How far is Lowell, MA from Acton, MA?

The driving distance from Lowell, MA to Acton, MA is about 15.4 miles (24.8 km), with a travel time of about 00h 25m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 11.9 miles (19.1 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 00h 50m 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
15.43 mi
00h 25m
Flight
11.84 mi
19.06 km direct

This is an easy same-day return drive.

Learn Distance

Choose another destination from Lowell.

Flight Distance

Direct air line
11.84 mi
Kilometers
19.06 km
Flight Time
00h 01m

Driving Distance

Road route
15.43 mi
Kilometers
24.84 km
Drive Time
00h 25m

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 25m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in Acton
Tue, Apr 14, 9:48 PM EDT
Return by in Lowell
Tue, Apr 14, 10:13 PM EDT
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave Lowell
2026-04-14T21:23
Arrive Acton
Tue, Apr 14, 9:48 PM EDT
Route Timing
00h 25m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
7:00 AM to 7:00 PM EDT
Leave when it suits your day
Arrive between
7:25 AM to 7:25 PM EDT

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

Leave by
7:40 PM EDT
Keeps a same-day return open with about 01h 30m at the destination.
Back in Lowell
10:00 PM EDT
Flexible departure

You are leaving earlier than the recommended window, which gives you extra margin for breaks and traffic.

Halfway Point

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

Mid-route stop
Westford
MA

Town in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States

From Lowell
7.7 mi
00h 12m
To Acton
7.7 mi
00h 12m

Route Weather Snapshot

Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.

Origin
79°F
Tuesday

Mostly Sunny then Slight Chance Rain Showers

Starts
Tue, Apr 14 6:00 AM EDT
Wind
7 mph W
Destination
79°F
Tuesday

Mostly Sunny

Starts
Tue, Apr 14 2:00 AM EDT
Wind
6 to 9 mph W

Driving Route Map

The map below follows the saved road route between Lowell and Acton.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Lowell and Acton.

  1. 1

    Start on Hale Street

    148 m · 15 sec · Hale Street

  2. 2

    Turn right onto Cambridge Street

    96 m · 16 sec · Cambridge Street

  3. 3

    Turn left onto Chelmsford Street

    2924 ft · 56 sec · Chelmsford Street

  4. 4

    Turn left onto Plain Street

    587 ft · 12 sec · Plain Street

  5. 5

    Take the ramp straight

    1210 ft · 30 sec

  6. 6

    Merge slight left onto Lowell Connector

    1.3 km · 1 min · Lowell Connector

  7. 7

    Take the exit slight right toward I 495 South, US 3 North: Worcester, Nashua New Hampshire

    763 ft · 16 sec

  8. 8

    Keep slight left to continue on I 495 South: Worcester

    1724 ft · 39 sec

  9. 9

    Keep slight left to continue on I 495 South: Marlboro

    2589 ft · 34 sec

  10. 10

    Merge slight left

    5 mi · 6 min

  11. 11

    Take the exit slight right toward Westford

    1403 ft · 30 sec

  12. 12

    Keep slight left to continue on Boston Road, Nashoba Valley Ski Area

    58 m · 12 sec

  13. 13

    Turn left onto Boston Road

    1824 ft · 43 sec · Boston Road

  14. 14

    Turn right onto Littleton Road

    1.6 km · 2 min · Littleton Road

  15. 15

    Turn left onto Powers Road

    1.8 mi · 3 min · Powers Road

  16. 16

    At the end of the road, turn left onto Great Road

    2.7 mi · 5 min · Great Road

  17. 17

    Turn right onto Main Street

    1.4 mi · 3 min · Main Street

  18. 18

    Turn sharp left onto Concord Road

    99 m · 9 sec · Concord Road

  19. 19

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec · Concord Road

Car Route Details

A richer read on the saved driving route between Lowell and Acton.

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
19 steps
9 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
5
2 merges, 3 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
123.4 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
I 495 South
5.96 mi · 39%
Great Road
2.75 mi · 18%
Powers Road
1.8 mi · 12%
Main Street
1.4 mi · 9%
Littleton Road
0.99 mi · 6%
Lowell Connector
0.78 mi · 5%
Longest Stretch

I 495 South

Merge slight left

5 mi · 00h 06m

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 25m
Quick drive
Same-Day Return
00h 50m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+3.5 mi
11.9 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
Westford
00h 12m from Lowell
Leave By
7:40 PM EDT
Flexible departure
Weather Watch

Mostly Sunny then Slight Chance Rain Showers leaving Lowell and Mostly Sunny near Acton.

Trip Questions

Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.

How long does it take to drive from Lowell to Acton?

The road trip is about 15.4 miles (24.8 km) and usually takes 00h 25m 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?

Westford is a useful midpoint, sitting about 7.7 miles from Lowell and 7.7 miles from Acton.

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

The direct path is about 11.9 miles (19.1 km), while the road route adds roughly 3.5 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 7:40 PM EDT.

How much will gas cost for this route?

Using about 28.3 MPG, regular gas is estimated at $2.10 one way or $4.20 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 4.8 kg one way.

What should you check before leaving?

Before you leave, expect Mostly Sunny then Slight Chance Rain Showers around Lowell and Mostly Sunny near Acton.

Stop Ideas Near Westford

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

Mid-route Guidance
Local place coverage is thin around Westford, 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 Westford.

BUS

Nashua, NH

24 mi away
8 North Southwood Drive
RAIL

Anderson Regional Transportation Center

25 mi away
100 Atlantic Ave.
RAIL

Framingham station

34 mi away
417 Waverly St.
RAIL

Haverhill station

36 mi away
Washington Street at Railroad Square

Flight Path Map

This map shows the direct air route between Lowell and Acton. Straight-line distance: 11.84 mi (19.06 km).

Lowell

#1 Lowell

The third most populous city in Massachusetts.

Population110,904
Coordinates42.6334200, -71.3161700
Altitude36
CountryUnited States
Acton

#2 Acton

Town in Massachusetts, United States

Population23,503
Coordinates42.4850900, -71.4328400
Altitude81
CountryUnited States
Start: Lowell (-71.31617, 42.63342)
End: Acton (-71.43284, 42.48509)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 25 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)00h 30m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)00h 23m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)00h 18m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)00h 15m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)00h 13m
80 mph (129 km/h)00h 11m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
0.54 gal
2.06 L · about $2.10
Round trip
$4.20
1.08 gal · 4.12 L
Estimated CO2
4.8 kg one way
Round trip: 9.6 kg / 21 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $3.89 $2.10 $4.20
Mid-grade $4.40 $2.37 $4.75
Premium $4.80 $2.59 $5.18
Diesel $4.49 $2.42 $4.85

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 · Apr 15, 2026

There is no time difference between Lowell and Acton. The current time is 21:23:02.

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.