Origin
Northampton, MA
Afternoon in Northampton on Monday
Local time
1:56 PM
EDT
Current temp
57°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Northampton, MA to Lowell, MA
Drive Time
1h 46m
Distance
99.5 mi
160 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$16
one way
EV Charging
Loading...
station data
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 39m
★
6 AM
1h 47m
8 AM
2h 2m
10 AM
1h 52m
12 PM
1h 51m
3 PM
1h 53m
5 PM
2h 2m
8 PM
1h 42m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Northampton, MA
Wikimedia Commons
Lowell, MA
Phil Evenden
Trip Overview
The drive from Northampton, MA to Lowell, MA covers 99.5 miles and takes about 1h 46m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on Round Hill Road, Prospect Street, Finn Street for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. At current regular gas prices, budget about $15.84 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
49.7 miles from Northampton, MA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 53m into the drive .
Drive Character
Expect a 1h 46m drive with frequent turns across 99.5 miles of local and secondary roads.
This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 31 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Round Hill Road 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 Northampton, MA to Lowell, MA is easy. At 1h 46m 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 Northampton, MA to Lowell, MA is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Round Hill Road | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| Prospect Street | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| Finn Street | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| King Street | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| North Street | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| Day Avenue | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| Bridge Street | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| Russell Street | Unavailable | Refreshing |
Per-road distance and duration are being refreshed from OSRM for this route.
Longest stretch:
Round Hill Road
— detailed segment metrics are refreshing.
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Northampton, MA and Lowell, MA.
1
Start on Bancroft Road
344 ft
·
16 sec
·
Bancroft Road
2
Turn left onto Round Hill Road
0.1 mi
·
32 sec
·
Round Hill Road
3
Turn right onto Prospect Street
0.1 mi
·
24 sec
·
Prospect Street
4
Turn left onto Finn Street
0.2 mi
·
25 sec
·
Finn Street
5
At the end of the road, turn right onto King Street
0.1 mi
·
26 sec
·
King Street
6
Turn left onto North Street
492 ft
·
26 sec
·
North Street
7
At the end of the road, turn left onto North Street
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
North Street
8
Turn right onto Day Avenue
0.2 mi
·
32 sec
·
Day Avenue
9
Turn left onto Bridge Street
0.3 mi
·
1 min
·
Bridge Street
10
Enter the roundabout and take exit 1 toward Bridge Street
161 ft
·
6 sec
·
Bridge Street
11
Exit the roundabout onto Bridge Street
0.2 mi
·
31 sec
·
Bridge Street
12
Continue on Russell Street
3.8 mi
·
7 min
·
Russell Street
13
Turn left onto North Maple Street
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
North Maple Street
14
Turn right onto Rocky Hill Road
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
Rocky Hill Road
15
Continue on Amity Street
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
Amity Street
16
At the end of the road, turn right onto North Pleasant Street
66 ft
·
9 sec
·
North Pleasant Street
17
Turn left onto Main Street
1.3 mi
·
2 min
·
Main Street
18
Continue on Pelham Road
0.9 mi
·
1 min
·
Pelham Road
19
Continue on Amherst Road
4.2 mi
·
8 min
·
Amherst Road
20
Turn left onto Daniel Shays Highway
14 mi
·
23 min
·
Daniel Shays Highway
21
Take the ramp slight right
18 mi
·
25 min
22
Continue straight
12 mi
·
17 min
23
Keep slight left to continue on Concord Turnpike
12 mi
·
16 min
·
Concord Turnpike
24
Take the exit slight right toward I 495 North: Lowell
0.5 mi
·
59 sec
·
I 495 North: Lowell
25
Keep slight left to continue on I 495 North: Lowell, Lawrence
0.2 mi
·
24 sec
·
I 495 North: Lowell, Lawrence
26
Merge slight left
10 mi
·
11 min
27
Take the exit slight right toward MA 110: Chelmsford, Lowell
0.2 mi
·
34 sec
·
MA 110: Chelmsford, Lowell
28
Turn right onto Chelmsford Street
2.6 mi
·
4 min
·
Chelmsford Street
29
Turn right onto Cambridge Street
315 ft
·
13 sec
·
Cambridge Street
30
Turn left onto Hale Street
486 ft
·
13 sec
·
Hale Street
31
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 49.7 miles from Northampton, MA, or about 53m 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 25m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 49.7 miles or 53m 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 27m
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 Northampton, 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 Northampton, MA
This is one driving day of about 99.5 miles and 1h 46m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 80 miles from Northampton, 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 49.7 mi from Northampton, MA · 53m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
50 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
Fuel and coffee
A short stop after about 80 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 49.7 miles from Northampton, 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
$15.84 one way
$31.68 round trip
$4.04/gal
25.4 MPG avg
35 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.40 | $17.22 | $34.45 |
| premium | $4.80 | $18.80 | $37.60 |
| diesel | $5.64 | $22.11 | $44.21 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$16
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$41–$66
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 34.8 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-06.
Driving Electric?
About $10 in charging · 0 stops · 66% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 29.8 | 0 | $10.45 | $4.78 |
| Efficient EV | 24.9 | 0 | $8.71 | $3.98 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 39.8 | 0 | $13.93 | $6.37 |
Gas CO2
35 kg
EV CO2
12 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
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Destination
Lowell, MA
Afternoon in Lowell on Monday
Local time
1:56 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
4 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 46m 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 Northampton, MA to Lowell, MA covers 99.5 miles and takes about 1h 46m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Round Hill Road, Prospect Street, Finn Street. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 49.7 miles from Northampton, MA. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $15.84 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 Northampton, MA to Lowell, MA is easy. At 1h 46m 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 Northampton, MA to Lowell, MA is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
The route from Northampton, MA to Lowell, MA does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
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