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Trip from Hampton, NH to Hudson, NH

Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards

Drive Time

1h 3m

Distance

43.6 mi

70 km

Drive Score

8/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$7

one way

EV Charging

Good

7 stations

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 16 min
4 AM
0h 58m ★
6 AM
1h 3m
8 AM
1h 14m
10 AM
1h 7m
12 PM
1h 6m
3 PM
1h 7m
5 PM
1h 13m
8 PM
1h 0m

Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.

town in New Hampshire

Hampton, NH

Wikimedia Commons

Downtown Hudson, NH, NH

Hudson, NH

Mohan Nannapaneni

Trip Overview

Hampton to Hudson is 43.6 miles and takes about 1 hour 3 minutes via I-495 and I-93, with a fuel budget near $7 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This is a straightforward, same-day trip primarily within New Hampshire, connecting the coastal region to the Merrimack Valley. The drive offers a mixed experience, moving from interstate travel to more local roads as you approach your destination. Given its short duration, this route is ideal for a quick transition or a day trip without significant time commitment. Expect a practical journey focused on reaching your destination efficiently.

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
I 495 16.3 mi 18m
I 93 5.9 mi 6m
Central Street 4.7 mi 9m
Lafayette Road 3.7 mi 7m
Haverhill Road 3.4 mi 5m
Loop Connector 3.3 mi 4m
Blue Star Turnpike 2.4 mi 2m
Indian Rock Road 2 mi 3m
Longest stretch: I 495 — 16.3 mi, about 18m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Hampton, NH and Hudson, NH.

1

Start on this road

159 ft · 13 sec · this road
2

Turn right onto US 1

3.7 mi · 7 min · Lafayette Road
Use the straight / right lanes.
3

Turn right onto NH 107

0.5 mi · 49 sec · NH 107
Use the right lane.
4

Take the ramp

0.3 mi · 39 sec
Toward I 95 South: Boston Use the right lane.
5

Merge onto I 95

2.4 mi · 2 min · Blue Star Turnpike
6

Keep slight right at fork onto I 495

16 mi · 18 min · I 495
Exit 89 Toward I 495 South: Worcester Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7

Take the exit

0.2 mi · 37 sec
Exit 105 Toward MA 213: Methuen, Salem New Hampshire, Manchester-Boston Regional Airport Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8

Continue on MA 213

3.3 mi · 4 min · Loop Connector
9

Take the exit

0.4 mi · 36 sec
Exit 1B Toward I 93 North: Concord New Hampshire
10

Merge onto I 93

1.7 mi · 1 min · I 93
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11

Continue on I 93

4.2 mi · 4 min · I 93
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12

Take the exit

0.3 mi · 30 sec
Exit 3 Toward NH 111: Windham, North Salem Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13

Keep slight left at fork

450 ft · 12 sec
Toward NH 111: Windham, North Salem Use the left lane.
14

Turn left onto NH 111

2.0 mi · 3 min · Indian Rock Road
Use the straight lane.
15

Continue on Haverhill Road

3.4 mi · 5 min · Haverhill Road
16

Continue on NH 111

4.2 mi · 8 min · Central Street
17

Continue on NH 3A

0.5 mi · 1 min · Central Street
18

Turn slight right onto NH 111

0.1 mi · 19 sec · Ferry Street
19

Arrive at destination

NH 111

Where to Stop

Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.

Downtown Lawrence, MA, MA

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Lawrence, MA

22 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.

Pacing Suggestions

Amesbury, MA

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 10 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Haverhill, MA

Meal break

The midpoint is around 21.8 miles from Hampton, 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.

Heads-up: tricky spots

5 of 11

5 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 33.3 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.

6
0 mi into trip | ~0m in | US 1 / Lafayette Road

Turn right onto US 1 / Lafayette Road

Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / right lanes.
8
6.9 mi into trip | ~11m in | I 495

Keep slight right at fork onto I 495 toward I 495 South: Worcester

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / slight right lanes. Exit 89 Toward I 495 South: Worcester
8
23.2 mi into trip | ~30m in

Take the exit toward MA 213: Methuen, Salem New Hampshire, Manchester-Boston Regional Airport

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Use the straight / slight right lanes. Exit 105 Toward MA 213: Methuen, Salem New Hampshire, Ma...
8
33 mi into trip | ~43m in

Take the exit toward NH 111: Windham, North Salem

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Use the straight / slight right lanes. Exit 3 Toward NH 111: Windham, North Salem
9
33.3 mi into trip | ~43m in

Keep slight left at fork toward NH 111: Windham, North Salem

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Use the left lane. Toward NH 111: Windham, North Salem

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$7.02 one way

$14.04 round trip

$4.09/gal 25.4 MPG avg 15 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.50 $7.72 $15.45
premium $4.86 $8.35 $16.70
diesel $5.61 $9.63 $19.25

Estimated Tolls: $0.17

Blue Star Turnpike (2.4 mi) $0.17

Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.

Drive Cost (one way)

Fuel

$7

Tolls

$0

Total

$7

Estimated CO2 emission: 15.3 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $5 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 13.1 0 $4.58 $2.09
Efficient EV 10.9 0 $3.82 $1.74
EV Truck/SUV 17.4 0 $6.10 $2.79

Gas CO2

15 kg

EV CO2

5 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.

Travel Intel

Current conditions at both ends of the drive.

Forecast as of Apr 15, 2026

Origin

Hampton, NH

Night in Hampton on Saturday

Local time

10:47 PM

EDT

Current temp

--

Unavailable

Destination

Hudson, NH

Night in Hudson on Saturday

Local time

10:47 PM

EDT

Current temp

39°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

56°F

Lawrence, MA

22 mi in

Time zone

Same local time

Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.

Road read

1h 3m 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?

This drive is characterized as a 'Mixed drive,' with 57% of it on highways. You'll encounter stretches on major interstates like I-495 and I-93, which offer faster travel. The longest uninterrupted segment you'll experience is 16.3 miles on I-495, providing a good opportunity to settle into a rhythm. As you progress, the route transitions from these high-speed corridors onto Central Street, indicating a shift to more local roads as you near Hudson. This change means you'll likely see more varied scenery and encounter different traffic patterns.

57% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
19 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 16.3 mi on I 495.

How Hard Is This Drive?

10/10

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 US 1 / Lafayette Road.

Driving Effort 10/10

Demanding - stay alert through the decision-heavy sections

Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.

This drive requires moderate attention. Across 43.6 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: near the start (US 1 / Lafayette Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 6.9 miles (I 495): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 23.2 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.

Towns Mentioned on Route Signs

Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.

Between Hampton, NH and Hudson, NH, road signs point toward Salem New Hampshire, Manchester-Boston Regional Airport and Salem.

Salem New Hampshire

23.2 mi in | ~30m

Manchester-Boston Regional Airport

23.2 mi in | ~30m

Salem

33 mi in | ~43m

About the Cities

Starting in Hampton, NH

Full guide →

Hampton is a city in New Hampshire along the coast. It includes the small village of Hampton Beach, a popular tourist spot.

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 1h 3m. Total distance: 43.6 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

1h 3m drive, comfortable solo distance.

EV Driver

0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (57%). Some complex stretches to watch for.

Frequently Asked Questions

The longest stretch is about 16.3 miles on I 495. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.

Expect about $0.17 in tolls one way, starting with Blue Star Turnpike. Most Northeast and Midwest toll agencies accept E-ZPass; in the West and Texas, transponders like TxTag or FasTrak apply. If you do not have a transponder, cashless tolling plates will mail a bill to the vehicle's registered address — usually with a surcharge, so a rental-car toll pass is often cheaper than paying by mail.

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 Hudson, NH 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.

Mostly yes along the main roads, but rural stretches through NH can have sparse or no coverage. Before you leave, download offline Google Maps or Apple Maps for the route, and consider downloading music or podcasts instead of streaming. If you depend on data for navigation, keep a paper backup of the turn-by-turn directions.

The main spots that need attention: near the start (US 1 / Lafayette Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 6.9 miles (I 495): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 23.2 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.

Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Hudson, NH 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, and EIA for fuel prices. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.

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