Origin
Hopkinton, MA
Morning in Hopkinton on Sunday
Local time
6:39 AM
EDT
Current temp
40°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Hopkinton, MA to City of Lowell, MA
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
49m
Distance
38.8 mi
62 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$6
one way
EV Charging
Good
8 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 45m
★
6 AM
0h 50m
8 AM
0h 58m
10 AM
0h 52m
12 PM
0h 52m
3 PM
0h 53m
5 PM
0h 57m
8 PM
0h 47m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Hopkinton, MA
Italo Melo
City of Lowell, MA
Phil Evenden
Trip Overview
This 38.8-mile drive from Hopkinton, MA, to the City of Lowell, MA, is a straightforward trip designed for a single day. Expect to spend about 49 minutes on the road, with the majority of your journey taking place on I-495. Given the relatively short distance and duration, this route is easily manageable as a day trip without the need for an overnight stay. The estimated fuel cost is around $6, making it an economical option for a quick regional excursion within Massachusetts. The overall feel of this drive is highly focused on efficient highway travel, connecting two points in the Northeast region.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 495 | 33.5 mi | 38m |
| Chelmsford Street | 2.9 mi | 5m |
| Main Street | 1.4 mi | 2m |
| Westford Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
| Grand Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
| Middlesex Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
| Arch Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
I 495
— 33.5 mi, about 38m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Hopkinton, MA and City of Lowell, MA.
1
Start on this road
136 ft
·
11 sec
·
this road
2
At end of road, turn right onto MA 135
1.4 mi
·
2 min
·
Main Street
3
Take the ramp
0.4 mi
·
45 sec
Toward I 495 North: Lowell
4
Merge onto I 495
33 mi
·
38 min
·
I 495
Use the straight / right lanes.
5
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
34 sec
Exit 88
Toward MA 110: Chelmsford, Lowell
6
Turn right onto MA 110
2.9 mi
·
5 min
·
Chelmsford Street
7
Turn sharp left onto MA 3A
458 ft
·
10 sec
·
Westford Street
8
Turn right onto Grand Street
448 ft
·
23 sec
·
Grand Street
9
At end of road, turn left onto Middlesex Street
383 ft
·
18 sec
·
Middlesex Street
10
Turn sharp right onto Arch Street
15 ft
·
5 sec
·
Arch Street
11
Turn left
0.1 mi
·
38 sec
12
Arrive at destination
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
19 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 38.8 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 19.4 miles from Hopkinton, 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 95 decision points cluster between mile 1.7 and 38.7 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
1.7 mi into trip
|
~3m in
|
I 495
Merge onto I 495
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
6
35.2 mi into trip
|
~42m 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
5
38.4 mi into trip
|
~47m in
|
MA 3A / Westford Street
Turn sharp left onto MA 3A / Westford Street
Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach
5
38.6 mi into trip
|
~48m in
|
Middlesex Street
At end of road, turn left onto Middlesex Street
Navigation decision point
6
38.7 mi into trip
|
~48m in
|
Arch Street
Turn sharp right onto Arch Street
Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$6.21 one way
$12.42 round trip
$4.07/gal
25.4 MPG avg
14 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.43 | $6.77 | $13.54 |
| premium | $4.82 | $7.37 | $14.73 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $8.57 | $17.13 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$6
Estimated CO2 emission: 13.6 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $4 in charging · 0 stops · 64% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 11.6 | 0 | $4.07 | $1.86 |
| Efficient EV | 9.7 | 0 | $3.39 | $1.55 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 15.5 | 0 | $5.43 | $2.48 |
Gas CO2
14 kg
EV CO2
5 kg (64% 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 Sunday
Local time
6:39 AM
EDT
Current temp
63°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
54°F
Bolton, MA
19 mi in
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 warmer at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
49m 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?
Prepare for a highway-focused experience, as 86% of this route utilizes major roadways. You'll spend a significant amount of time on I-495, including one uninterrupted stretch of 33.5 miles. This means you can expect consistent speeds and a direct path for most of your travel. The initial and final segments of the drive will involve local streets like Chelmsford Street and Main Street, offering a brief transition between the highway and your destination in Lowell.
86% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
12 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 33.5 mi on I 495.
How Hard Is This Drive?
4/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 495 and Chelmsford Street. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes around 1.7 miles in near I 495.
Driving Effort
4/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 49m drive. You will face about 9 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 1.7 miles (I 495): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 35.2 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 38.4 miles (MA 3A / Westford Street): Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach.
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 Hopkinton, MA to City of Lowell, MA, road signs begin pointing toward Lowell along the way.
Lowell
35.2 mi in
|
~42m
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 49m. Total distance: 38.8 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
49m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (86%). Straightforward navigation.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 33.5 miles on I 495. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
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 1.7 miles (I 495): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 35.2 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 38.4 miles (MA 3A / Westford Street): Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach.
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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