Origin
Plaistow, NH
Late night in Plaistow on Tuesday
Local time
4:52 AM
EDT
Current temp
56°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Plaistow, NH to Dover, NH
Pin this tripCompiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 21, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
55m
Distance
41.2 mi
66 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$7
one way
EV Charging
Sparse
1 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 51m
★
6 AM
0h 55m
8 AM
1h 4m
10 AM
0h 58m
12 PM
0h 57m
3 PM
0h 59m
5 PM
1h 4m
8 PM
0h 52m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Plaistow, NH
Roman Biernacki
Dover, NH
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
If you are looking for a quick and straightforward transit across the Northeast, this 41.2-mile connection between Plaistow and Dover is an efficient choice. Expect to spend about 55 minutes behind the wheel, making this a perfect single-day excursion that requires no overnight stops. Budget roughly $7 for fuel to cover the journey, which relies heavily on major thoroughfares including I-495, the Blue Star Turnpike, and the Spaulding Turnpike. Because 87% of this drive takes place on highways, it is designed for speed and reliability rather than leisurely detours. Whether you are commuting or heading out for a day trip, this route offers a practical, no-nonsense path between these two New Hampshire points.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 495 | 11.6 mi | 13m |
| Spaulding Turnpike | 9.9 mi | 13m |
| Blue Star Turnpike | 7.8 mi | 9m |
| I 95 | 6.7 mi | 7m |
| Main Street | 1.6 mi | 2m |
| North Avenue | 1.5 mi | 2m |
| Locust Street | 0.8 mi | 1m |
| Chestnut Street | 0.4 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
I 495
— 11.6 mi, about 13m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Plaistow, NH and Dover, NH.
1
Start on NH 121A
1.3 mi
·
2 min
·
Main Street
2
Turn left onto North Avenue
1.5 mi
·
2 min
·
North Avenue
3
Continue on Marsh Avenue
0.2 mi
·
25 sec
·
Marsh Avenue
4
Continue on MA 125
0.2 mi
·
29 sec
·
Main Street
5
Take the ramp
0.3 mi
·
45 sec
Toward I 495 North: Amesbury, Salisbury
6
Merge onto I 495
12 mi
·
13 min
·
I 495
7
Merge onto I 95
6.7 mi
·
7 min
·
I 95
8
Keep slight left at fork onto I 95
7.8 mi
·
9 min
·
Blue Star Turnpike
Use the slight left / straight lanes.
9
Keep slight left at fork onto Spaulding Turnpike
9.9 mi
·
13 min
·
Spaulding Turnpike
Exit 4
Toward US 4, NH 16: New Hampshire Lakes, White Mountains
Use the slight left / straight lanes.
10
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
35 sec
Exit 7
Toward NH 108: Dover, Durham
Use the slight right lane.
11
Turn left onto NH 108
42 ft
·
1 sec
·
Central Avenue
12
Turn right
120 ft
·
4 sec
13
Turn right onto Locust Street
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
Locust Street
14
Turn straight onto Chestnut Street
0.4 mi
·
59 sec
·
Chestnut Street
Use the straight / right lanes.
15
Turn right onto Third Street
0.1 mi
·
28 sec
·
Third Street
16
Turn sharp right onto NH 4; NH 9; NH 108
212 ft
·
6 sec
·
Central Avenue
17
Turn left
114 ft
·
5 sec
Use the straight / left lanes.
18
Arrive at destination
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
21 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
Fuel and coffee
A short stop after about 41 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 20.6 miles from Plaistow, 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 145 decision points cluster between mile 21.9 and 41.2 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
6
21.9 mi into trip
|
~27m in
|
I 95 / Blue Star Turnpike
Keep slight left at fork onto I 95 / Blue Star Turnpike
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left / straight lanes.
9
29.7 mi into trip
|
~37m in
|
Spaulding Turnpike
Keep slight left at fork onto Spaulding Turnpike toward US 4, NH 16: New Hampshire Lakes, White Mountains
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight left / straight lanes.
Exit 4
Toward US 4, NH 16: New Hampshire Lakes, White...
8
39.7 mi into trip
|
~50m in
Take the exit toward NH 108: Dover, Durham
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 7
Toward NH 108: Dover, Durham
6
41.2 mi into trip
|
~54m in
|
NH 4; NH 9; NH 108 / Central Avenue
Turn sharp right onto NH 4; NH 9; NH 108 / Central Avenue
Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach
5
41.2 mi into trip
|
~54m in
Turn left
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / left lanes.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$6.63 one way
$13.27 round trip
$4.09/gal
25.4 MPG avg
14 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.50 | $7.30 | $14.60 |
| premium | $4.86 | $7.89 | $15.78 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $9.10 | $18.19 |
Estimated Tolls: $1.24
Spaulding Turnpike
(9.9 mi)
$0.69
Blue Star Turnpike
(7.8 mi)
$0.55
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$7
Tolls
$1
Total
$8
Estimated CO2 emission: 14.4 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $4 in charging · 0 stops · 64% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 12.4 | 0 | $4.33 | $1.98 |
| Efficient EV | 10.3 | 0 | $3.61 | $1.65 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 16.5 | 0 | $5.77 | $2.64 |
Gas CO2
14 kg
EV CO2
5 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.
Travel Intel
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Destination
Dover, NH
Late night in Dover on Tuesday
Local time
4:52 AM
EDT
Current temp
54°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Time zone
Same local time
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
2 degrees cooler at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
55m 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?
Expect a focused, highway-heavy experience that prioritizes steady progress over winding backroads. With 87% of the trip spent on high-speed infrastructure, you will find a consistent rhythm as you transition between the major turnpikes. You can anticipate a relatively uninterrupted flow, with the longest single stretch covering 11.6 miles on I-495. This is a utilitarian drive that maintains a high-speed profile throughout the 55-minute duration. While it lacks the stop-and-go nature of local surface streets, the road character remains functional and efficient from start to finish.
87% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
18 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 11.6 mi on I 495.
How Hard Is This Drive?
8/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 495 and Spaulding Turnpike. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 21.9 miles in near I 95 / Blue Star Turnpike.
Driving Effort
8/10
Focused - busy navigation packed into a short drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 14 decision points packed into just 41.2 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 55m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 21.9 miles (I 95 / Blue Star Turnpike): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 29.7 miles (Spaulding Turnpike): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 39.7 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Elevation Profile
Mostly flat terrain
152 ft
13 ft
Total Climb
230 ft
Total Descent
262 ft
Highest Point
152 ft
~5.9 mi in
Elevation Range
139 ft
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Plaistow, NH and Dover, NH, road signs point toward Salisbury and White Mountains.
Salisbury
3.3 mi in
|
~5m
White Mountains
29.7 mi in
|
~37m
|
via Spaulding Turnpike
About the Cities
Arriving in Dover, NH
Full guide →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.
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 55m. Total distance: 41.2 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
55m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (87%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 11.6 miles on I 495. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Expect about $1.24 in tolls one way, starting with Spaulding 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 Dover, 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: at 21.9 miles (I 95 / Blue Star Turnpike): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 29.7 miles (Spaulding Turnpike): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 39.7 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 Dover, 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, EIA for fuel prices, and USGS 3DEP for elevation. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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