Origin
Charlton, MA
Morning in Charlton on Tuesday
Local time
7:07 AM
EDT
Current temp
54°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Charlton, MA to City of Lowell, MA
Pin this tripCompiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 21, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 15m
Distance
55.2 mi
89 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$9
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 10m
★
6 AM
1h 16m
8 AM
1h 27m
10 AM
1h 20m
12 PM
1h 19m
3 PM
1h 20m
5 PM
1h 27m
8 PM
1h 12m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Charlton, MA
Italo Melo
City of Lowell, MA
Phil Evenden
Trip Overview
Charlton to Lowell is 55.2 miles and takes about 1 hour 15 minutes via I 495 and I 290, with a fuel budget near $9 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within Massachusetts, traveling from the Northeast region to the Northeast region. Expect a mostly highway experience, making it a straightforward drive for a single day. It’s a relatively short distance, so you can easily fit it into a morning or afternoon.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 495 | 22.8 mi | 26m |
| I 290 | 20.1 mi | 25m |
| Chelmsford Street | 2.9 mi | 5m |
| Worcester Road | 2.9 mi | 4m |
| Southbridge Road | 2.2 mi | 3m |
| Southbridge Street | 1.5 mi | 2m |
| L Stevens Road | 0.5 mi | 1m |
| Main Street | 0.3 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
I 495
— 22.8 mi, about 26m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Charlton, MA and City of Lowell, MA.
1
Start on this road
65 ft
·
9 sec
·
this road
2
Turn left onto MA 31
0.3 mi
·
40 sec
·
Main Street
3
Turn right onto L Stevens Road
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
L Stevens Road
4
Turn right onto US 20
2.9 mi
·
4 min
·
Worcester Road
Use the straight lane.
5
Continue on US 20
0.6 mi
·
51 sec
·
Southbridge Road
6
Enter roundabout onto US 20
111 ft
·
3 sec
·
Southbridge Road
7
Continue on US 20
1.6 mi
·
2 min
·
Southbridge Road
8
Continue on US 20; MA 12
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
Southbridge Street
9
Continue on MA 12
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
Southbridge Street
Use the left lane.
10
Take the ramp
0.3 mi
·
46 sec
Toward I 290, I 395
11
Keep slight left at fork
0.3 mi
·
41 sec
Toward I 290
12
Continue on I 290
20 mi
·
25 min
·
I 290
13
Take the exit
0.7 mi
·
2 min
Exit 32B
Toward I 495 North: Lowell
14
Merge onto I 495
23 mi
·
26 min
·
I 495
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
15
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
34 sec
Exit 88
Toward MA 110: Chelmsford, Lowell
16
Turn right onto MA 110
2.9 mi
·
5 min
·
Chelmsford Street
17
Turn sharp left onto MA 3A
458 ft
·
10 sec
·
Westford Street
18
Turn right onto Grand Street
448 ft
·
23 sec
·
Grand Street
19
At end of road, turn left onto Middlesex Street
383 ft
·
18 sec
·
Middlesex Street
20
Turn sharp right onto Arch Street
15 ft
·
5 sec
·
Arch Street
21
Turn left
0.1 mi
·
38 sec
22
Arrive at destination
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
28 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 12 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 27.6 miles from Charlton, MA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 135 decision points cluster between mile 0.8 and 55.1 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
0.8 mi into trip
|
~2m in
|
US 20 / Worcester Road
Turn right onto US 20 / Worcester Road
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight lane.
5
7.7 mi into trip
|
~13m in
Keep slight left at fork toward I 290
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
Toward I 290
5
28.1 mi into trip
|
~39m in
Take the exit toward I 495 North: Lowell
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early
Exit 32B
Toward I 495 North: Lowell
6
51.6 mi into trip
|
~1h 8m 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
6
55.1 mi into trip
|
~1h 14m in
|
Arch Street
Turn sharp right onto Arch Street
Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$8.83 one way
$17.67 round trip
$4.07/gal
25.4 MPG avg
19 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.43 | $9.63 | $19.27 |
| premium | $4.82 | $10.48 | $20.96 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $12.19 | $24.37 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$9
Estimated CO2 emission: 19.3 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $6 in charging · 0 stops · 68% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 16.6 | 0 | $5.80 | $2.65 |
| Efficient EV | 13.8 | 0 | $4.83 | $2.21 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 22.1 | 0 | $7.73 | $3.53 |
Gas CO2
19 kg
EV CO2
6 kg (68% 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
City of Lowell, MA
Morning in City of Lowell on Tuesday
Local time
7:07 AM
EDT
Current temp
61°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
7 degrees warmer at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
1h 15m 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.
What kind of drive is this?
With 78% of this route on highways, you'll spend the majority of your time on I 495 and I 290. The longest continuous highway stretch is 22.8 miles on I 495. You'll notice a significant change in road type as you transition off the main highways, with Chelmsford Street marking the end of the high-speed cruising. Expect a more urban feel with frequent exits as you approach Lowell.
78% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
22 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 22.8 mi on I 495.
How Hard Is This Drive?
6/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 495 and I 290. You will hit about 13 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 0.8 miles in near US 20 / Worcester Road.
Driving Effort
6/10
Moderate - straightforward overall, but long enough or busy enough to require pacing
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 55.2 miles you will encounter 13 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.8 miles (US 20 / Worcester Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 7.7 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully; at 28.1 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early.
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
On the drive from Charlton, MA to City of Lowell, MA, road signs begin pointing toward Lowell along the way.
Lowell
51.6 mi in
|
~1h 8m
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 15m. Total distance: 55.2 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 15m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (78%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 22.8 miles on I 495. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
It helps. This route has a higher-than-average number of complex decision points, which get harder in the dark. If the last hour of the trip is on surface roads or mountain grades, aim to arrive at City of Lowell, MA before sunset when you can. Check the Trip Plan for departure windows that land you in daylight.
Yes. At under 2 hours behind the wheel, this works well for families — plan one quick stop if you have younger kids.
The main spots that need attention: at 0.8 miles (US 20 / Worcester Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 7.7 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully; at 28.1 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early.
Yes — Lowell National Historical Park, Minute Man National Historical Park and Boston National Historical Park (6 total within detour distance). See the National Parks section for detour distances and tips on detours.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at City of Lowell, MA before heading back.
How this page is built
Compiled by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy from open government datasets — OSRM over OpenStreetMap for geometry, EIA for fuel prices, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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