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Trip from Portsmouth, NH to Concord, 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 14m

Distance

59.4 mi

96 km

Drive Score

7/10

Good drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$10

one way

EV Charging

Good

8 stations

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 18 min
4 AM
1h 8m ★
6 AM
1h 14m
8 AM
1h 26m
10 AM
1h 18m
12 PM
1h 17m
3 PM
1h 19m
5 PM
1h 25m
8 PM
1h 11m

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

city in Rockingham County, New Hampshire, United States

Portsmouth, NH

Wikimedia Commons

capital city of state of New Hampshire, United States; county seat of Merrimack County, New Hampshire

Concord, NH

Wikimedia Commons

Trip Overview

This straightforward 59.4-mile drive from Portsmouth to Concord, New Hampshire, is easily manageable as a single-day trip, taking approximately 1 hour and 14 minutes. With 94% of the journey on highways, including the Exeter-Hampton Expressway and Everett Turnpike, you'll experience a very highway-focused drive. The estimated fuel cost is around $10, making it an economical option for a quick transition within the Northeast region. No specific overnight stops are recommended, allowing for flexibility in your schedule. This route is ideal if you're looking for an efficient way to travel between these two NH cities without extensive planning.

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
Exeter-Hampton Expressway 30.4 mi 35m
Everett Turnpike 10.2 mi 12m
I 95 8.8 mi 10m
I 93 6.4 mi 7m
Market Street 1 mi 2m
Loudon Road 0.3 mi <1m
Hanover Street 0.1 mi <1m
Fleet Street <0.1 mi <1m
Longest stretch: Exeter-Hampton Expressway — 30.4 mi, about 35m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Portsmouth, NH and Concord, NH.

1

Start on US 1

406 ft · 15 sec · Congress Street
2

Turn right onto Fleet Street

462 ft · 17 sec · Fleet Street
Use the right lane.
3

Turn right onto Hanover Street

0.1 mi · 26 sec · Hanover Street
4

At end of road, turn left onto Market Street

1.0 mi · 2 min · Market Street
Use the left lane.
5

Take the ramp

0.3 mi · 35 sec
Toward I 95 South: Hampton, Boston Use the left lane.
6

Merge onto I 95

8.8 mi · 10 min · I 95
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7

Take the exit

0.6 mi · 1 min
Exit 2 Toward NH 101: Hampton, Manchester Use the slight right lane.
8

Keep slight right at fork

0.4 mi · 50 sec
Toward 101 West: Manchester, Concord, Exeter
9

Merge onto NH 101

30 mi · 35 min · Exeter-Hampton Expressway
10

Take the exit

0.5 mi · 38 sec
Toward I 93 North: Concord Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11

Merge onto I 93

6.4 mi · 7 min · I 93
12

Keep slight left at fork onto I 93

10 mi · 12 min · Everett Turnpike
13

Take the exit

0.2 mi · 39 sec
Exit 14 Toward NH 9: State Offices
14

Turn left onto NH 9

0.3 mi · 33 sec · Loudon Road
Use the left lane.
15

Continue on Centre Street

222 ft · 12 sec · Centre Street
Use the left / straight lanes.
16

Turn left

74 ft · 12 sec
17

Arrive at destination

Where to Stop

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

Downtown Fremont, NH, NH

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Fremont, NH

30 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

Kensington, NH

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 13 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Fremont, NH

Meal break

The midpoint is around 29.7 miles from Portsmouth, 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 15

5 decision points cluster between mile 0.1 and 59.1 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.

6
0.1 mi into trip | ~0m in | Fleet Street

Turn right onto Fleet Street

Lane positioning matters here

Use the right lane.
7
0.3 mi into trip | ~0m in | Market Street

At end of road, turn left onto Market Street

Lane positioning matters here

Use the left lane.
7
1.3 mi into trip | ~3m in

Take the ramp toward I 95 South: Hampton, Boston

Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Use the left lane. Toward I 95 South: Hampton, Boston
8
10.4 mi into trip | ~15m in

Take the exit toward NH 101: Hampton, Manchester

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 2 Toward NH 101: Hampton, Manchester
7
59.1 mi into trip | ~1h 13m in | NH 9 / Loudon Road

Turn left onto NH 9 / Loudon Road

Lane positioning matters here

Use the left lane.

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$9.56 one way

$19.12 round trip

$4.09/gal 25.4 MPG avg 21 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.50 $10.52 $21.04
premium $4.86 $11.37 $22.75
diesel $5.61 $13.11 $26.23

Estimated Tolls: $0.71

Everett Turnpike (10.2 mi) $0.71

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

Drive Cost (one way)

Fuel

$10

Tolls

$1

Total

$10

Estimated CO2 emission: 20.8 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $6 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 17.8 0 $6.24 $2.85
Efficient EV 14.9 0 $5.20 $2.38
EV Truck/SUV 23.8 0 $8.32 $3.80

Gas CO2

21 kg

EV CO2

7 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 Dec 18, 2023

Origin

Portsmouth, NH

Late night in Portsmouth on Sunday

Local time

12:45 AM

EDT

Current temp

42°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Concord, NH

Late night in Concord on Sunday

Local time

12:45 AM

EDT

Current temp

51°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

61°F

Fremont, NH

30 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

9 degrees warmer at arrival

A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.

Road read

1h 14m 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 predominantly highway-focused experience on this 59.4-mile route, with 94% of it utilizing major expressways. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is 30.4 miles on the Exeter-Hampton Expressway, offering a consistent pace. You'll transition onto the Everett Turnpike and I-95, maintaining a high-speed environment for most of the journey. This drive is characterized by its efficiency rather than winding scenic byways, making it a predictable and direct path between Portsmouth and Concord.

94% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
17 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 30.4 mi on Exeter-Hampton Expressway.

How Hard Is This Drive?

10/10

This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Exeter-Hampton Expressway and Everett Turnpike. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 0.1 miles in near Fleet Street.

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 59.4 miles you will encounter 15 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 0.1 miles (Fleet Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 0.3 miles (Market Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 1.3 miles: Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.

Elevation Profile

Mostly flat terrain

432 ft 30 ft

Total Climb

578 ft

Total Descent

337 ft

Highest Point

432 ft

~55.1 mi in

Elevation Range

402 ft

Towns Mentioned on Route Signs

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

Between Portsmouth, NH and Concord, NH, road signs point toward Manchester, 101 West: Manchester and Exeter.

Manchester

10.4 mi in | ~15m

101 West: Manchester

11 mi in | ~16m

Exeter

11 mi in | ~16m

Who Is This Route For?

Weekend Trip

Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 14m. Total distance: 59.4 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

1h 14m 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 30.4 miles on Exeter-Hampton Expressway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.

Expect about $0.71 in tolls one way, starting with Everett 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 Concord, 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 0.1 miles (Fleet Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 0.3 miles (Market Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 1.3 miles: 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 Concord, 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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Explore more options from Portsmouth, NH or browse trips ending in Concord, NH.

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