Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 21, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 54m
Distance
77.2 mi
124 km
Drive Score
9/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$12
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Lowell, MA
Phil Evenden
Amherst Center, MA
Wikimedia Commons
This 77.2-mile drive from Lowell, MA to Amherst Center, MA, will take you about 1 hour and 54 minutes. It's a straightforward trip entirely within Massachusetts, making it an ideal one-day excursion. With an estimated fuel cost of $12, it's an economical option for a quick getaway. The route primarily utilizes major roadways, offering a consistent driving experience for its duration. You'll find this drive to be a mixed bag in terms of road types, so plan accordingly for the varying conditions. It’s a good choice if you’re looking for an efficient way to travel between these two points without a significant time commitment.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Midpoint
38.6 miles from Lowell, MA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 52m into the drive .
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Concord Turnpike | 31.4 mi | 43m |
| Daniel Shays Highway | 14.3 mi | 23m |
| Captain Isaac Davis Highway | 10.9 mi | 14m |
| I 495 | 10.7 mi | 12m |
| Amherst Road | 4.2 mi | 8m |
| Main Street | 1.2 mi | 2m |
| Pelham Road | 0.9 mi | 1m |
| Lowell Connector | 0.8 mi | 1m |
Step-by-step road directions between Lowell, MA and Amherst Center, MA.
Start on Hale Street
Turn right onto Cambridge Street
Turn left onto MA 110
Turn left onto Plain Street
Take the ramp
Merge onto Lowell Connector
Take the exit
Keep slight left at fork
Keep slight left at fork
Merge onto I 495
Take the exit
Merge onto MA 2
Keep slight left at fork onto MA 2
Take the exit
Turn left onto US 202
Turn right onto Amherst Road
Continue on Pelham Road
Continue on Main Street
Turn left onto Boltwood Avenue
Arrive at destination
Consider an early morning departure to maximize your daylight and avoid potential traffic, especially on the Concord Turnpike. Since this is a relatively short drive of under two hours, you won't need to split it, giving you flexibility with your timing. While there are no official stops indicated, keep an eye out for convenient places to stretch your legs, particularly after the 31.4-mile stretch on Concord Turnpike. Your fuel cost is estimated at a budget-friendly $12, so ensure your tank is adequately filled before you set off to ensure a smooth, uninterrupted journey.
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.
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 17 miles or 22m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 38.6 miles or 52m 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 32m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Amherst Center, MA than in the middle of the route.
Open the route before leaving Lowell, MA so your first major turns are already loaded.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Lowell, MA
This is one driving day of about 77.2 miles and 1h 54m.
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
39 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.
A short stop after about 17 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
The midpoint is around 38.6 miles from Lowell, 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.
5 decision points cluster between mile 1.8 and 56.1 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
Take the exit toward I 495 South, US 3 North: Worcester, Nashua New Hampshire
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Keep slight left at fork toward I 495 South: Worcester
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Keep slight left at fork toward I 495 South: Marlboro
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
Merge onto I 495
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Take the exit toward US 202 South: Athol, Belchertown
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Regular Gas
$12.36 one way
$24.71 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.43 | $13.47 | $26.95 |
| premium | $4.82 | $14.66 | $29.32 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $17.04 | $34.09 |
Estimated Tolls: $2.20
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
$12
Tolls
$2
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$40–$65
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 27 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $8 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 23.2 | 0 | $8.11 | $3.71 |
| Efficient EV | 19.3 | 0 | $6.76 | $3.09 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 30.9 | 0 | $10.81 | $4.94 |
Gas CO2
27 kg
EV CO2
9 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.
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Origin
Morning in Lowell on Tuesday
Local time
6:38 AM
EDT
Current temp
55°F
Slight Chance Showers And Thunderstorms then Patchy Fog
Destination
Morning in Amherst Center on Tuesday
Local time
6:38 AM
EDT
Current temp
42°F
Unavailable
42°F
Orange, MA
39 mi in
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
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
The weather snapshot is not static. If you are leaving later, give both cities one more quick forecast check before departure.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
Worth a detour if your schedule allows.
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The drive features a 54% highway share, meaning you'll spend a good portion of your time on faster-paced roads. You'll experience a longest uninterrupted stretch of 31.4 miles on Concord Turnpike, offering a period of steady progress. The route is characterized as a 'Mixed drive,' suggesting a blend of highway speeds and potentially more varied local road sections as you approach your destination. This mix means you can expect changes in pace and road environment throughout your journey, keeping the driving engaging without being overly demanding.
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 1.8 miles in.
Demanding - stay alert through the decision-heavy sections
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 77.2 miles you will encounter 16 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 1.8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 2 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 2.3 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully.
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
On the drive from Lowell, MA to Amherst Center, MA, road signs begin pointing toward Belchertown along the way.
Belchertown
Lowell is a city in Massachusetts about 40 minutes northwest of Boston. With over 115,000 residents (2020), it's the fifth largest city in Massachusetts, and has an important historical background. It was the first planned industrial city in the United States.
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 54m. Total distance: 77.2 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 54m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (54%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Scenic Drive
Mixed highway & surface route profile with national parks nearby.
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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