Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Jul 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
49m
Distance
31.3 mi
50 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$5
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Plainfield, NH
Mohan Nannapaneni
Town of Sunapee, NH
Mohan Nannapaneni
Plainfield, NH to Town of Sunapee, NH is 31.3 miles and takes about 49 minutes via Route 12A, with a fuel budget near $5 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within the Northeast region, specifically within New Hampshire. You'll experience a mix of highway driving and surface roads as you make your way south. Given its short duration, this route is ideal for a quick excursion or an addition to a longer itinerary without consuming a full day.
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Route 12A | 5.4 mi | 10m |
| U.S. Route 5 South | 4.9 mi | 7m |
| State Route 11 | 4.8 mi | 7m |
| John Stark Highway | 4.6 mi | 5m |
| Main Street | 4.5 mi | 5m |
| Sunapee Street | 2.8 mi | 6m |
| Washington Street | 2.3 mi | 2m |
| Vermont Route 12 | 0.4 mi | <1m |
Step-by-step road directions between Plainfield, NH and Town of Sunapee, NH.
Start on NH 12A
Turn right
Continue on Bridge Street
Turn left onto US 5; VT 12
Continue on US 5; VT 12
Turn left onto VT 12
Continue on NH 12; NH 103
Turn left onto NH 11; NH 12; NH 103
Keep slight right at fork onto NH 11; NH 103
Continue on NH 11; NH 103
Keep slight right at fork onto NH 11; NH 103
Continue on NH 11; NH 103
Continue on NH 11; NH 103
Continue on NH 11; NH 103
Continue on NH 11; NH 103
Continue on Maple Street
Turn left onto Cross Street
Turn right onto Canal Street
Turn right onto NH 11; NH 103
Turn straight onto NH 11
Continue on NH 11
Turn left onto Sargent Road
Arrive at destination
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
16 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 31 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
The midpoint is around 15.6 miles from Plainfield, 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 5.7 and 31.2 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
Turn left onto US 5; VT 12 / Main Street
Navigation decision point
Keep slight right at fork onto NH 11; NH 103 / Broad Street
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
Keep slight right at fork onto NH 11; NH 103 / Broad Street
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
Turn left onto Cross Street
Navigation decision point
Turn left onto Sargent Road
Navigation decision point
Regular Gas
$4.91 one way
$9.82 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.48 | $5.52 | $11.03 |
| premium | $4.81 | $5.93 | $11.86 |
| diesel | $4.80 | $5.91 | $11.82 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$5
Estimated CO2 emission: 11 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-07-13.
Driving Electric?
About $3 in charging · 0 stops · 64% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 9.4 | 0 | $3.29 | $1.50 |
| Efficient EV | 7.8 | 0 | $2.74 | $1.25 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 12.5 | 0 | $4.38 | $2.00 |
Gas CO2
11 kg
EV CO2
4 kg (64% 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
Afternoon in Plainfield on Sunday
Local time
12:01 PM
EDT
Current temp
59°F
Mostly Cloudy
Destination
Afternoon in Town of Sunapee on Sunday
Local time
12:01 PM
EDT
Current temp
57°F
Mostly Cloudy
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.
This drive is about 50% highway, meaning you'll encounter sections of higher-speed travel mixed with surface roads. The longest continuous stretch on a single road is 5.4 miles on Route 12A. You'll notice the transition from potentially faster highway segments to more local roads as you proceed. Expect a blend of cruising and more typical town-to-town driving.
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. You will hit about 8 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 5.7 miles in near US 5; VT 12 / Main Street.
Moderate - straightforward overall, but long enough or busy enough to require pacing
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 31.3 miles you will encounter 8 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: at 5.7 miles (US 5; VT 12 / Main Street): Navigation decision point; at 15.4 miles (NH 11; NH 103 / Broad Street): Highway fork - watch signs carefully; at 15.6 miles (NH 11; NH 103 / Broad Street): Highway fork - watch signs carefully.
Mostly flat terrain
Total Climb
919 ft
Total Descent
360 ft
Highest Point
1,081 ft
~31.3 mi in
Elevation Range
791 ft
Founded 1761
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 49m. Total distance: 31.3 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
49m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (50%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Scenic Drive
Mixed highway & surface route profile with national parks nearby.
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, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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