Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Sep 2, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 55m
Distance
76.9 mi
124 km
Drive Score
9/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$13
one way
EV Charging
Excellent
24 DC fast
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Dover, NH
Wikimedia Commons
Peterborough, NH
Wikimedia Commons
The drive from Dover, NH to Peterborough, NH covers 76.9 miles and takes about 1h 55m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on NH 101, Calef Highway, Gibbons Highway for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is mixed highway & surface. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 43.5 miles on NH 101. At current regular gas prices, budget about $12.72 one way before food or hotel costs.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Midpoint
38.4 miles from Dover, NH
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 54m into the drive .
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| NH 101 | 43.5 mi | 58m |
| Calef Highway | 9.6 mi | 14m |
| Gibbons Highway | 9.3 mi | 14m |
| Wilton Road | 4 mi | 6m |
| Knox Marsh Road | 3.2 mi | 5m |
| Elm Street | 1.4 mi | 2m |
| Concord Road | 1.3 mi | 1m |
| Lee Road | 1.3 mi | 2m |
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 7 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
4 PM
~4,592 veh/hr typical
Quietest
2 AM
~166 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
27.7×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
Averaged across 75 weeks of 2023 FHWA Travel Monitoring Analysis System data. Weekday hours only (Mon–Fri).
Step-by-step road directions between Dover, NH and Peterborough, NH.
Start on this road
Turn sharp left onto NH 9; NH 108
Turn sharp left onto NH 4; NH 9; NH 108
Turn right onto Hale Street
Turn left onto Locust Street
Turn right onto NH 9
Enter roundabout onto NH 9
Continue on NH 9
Continue on NH 155
Continue on NH 155
Continue on NH 155
Take the ramp
Merge onto US 4
Enter roundabout onto NH 125
Continue on NH 125
Take the exit
Merge onto NH 101
Keep slight right at fork onto NH 101
Keep slight left at fork onto NH 101
Turn left onto NH 101
Continue on NH 101
Turn left onto NH 101
Continue on NH 101
Continue on NH 101
Continue on NH 101
Merge onto NH 101
Turn left onto Ames Court
Turn right
Turn right onto Mercer Avenue
Turn right onto NH 101
Arrive at destination
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 28m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 38.4 miles or 54m 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 35m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Peterborough, NH than in the middle of the route.
Open the route before leaving Dover, NH so your first major turns are already loaded.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Dover, NH
This is one driving day of about 76.9 miles and 1h 55m.
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
38 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 38.4 miles from Dover, NH, 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 0 and 42.1 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
Turn sharp left onto NH 9; NH 108 / Main Street
Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach
Turn sharp left onto NH 4; NH 9; NH 108 / Central Avenue
Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach. Lane positioning matters here
Enter roundabout onto NH 9 / Knox Marsh Road
Roundabout - know your exit number before entering
Keep slight right at fork onto NH 101 toward I 293 North, NH 101 West: Manchester Airport, Manchester, Bedford
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Keep slight left at fork onto NH 101 toward NH 101 West: Bedford, Nashua
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Regular Gas
$12.72 one way
$25.45 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.67 | $14.15 | $28.30 |
| premium | $5.03 | $15.23 | $30.46 |
| diesel | $5.35 | $16.19 | $32.38 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$13
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$38–$63
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 26.9 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-08-03.
EV Charging Along Route
24 DC fast chargers · Coverage: excellent
Dover, NH - Tesla Supercharger
Dover, NH
12 DCFC
Hooksett, NH - Tesla Supercharger
Hooksett, NH
12 DCFC
The Mall of New Hampshire MB.HPC
Manchester, NH
10 DCFC
Manchester, NH - Tesla Supercharger
Manchester, NH
8 DCFC
1313 Hooksett Rd
Hooksett, NH
4 DCFC
Simon Mall of New Hampshire (Manchester, NH)
Manchester, NH
4 DCFC
AutoFair Hyundai in Manchester
Manchester, NH
4 DCFC
AutoFair Honda
Manchester, NH
4 DCFC
Station data from NREL Alternative Fuel Stations database.
Driving Electric?
About $8 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 23.1 | 0 | $8.07 | $3.69 |
| Efficient EV | 19.2 | 0 | $6.73 | $3.08 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 30.8 | 0 | $10.77 | $4.92 |
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
Late night in Dover on Wednesday
Local time
4:08 AM
EDT
Current temp
58°F
Cloudy
Destination
Late night in Peterborough on Wednesday
Local time
4:08 AM
EDT
Current temp
54°F
Slight Chance Rain Showers
78°F
Manchester, NH
38 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.
76.9 mi in 1h 55m — 57% highway, the rest on surface roads. Biggest road: NH 101.
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 early in the drive near NH 9; NH 108 / Main Street.
Demanding - stay alert through the decision-heavy sections
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 76.9 miles you will encounter 21 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: near the start (NH 9; NH 108 / Main Street): Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach; at 0.1 miles (NH 4; NH 9; NH 108 / Central Avenue): Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach. Lane positioning matters here; at 1.3 miles (NH 9 / Knox Marsh Road): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering.
Gently rolling terrain
Total Climb
1,216 ft
Total Descent
552 ft
Highest Point
1,093 ft
~71.4 mi in
Elevation Range
1,027 ft
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Dover, NH and Peterborough, NH, road signs point toward Manchester, Bedford and Nashua.
Manchester
Bedford
Nashua
Founded 1623
Dover is a city in New Hampshire, United States. Settled in 1623, it pre-dates the founding of America and is the 7th oldest city in the country.
Top landmarks
Founded 1760
Peterborough is a village in New Hampshire. It was founded in 1760 and has about 6,300 residents.
Top landmarks
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 55m. Total distance: 76.9 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 55m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (57%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
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, USGS 3DEP for elevation, NREL for EV charging, and FHWA TMAS for hourly traffic volumes. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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