where to Stop

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

Halfway Point

Midpoint

About 26 mi from Barre, MA · 45m into the drive

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Albany, NY

26 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

Albany, NY

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 52 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Albany, NY

Meal break

The midpoint is around 26 miles from Barre, MA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Arriving in City of Lowell, MA

The final approach into City of Lowell, 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 City of Lowell, 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

$8.28 one way

$16.55 round trip

$4.04/gal 25.4 MPG avg 18 kg CO₂

Fuel Type	$/gal	One Way	Round Trip
midgrade	$4.40	$9.00	$18.00
premium	$4.80	$9.82	$19.65
diesel	$5.64	$11.55	$23.11

Estimated Tolls: $0.86

Concord Turnpike (12.3 mi) $0.86

Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

Tolls

Meals

$25–$50

Total

$34–$59

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

Estimated CO2 emission: 18.2 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-06.

Driving Electric?

About $5 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO₂

Vehicle Type	kWh	DC Fast	Home Charge
Average EV	15.6	$5.46	$2.50
Efficient EV	13	$4.55	$2.08
EV Truck/SUV	20.8	$7.28	$3.33

Gas CO2

18 kg

EV CO2

6 kg (67% 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

Current conditions at both ends of the drive.

Forecast data refreshed 2 days ago

Origin

Barre, MA

Evening in Barre on Sunday

Local time

6:41 PM

EDT

Current temp

76°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

City of Lowell, MA

Evening in City of Lowell on Sunday

Local time

6:41 PM

EDT

Current temp

52°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

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

24 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 21m 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.

Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.

Frequently Asked Questions

The drive from Barre, MA to City of Lowell, MA covers 52 miles and takes about 1h 21m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.

The main roads are Concord Turnpike, I 495, MA 2. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.

This is a comfortable same-day trip.

The midpoint is about 26 miles from Barre, MA. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.

At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $8.28 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.

Between Barre, MA and City of Lowell, MA, road signs point toward Lawrence and Lowell.

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Return Trip

City of Lowell, MA to Barre, MA

Plan the drive back the other way.

52.1 mi 1h 20m

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Trip from Barre, MA to City of Lowell, MA

Best Time to Leave

Trip Overview

Drive Character

How Hard Is This Drive?

Critical Maneuvers

Towns Along This Route

Main Roads

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Trip Plan

Before You Leave

Where to Stop

Pacing Suggestions

Arriving in City of Lowell, MA

Fuel & Cost

Travel Intel

Barre, MA

City of Lowell, MA

Same local time

24 degrees cooler at arrival

1h 21m on the road

Frequently Asked Questions

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