Origin
Portland, OR
Night in Portland on Saturday
Local time
9:20 PM
PDT
Current temp
45°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Portland, OR to Salem, OR
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 4m
Distance
47.2 mi
76 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$9
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 0m
★
6 AM
1h 5m
8 AM
1h 15m
10 AM
1h 8m
12 PM
1h 7m
3 PM
1h 9m
5 PM
1h 15m
8 PM
1h 2m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Salem, OR
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Connecting Portland to Salem, this 47.2-mile trek is a straightforward journey through the Pacific Coast region of Oregon. Expect to spend about 1 hour and 4 minutes behind the wheel, making this an ideal day trip that doesn't require an overnight stay. You will primarily navigate via I-5, the Doctor Martin Luther King Junior Parkway, and the Stadium Freeway. With an estimated fuel cost of just $9, it is an economical route for commuters or weekend travelers. Because the drive is short and direct, you have total flexibility in your schedule. It is a practical, no-nonsense path between these two major state hubs.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 5 | 39.8 mi | 48m |
| Doctor Martin Luther King Junior Parkway | 3 mi | 4m |
| Stadium Freeway | 1.5 mi | 2m |
| Commercial Street Northeast | 1 mi | 2m |
| High Street Northeast | 0.4 mi | 1m |
| Northwest Couch Street | 0.4 mi | 1m |
| Northwest 13th Avenue | 0.3 mi | 1m |
| Belmont Street Northeast | 0.2 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
I 5
— 39.8 mi, about 48m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Portland, OR and Salem, OR.
1
Start on this road
110 ft
·
13 sec
·
this road
2
Turn left onto Northwest Couch Street
0.4 mi
·
1 min
·
Northwest Couch Street
3
Turn left onto Northwest 13th Avenue
0.3 mi
·
1 min
·
Northwest 13th Avenue
4
Turn right onto Southwest Taylor Street
29 ft
·
1 sec
·
Southwest Taylor Street
5
Take the ramp
0.5 mi
·
44 sec
Toward I 405 South
Use the straight / slight left lanes.
6
Merge onto I 405
1.5 mi
·
2 min
·
Stadium Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Merge onto I 5
39 mi
·
47 min
·
I 5
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Take the exit onto I 5
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
I 5
Exit 260A
Toward OR 99E Business: Salem Parkway
9
Merge onto OR 99E Bus
3.0 mi
·
4 min
·
Doctor Martin Luther King Junior Parkway
10
Continue on OR 99E Bus
1.0 mi
·
2 min
·
Commercial Street Northeast
11
Turn left onto Belmont Street Northeast
0.2 mi
·
47 sec
·
Belmont Street Northeast
12
Turn right onto Broadway Street Northeast
0.1 mi
·
20 sec
·
Broadway Street Northeast
13
Continue on High Street Northeast
0.4 mi
·
1 min
·
High Street Northeast
14
Arrive at destination
High Street Northeast
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
24 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 10 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 23.6 miles from Portland, OR, 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 105 decision points cluster between mile 0.7 and 42 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
0.7 mi into trip
|
~3m in
|
Southwest Taylor Street
Turn right onto Southwest Taylor Street
Navigation decision point
5
0.7 mi into trip
|
~3m in
Take the ramp toward I 405 South
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight left lanes.
Toward I 405 South
5
1.2 mi into trip
|
~4m in
|
I 405 / Stadium Freeway
Merge onto I 405 / Stadium Freeway
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
5
2.7 mi into trip
|
~6m in
|
I 5
Merge onto I 5
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
5
42 mi into trip
|
~54m in
|
I 5
Take the exit onto I 5 toward OR 99E Business: Salem Parkway
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early
Exit 260A
Toward OR 99E Business: Salem Parkway
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$9.40 one way
$18.81 round trip
$5.06/gal
25.4 MPG avg
17 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $5.36 | $9.95 | $19.90 |
| premium | $5.59 | $10.39 | $20.78 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $10.42 | $20.84 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$9
Estimated CO2 emission: 16.5 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $5 in charging · 0 stops · 65% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 14.2 | 0 | $4.96 | $2.27 |
| Efficient EV | 11.8 | 0 | $4.13 | $1.89 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 18.9 | 0 | $6.61 | $3.02 |
Gas CO2
17 kg
EV CO2
6 kg (65% 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
Salem, OR
Night in Salem on Saturday
Local time
9:20 PM
PDT
Current temp
43°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
62°F
King City, OR
24 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.
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
1h 4m 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 is a highway-focused drive, with 94% of your journey spent on high-speed thoroughfares. You will quickly settle into the pace of I-5, which accounts for the longest uninterrupted stretch of 39.8 miles. The experience is defined by efficiency rather than winding backroads, keeping you on major arterial routes for the duration of the trip. While the transition from the Stadium Freeway to the interstate is rapid, the road remains consistent and predictable throughout. Prepare for a steady, rhythmic drive that prioritizes speed and directness over technical maneuvers or varying terrain.
94% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
14 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 39.8 mi on I 5.
How Hard Is This Drive?
5/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 5 and Doctor Martin Luther King Junior Parkway. You will hit about 10 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 0.7 miles in near Southwest Taylor Street.
Driving Effort
5/10
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 47.2 miles you will encounter 10 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 0.7 miles (Southwest Taylor Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.7 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 1.2 miles (I 405 / Stadium Freeway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 4m. Total distance: 47.2 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 4m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (94%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 39.8 miles on I 5. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes. At under 2 hours behind the wheel, this works well for families — plan one quick stop if you have younger kids.
The main spots that need attention: at 0.7 miles (Southwest Taylor Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.7 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 1.2 miles (I 405 / Stadium Freeway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Salem, OR 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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