Origin
North Reading, MA
Late night in North Reading on Sunday
Local time
1:59 AM
EDT
Current temp
42°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from North Reading, MA to 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
29m
Distance
19.4 mi
31 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$3
one way
EV Charging
Good
8 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 27m
★
6 AM
0h 30m
8 AM
0h 35m
10 AM
0h 32m
12 PM
0h 31m
3 PM
0h 32m
5 PM
0h 35m
8 PM
0h 28m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
North Reading, MA
Phil Evenden
Lowell, MA
Phil Evenden
Trip Overview
If you are planning a quick excursion from North Reading to Lowell, you are looking at a straightforward 21.4-mile trek. This local drive typically takes about 27 minutes to complete, making it a perfect candidate for a single-day trip. You will navigate primarily via Park Street, Winter Street, and Main Street rather than hopping on major interstates. With a fuel budget of just $3, this is an incredibly economical way to travel between these two Northeast communities. Because the trip is short and efficient, there is no need to worry about overnight accommodations or complicated logistics.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 93 | 6.5 mi | 7m |
| I 495 | 5.7 mi | 6m |
| Park Street | 1.1 mi | 2m |
| Lowell Road | 1.1 mi | 1m |
| Salem Street | 1 mi | 1m |
| Winter Street | 0.7 mi | 1m |
| Moore Street | 0.5 mi | 1m |
| Lawrence Street | 0.5 mi | 1m |
Longest stretch:
I 93
— 6.5 mi, about 7m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between North Reading, MA and Lowell, MA.
1
Start on Haverhill Street
427 ft
·
13 sec
·
Haverhill Street
2
Turn right onto MA 62
1.1 mi
·
2 min
·
Park Street
3
Continue on MA 62
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
Winter Street
4
Turn right onto MA 28; MA 62
0.2 mi
·
31 sec
·
Main Street
5
Turn left onto MA 62
1.1 mi
·
1 min
·
Lowell Road
6
Continue on MA 62
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
Salem Street
7
Turn straight onto MA 62
504 ft
·
15 sec
·
Route 62
8
Take the ramp
0.4 mi
·
47 sec
Toward I 93 North: Lawrence, Concord New Hampshire
9
Merge onto I 93
6.5 mi
·
7 min
·
I 93
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
58 sec
Exit 40B
Toward I 495 South: Lowell
Use the right lane.
11
Merge onto I 495
5.7 mi
·
6 min
·
I 495
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Take the exit
0.1 mi
·
15 sec
Exit 91
Toward South Lowell, North Billerica
Use the slight right lane.
13
Turn right onto Woburn Street
0.4 mi
·
1 min
·
Woburn Street
14
Turn left onto Lawrence Street
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
Lawrence Street
15
Turn left onto Moore Street
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
Moore Street
16
At end of road, turn right onto MA 3A
0.3 mi
·
40 sec
·
Gorham Street
17
Continue on MA 3A
0.2 mi
·
34 sec
·
Thorndike Street
18
Turn left onto YMCA Drive
0.1 mi
·
16 sec
·
YMCA Drive
19
Continue on Hale Street
0.1 mi
·
21 sec
·
Hale Street
20
Arrive at destination
Hale Street
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 115 decision points cluster between mile 4.3 and 17.1 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
6
4.3 mi into trip
|
~8m in
Take the ramp toward I 93 North: Lawrence, Concord New Hampshire
Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward I 93 North: Lawrence, Concord New Hampsh...
5
4.6 mi into trip
|
~8m in
|
I 93
Merge onto I 93
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
11.1 mi into trip
|
~16m in
Take the exit toward I 495 South: Lowell
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
Exit 40B
Toward I 495 South: Lowell
5
11.4 mi into trip
|
~17m in
|
I 495
Merge onto I 495
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
17.1 mi into trip
|
~23m in
Take the exit toward South Lowell, North Billerica
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 91
Toward South Lowell, North Billerica
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$3.10 one way
$6.21 round trip
$4.07/gal
25.4 MPG avg
7 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.43 | $3.39 | $6.77 |
| premium | $4.82 | $3.68 | $7.37 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $4.28 | $8.57 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$3
Estimated CO2 emission: 6.8 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $2 in charging · 0 stops · 71% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 5.8 | 0 | $2.04 | $0.93 |
| Efficient EV | 4.9 | 0 | $1.70 | $0.78 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 7.8 | 0 | $2.72 | $1.24 |
Gas CO2
7 kg
EV CO2
2 kg (71% 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 Sunday
Local time
1:59 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
21 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
29m 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?
Expect a turn-heavy local drive rather than a high-speed interstate cruise. You will spend 0% of your time on highways, meaning your focus will remain on navigating local roads for the entire 27-minute duration. The route maintains a consistent character, favoring surface streets over long, uninterrupted stretches. Because you are constantly transitioning between smaller roads, you will experience a more hands-on driving environment than you would on a typical regional highway. Stay alert for frequent changes in direction as you navigate the local infrastructure connecting these two towns.
63% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
20 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 6.5 mi on I 93.
How Hard Is This Drive?
6/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 93 and I 495. You will hit about 11 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 4.3 miles in.
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 19.4 miles you will encounter 11 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 4.3 miles: Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 4.6 miles (I 93): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 11.1 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
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.
Between North Reading, MA and Lowell, MA, road signs point toward Concord New Hampshire and Billerica.
Concord New Hampshire
4.3 mi in
|
~8m
Billerica
17.1 mi in
|
~23m
About the Cities
Arriving in Lowell, MA
Full guide →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).
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 29m. Total distance: 19.4 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
29m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (63%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 6.5 miles on I 93. 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 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 4.3 miles: Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 4.6 miles (I 93): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 11.1 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes — Lowell National Historical Park, Salem Maritime National Historical Park and Minute Man 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 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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