How far is Lowell, MA from Harvard, MA?

The driving distance from Lowell, MA to Harvard, MA is about 19.5 miles (31.4 km), with a travel time of about 00h 26m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 16.4 miles (26.4 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 00h 52m 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
19.5 mi
00h 26m
Flight
16.4 mi
26.4 km direct

This is an easy same-day return drive.

Learn Distance

Choose another destination from Lowell.

Flight Distance

Direct air line
16.4 mi
Kilometers
26.4 km
Flight Time
00h 01m

Driving Distance

Road route
19.5 mi
Kilometers
31.38 km
Drive Time
00h 26m

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 26m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in Harvard
Thu, Apr 23, 3:01 AM EDT
Return by in Lowell
Thu, Apr 23, 3:27 AM EDT
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave Lowell
2026-04-23T02:34
Arrive Harvard
Thu, Apr 23, 3:01 AM EDT
Route Timing
00h 26m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
7:00 AM to 7:00 PM EDT
Leave when it suits your day
Arrive between
7:26 AM to 7:26 PM EDT

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

Leave by
7:38 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
Littleton Common
MA

Census-designated place in Middlesex County, Massachusetts

From Lowell
9.8 mi
00h 13m
To Harvard
9.8 mi
00h 13m

Route Weather Snapshot

Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.

Origin
58°F
Thursday

Partly Sunny

Starts
Thu, Apr 23 6:00 AM EDT
Wind
2 to 10 mph NW
Destination
62°F
Thursday

Partly Sunny

Starts
Thu, Apr 23 6:00 AM EDT
Wind
5 to 9 mph NW

Driving Route Map

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

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

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

  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

    14 mi · 16 min

  11. 11

    Take the exit slight right toward MA 111: Boxboro, Harvard

    1464 ft · 57 sec

  12. 12

    At the end of the road, turn left onto Massachusetts Avenue

    2.5 mi · 4 min · Massachusetts Avenue

  13. 13

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec · Massachusetts Avenue

Car Route Details

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

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
13 steps
4 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
5
2 merges, 3 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
66.7 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
I 495 South
14.9 mi · 77%
Massachusetts Avenue
2.47 mi · 13%
Lowell Connector
0.78 mi · 4%
Chelmsford Street
0.55 mi · 3%
Plain Street
0.34 mi · 2%
MA 111
0.28 mi · 1%
Longest Stretch

I 495 South

Merge slight left

14 mi · 00h 16m

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 26m
Quick drive
Same-Day Return
00h 52m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+3.1 mi
16.4 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
Littleton Common
00h 13m from Lowell
Leave By
7:38 PM EDT
Flexible departure
Weather Watch

Partly Sunny leaving Lowell and Partly Sunny near Harvard.

Trip Questions

Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.

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

The road trip is about 19.5 miles (31.4 km) and usually takes 00h 26m 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?

Littleton Common is a useful midpoint, sitting about 9.8 miles from Lowell and 9.8 miles from Harvard.

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

The direct path is about 16.4 miles (26.4 km), while the road route adds roughly 3.1 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 7:38 PM EDT.

How much will gas cost for this route?

Using about 28.3 MPG, regular gas is estimated at $2.68 one way or $5.37 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 6.1 kg one way.

What should you check before leaving?

Before you leave, expect Partly Sunny around Lowell and Partly Sunny near Harvard.

Stop Ideas Near Littleton Common

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

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

BUS

Nashua, NH

27 mi away
8 North Southwood Drive
RAIL

Anderson Regional Transportation Center

28 mi away
100 Atlantic Ave.
RAIL

Framingham station

30 mi away
417 Waverly St.
RAIL

Back Bay station

39 mi away
145 Dartmouth St.

Flight Path Map

This map shows the direct air route between Lowell and Harvard. Straight-line distance: 16.4 mi (26.4 km).

Lowell

#1 Lowell

The third most populous city in Massachusetts.

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

#2 Harvard

Town in Worcester County, Massachusetts

Population6,618
Coordinates42.5000900, -71.5828400
Altitude127
CountryUnited States
Start: Lowell (-71.31617, 42.63342)
End: Harvard (-71.58284, 42.50009)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 31 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)00h 38m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)00h 29m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)00h 23m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)00h 19m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)00h 16m
80 mph (129 km/h)00h 14m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
0.69 gal
2.6 L · about $2.68
Round trip
$5.37
1.38 gal · 5.2 L
Estimated CO2
6.1 kg one way
Round trip: 12.3 kg / 27 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $3.89 $2.68 $5.37
Mid-grade $4.40 $3.03 $6.07
Premium $4.80 $3.31 $6.62
Diesel $4.49 $3.10 $6.19

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 23, 2026

There is no time difference between Lowell and Harvard. The current time is 02:34:59.

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.