Trip from Barre, MA to Lowell, MA

Drive Time

1h 19m

Distance

51.5 mi

83 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 18 min

4 AM

1h 14m ★

6 AM

1h 20m

8 AM

1h 32m

10 AM

1h 24m

12 PM

1h 23m

3 PM

1h 25m

5 PM

1h 32m

8 PM

1h 16m

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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Lowell, MA

Phil Evenden

Trip Overview

If you are looking for a straightforward connection between Barre and Lowell, this 51.5-mile journey is a manageable trek that typically takes about 1 hour and 19 minutes. Serving as an efficient link within Massachusetts, the route is ideal for a single-day trip, meaning you won't need to worry about overnight logistics. Budgeting around $8 for fuel should comfortably cover your gas needs for the duration of the drive. Because this trip is entirely contained within the Northeast, you will experience a consistent regional feel as you transition between these two Massachusetts communities. It is a practical, no-nonsense drive that gets you from point A to point B without requiring extensive planning or multiple days on the road.

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

25.7 miles from Barre, MA

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 44m into the drive .

Drive Character

Expect a highway-focused experience, as roughly 62% of your travel time will be spent on major thoroughfares. You will navigate a combination of MA 2, the Concord Turnpike, and I-495 to complete the 51.5-mile distance. The longest uninterrupted segment occurs on the Concord Turnpike, where you will cover 12.3 miles before the road profile shifts. While the route relies heavily on faster highway stretches, the transition between these roads keeps the drive from feeling like a monotonous grind. You should anticipate a steady pace behind the wheel as you move from the smaller roads of Barre toward the more established highway network leading into Lowell.

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

There are about 22 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 11 significant decision points across 51.5 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 11 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

On the drive from Barre, MA to Lowell, MA, road signs begin pointing toward Lawrence along the way.

Lawrence

38.1 mi in | ~1h 2m

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	2.6 mi	4m
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 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

2.6 mi · 4 min · Chelmsford Street

Turn right onto Cambridge Street

314 ft · 14 sec · Cambridge Street

Turn left onto Hale Street

486 ft · 13 sec · Hale Street

Arrive at destination

Hale Street

Trip Plan

Since this is a quick 1-hour and 19-minute trip, you have plenty of flexibility regarding your departure time, though avoiding peak commuting hours is always a smart move. Because there are no mandatory stops required by the route, you can easily drive the entire 51.5 miles in one sitting without needing to plan for rest breaks. Keep your $8 fuel budget in mind when filling up, and ensure your tank is ready before hitting the highway stretches. A helpful tip for this specific drive is to monitor traffic patterns closely on I-495, as the highway-heavy nature of the route means flow can change quickly. Use this short travel time to your advantage by planning your arrival in Lowell for exactly when you need to be there.

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 25.7 miles from Barre, MA, or about 44m 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 51.5 miles or 1h 19m in

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

Halfway reset

Around 25.7 miles or 44m 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 8m

Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near 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 51.5 miles and 1h 19m.

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 25.7 mi from Barre, MA · 44m 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 51.5 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Albany, NY

Meal break

The midpoint is around 25.7 miles from Barre, MA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Arriving in Lowell, MA

The final approach into 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 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

$8.20 one way

$16.39 round trip

$4.04/gal 25.4 MPG avg 18 kg CO₂

Fuel Type	$/gal	One Way	Round Trip
midgrade	$4.40	$8.92	$17.83
premium	$4.80	$9.73	$19.46
diesel	$5.64	$11.44	$22.88

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 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	15.5	$5.41	$2.47
Efficient EV	12.9	$4.51	$2.06
EV Truck/SUV	20.6	$7.21	$3.30

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

5:01 PM

EDT

Current temp

76°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Lowell, MA

Evening in Lowell on Sunday

Local time

5:01 PM

EDT

Current temp

53°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

23 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 19m 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 Lowell, MA covers 51.5 miles and takes about 1h 19m 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 25.7 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 $8.20 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.

On the drive from Barre, MA to Lowell, MA, road signs begin pointing toward Lawrence along the way.

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Return Trip

Lowell, MA to Barre, MA

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51.7 mi 1h 19m

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Trip from Barre, MA to 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 Lowell, MA

Fuel & Cost

Travel Intel

Barre, MA

Lowell, MA

Same local time

23 degrees cooler at arrival

1h 19m on the road

Frequently Asked Questions

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