How far is City of Lowell, MA from Reading, MA?

The driving distance from City of Lowell, MA to Reading, MA is about 17.8 miles (28.6 km), with a travel time of about 00h 30m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 13.9 miles (22.4 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 01h 01m of driving time before adding stops, traffic, or weather delays.
  • A comfortable departure window is usually 7:00 AM to 7:00 PM EDT.
Trip Tools

Reverse, save, or send this route

This is an easy same-day return drive. Copy the route link, send it to another device, or print a clean version before you head out.

Reverse Route
Quick Snapshot
Road
17.77 mi
00h 30m
Flight
13.92 mi
22.41 km direct

This is an easy same-day return drive.

Learn Distance

Choose another destination from City of Lowell.

Flight Distance

Direct air line
13.92 mi
Kilometers
22.41 km
Flight Time
00h 01m

Driving Distance

Road route
17.77 mi
Kilometers
28.6 km
Drive Time
00h 30m

Gas Cost Calculator

Leave and Arrive Planner

Pick a departure time to see your estimated arrival and same-day return window.

Drive time stays fixed at 00h 30m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in Reading
Thu, Jun 11, 4:24 PM EDT
Return by in City of Lowell
Thu, Jun 11, 4:55 PM EDT
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave City of Lowell
2026-06-11T15:54
Arrive Reading
Thu, Jun 11, 4:24 PM EDT
Route Timing
00h 30m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
7:00 AM to 7:00 PM EDT
Leave when it suits your day
Arrive between
7:31 AM to 7:31 PM EDT

This is a short drive, so your comfort window is wide. Traffic and current weather matter more than the clock.

Leave by
7:28 PM EDT
Keeps a same-day return open with about 01h 30m at the destination.
Back in City of Lowell
10:00 PM EDT
Flexible departure

This departure sits inside the recommended comfort window for the route.

Halfway Point

A useful midpoint for breaks, coffee, or meeting in the middle.

Mid-route stop
Tewksbury
MA

Town in Massachusetts, United States

From City of Lowell
8.9 mi
00h 15m
To Reading
8.9 mi
00h 15m

Route Weather Snapshot

Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.

Origin
92°F
Thursday

Patchy Fog then Slight Chance Showers And Thunderstorms

Starts
Thu, Jun 11 6:00 AM EDT
Wind
5 to 8 mph W
Destination
90°F
Thursday

Patchy Fog then Slight Chance Showers And Thunderstorms

Starts
Thu, Jun 11 6:00 AM EDT
Wind
3 to 7 mph W

Driving Route Map

The map below follows the saved road route between City of Lowell and Reading.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between City of Lowell and Reading.

  1. 1

    Start on the route

    529 ft · 40 sec

  2. 2

    Turn right onto Arch Street

    5 m · 8 sec · Arch Street

  3. 3

    Turn sharp left onto Middlesex Street

    1083 ft · 34 sec · Middlesex Street

  4. 4

    Turn right onto Thorndike Street

    76 m · 15 sec · Thorndike Street

  5. 5

    Turn left onto Appleton Street

    2171 ft · 49 sec · Appleton Street

  6. 6

    Continue on Church Street

    1521 ft · 32 sec · Church Street

  7. 7

    Continue on Andover Street

    4 mi · 9 min · Andover Street

  8. 8

    Continue on Lowell Street

    1.9 mi · 3 min · Lowell Street

  9. 9

    Take the ramp slight right toward I 93 South: Boston

    2177 ft · 53 sec

  10. 10

    Merge slight left

    7.6 mi · 9 min

  11. 11

    Take the exit slight right toward MA 129: Reading, Wilmington

    1436 ft · 41 sec

  12. 12

    Turn right onto Lowell Street

    1.9 mi · 3 min · Lowell Street

  13. 13

    Continue on Salem Street

    2267 ft · 1 min · Salem Street

  14. 14

    Turn right onto Eaton Street

    157 m · 23 sec · Eaton Street

  15. 15

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec · Eaton Street

Car Route Details

A richer read on the saved driving route between City of Lowell and Reading.

OSRM road route
Drive Character

Turn-heavy local drive

The route has frequent decision points for its length, so lane choice and turn timing will matter more than cruising speed.

Directions
15 steps
6 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
3
1 merges, 2 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
84.3 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
I 93 South
8.06 mi · 45%
Andover Street
4.02 mi · 23%
Lowell Street
3.84 mi · 22%
Salem Street
0.43 mi · 2%
Appleton Street
0.41 mi · 2%
Church Street
0.29 mi · 2%
Longest Stretch

I 93 South

Merge slight left

7.64 mi · 00h 09m

Route Summary

A quick read on whether this route feels easy, ambitious, or worth planning around.

Trip Read

A short regional drive

This route is short enough to handle as a quick errand, commute, or easy same-day return without much planning overhead.

Drive Time
00h 30m
Quick drive
Same-Day Return
01h 02m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+3.9 mi
13.9 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
Tewksbury
00h 15m from City of Lowell
Leave By
7:28 PM EDT
Flexible departure
Weather Watch

Patchy Fog then Slight Chance Showers And Thunderstorms leaving City of Lowell and Patchy Fog then Slight Chance Showers And Thunderstorms near Reading.

Trip Questions

Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.

How long does it take to drive from City of Lowell to Reading?

The road trip is about 17.8 miles (28.6 km) and usually takes 00h 30m in normal driving conditions.

Is this a same-day trip or an overnight route?

This route is short enough to handle as a quick errand, commute, or easy same-day return without much planning overhead.

What is the halfway point on this route?

Tewksbury is a useful midpoint, sitting about 8.9 miles from City of Lowell and 8.9 miles from Reading.

How much longer is the road route than the straight-line distance?

The direct path is about 13.9 miles (22.4 km), while the road route adds roughly 3.9 extra miles because roads do not follow the straight air line.

When is the best time to leave for this route?

A good departure window is usually 7:00 AM to 7:00 PM EDT. If you want a more comfortable same-day return, try to leave by 7:28 PM EDT.

How much will gas cost for this route?

Using about 28.3 MPG, regular gas is estimated at $2.45 one way or $4.90 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 5.6 kg one way.

What should you check before leaving?

Before you leave, expect Patchy Fog then Slight Chance Showers And Thunderstorms around City of Lowell and Patchy Fog then Slight Chance Showers And Thunderstorms near Reading.

Stop Ideas Near Tewksbury

Useful break, food, and waypoint ideas within about 15 miles of the route midpoint.

Mid-route Guidance
Local place coverage is thin around Tewksbury, so nearby transit and meeting points are shown instead.
Reviewed stop coverage is still thin around this midpoint, so practical transit waypoints are shown on the right.

Transit and Meeting Points

Useful pickup, handoff, or rendezvous points close to Tewksbury.

RAIL

Anderson Regional Transportation Center

13 mi away
100 Atlantic Ave.
RAIL

Haverhill station

22 mi away
Washington Street at Railroad Square
BUS

Nashua, NH

30 mi away
8 North Southwood Drive
RAIL

North Station

31 mi away
100 Legends Way

Flight Path Map

This map shows the direct air route between City of Lowell and Reading. Straight-line distance: 13.92 mi (22.41 km).

City of Lowell

#1 City of Lowell

The third most populous city in Massachusetts.

Population109,945
Coordinates42.6388700, -71.3217100
Altitude33
CountryUnited States
Reading

#2 Reading

Town in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States

Population25,535
Coordinates42.5256500, -71.0953300
Altitude29
CountryUnited States
Start: City of Lowell (-71.32171, 42.63887)
End: Reading (-71.09533, 42.52565)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 29 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)00h 35m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)00h 26m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)00h 21m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)00h 17m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)00h 15m
80 mph (129 km/h)00h 13m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
0.63 gal
2.37 L · about $2.45
Round trip
$4.90
1.26 gal · 4.74 L
Estimated CO2
5.6 kg one way
Round trip: 11.2 kg / 25 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $3.89 $2.45 $4.90
Mid-grade $4.40 $2.77 $5.54
Premium $4.80 $3.02 $6.05
Diesel $4.49 $2.83 $5.65

Assumes 8.3 L/100 km (about 28.3 MPG). CO2 is an estimate and varies by vehicle, fuel blend, traffic, and terrain.

Prices in Massachusetts · Jun 11, 2026

There is no time difference between City of Lowell and Reading. The current time is 15:54:20.

Distance to Other Cities

Planning a road trip? See the full trip guide on Trip.ovh — stops, fuel costs, weather, and departure timing.

How did we calculate? Place names are translated into coordinates. The Haversine formula calculates straight-line distance; driving distance uses road network data.