Origin
Marlborough, MA
Late night in Marlborough on Friday
Local time
12:58 AM
EDT
Current temp
63°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Marlborough, MA to Lowell, MA
Last recalculated Apr 17, 2026
Drive Time
36m
Distance
29.3 mi
47 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$5
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 34m
★
6 AM
0h 37m
8 AM
0h 43m
10 AM
0h 39m
12 PM
0h 39m
3 PM
0h 39m
5 PM
0h 43m
8 PM
0h 35m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Marlborough, MA
Wikimedia Commons
Lowell, MA
Phil Evenden
Trip Overview
This straightforward 29.3-mile drive from Marlborough, MA to Lowell, MA takes about 36 minutes and is easily manageable as a single-day trip. You'll primarily navigate local roads, with no highway driving involved, making it a more connected experience with the towns you pass through. With an estimated fuel cost of just $5, this route is very budget-friendly. The entire journey is contained within Massachusetts, offering a convenient exploration of the Northeast region. Given its short duration and local road nature, this drive offers flexibility for departure times and minimal need for extensive planning.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 36m. Total distance: 29.3 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
36m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (0%). Straightforward navigation.
Scenic Drive
Turn-heavy local drive route profile with national parks nearby.
Drive Character
Expect a 'turn-heavy local drive' for this entire 29.3-mile stretch. With 0% highway share, you'll be on surface streets for the duration, including sections of Blue Star Memorial Highway, Chelmsford Street, and Main Street. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is 24.6 miles on Blue Star Memorial Highway, offering a sustained period of navigation before you hit more local turns. This type of driving means you'll be more immersed in the local landscape and traffic patterns, requiring constant attention to navigation.
This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 11 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Blue Star Memorial Highway is the longest continuous segment at about 24.6 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near Windsor Street.
Driving Effort
3/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 36m drive. You will face about 7 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: near the start (Windsor Street): Navigation decision point; at 1.4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early; at 1.8 miles (I 495 / Blue Star Memorial Highway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 7 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
5
0 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
Windsor Street
At end of road, turn left onto Windsor Street
Navigation decision point
4
1.4 mi into trip
|
~2m in
Take the exit toward I 495 North: Lowell
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early
Toward I 495 North: Lowell
5
1.8 mi into trip
|
~2m in
|
I 495 / Blue Star Memorial Highway
Merge onto I 495 / Blue Star Memorial Highway
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
26.3 mi into trip
|
~31m 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
4
29.2 mi into trip
|
~36m in
|
Cambridge Street
Turn right onto Cambridge Street
Navigation decision point
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Blue Star Memorial Highway | 24.6 mi | 28m |
| Chelmsford Street | 2.6 mi | 4m |
| Main Street | 0.7 mi | <1m |
| Lakeside Avenue | 0.6 mi | <1m |
| Hale Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
| Cambridge Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
| Windsor Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Blue Star Memorial Highway
— 24.6 mi, about 28m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Marlborough, MA and Lowell, MA.
1
Start on this road
146 ft
·
15 sec
·
this road
2
At end of road, turn left onto Windsor Street
184 ft
·
8 sec
·
Windsor Street
3
Turn left onto Main Street
0.7 mi
·
56 sec
·
Main Street
4
Continue on US 20
0.6 mi
·
43 sec
·
Lakeside Avenue
5
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
47 sec
Toward I 495 North: Lowell
6
Merge onto I 495
25 mi
·
28 min
·
Blue Star Memorial Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
34 sec
Exit 88
Toward MA 110: Chelmsford, Lowell
8
Turn right onto MA 110
2.6 mi
·
4 min
·
Chelmsford Street
9
Turn right onto Cambridge Street
314 ft
·
14 sec
·
Cambridge Street
10
Turn left onto Hale Street
486 ft
·
13 sec
·
Hale Street
11
Arrive at destination
Hale Street
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$4.69 one way
$9.38 round trip
$4.07/gal
25.4 MPG avg
10 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.43 | $5.11 | $10.23 |
| premium | $4.82 | $5.56 | $11.13 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $6.47 | $12.94 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$5
Estimated CO2 emission: 10.3 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $3 in charging · 0 stops · 70% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 8.8 | 0 | $3.08 | $1.41 |
| Efficient EV | 7.3 | 0 | $2.56 | $1.17 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 11.7 | 0 | $4.10 | $1.88 |
Gas CO2
10 kg
EV CO2
3 kg (70% 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.
Destination
Lowell, MA
Late night in Lowell on Friday
Local time
12:58 AM
EDT
Current temp
63°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
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
Very similar conditions
Both ends of the route are sitting at about the same temperature right now.
Road read
36m 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 Marlborough, MA to Lowell, MA covers 29.3 miles and takes about 36m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Blue Star Memorial Highway, Chelmsford Street, Main Street. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 14.7 miles from Marlborough, MA. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $4.69 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.
This is a straightforward 36m drive. You will face about 7 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
The main spots that need attention: near the start (Windsor Street): Navigation decision point; at 1.4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early; at 1.8 miles (I 495 / Blue Star Memorial Highway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
The route from Marlborough, MA to Lowell, MA does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
Yes. Nearby national parks include Lowell National Historical Park, Minute Man National Historical Park and Boston National Historical Park. There are 6 parks within detour distance of this route.
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