Origin
Portsmouth, NH
Late night in Portsmouth on Sunday
Local time
12:43 AM
EDT
Current temp
42°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Portsmouth, NH to Dover, NH
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
21m
Distance
12.1 mi
20 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$2
one way
EV Charging
Sparse
1 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 19m
★
6 AM
0h 21m
8 AM
0h 25m
10 AM
0h 22m
12 PM
0h 22m
3 PM
0h 23m
5 PM
0h 25m
8 PM
0h 20m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Portsmouth, NH
Wikimedia Commons
Dover, NH
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
This quick 12.1-mile journey from Portsmouth to Dover, New Hampshire, will take you approximately 21 minutes to complete. It's a straightforward drive, predominantly on highways, making it an easy addition to your New England travels. With a minimal fuel cost of around $2, this route is perfect for a spontaneous short trip or a quick errand between these two Northeast towns. You'll spend most of your time on the Spaulding Turnpike and NH 16. Given its short distance and duration, this trip is ideal as a single-day excursion, requiring no overnight stays.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Spaulding Turnpike | 8.1 mi | 11m |
| NH 16 | 0.9 mi | 1m |
| Locust Street | 0.8 mi | 1m |
| Maplewood Avenue | 0.7 mi | 2m |
| US 1 Bypass | 0.6 mi | 1m |
| Chestnut Street | 0.4 mi | <1m |
| Congress Street | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| Third Street | 0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Spaulding Turnpike
— 8.1 mi, about 11m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Portsmouth, NH and Dover, NH.
1
Start on US 1
0.2 mi
·
34 sec
·
Congress Street
Use the straight lane.
2
Turn right onto Maplewood Avenue
0.7 mi
·
2 min
·
Maplewood Avenue
Use the right lane.
3
Turn left onto Cutts Street
455 ft
·
15 sec
·
Cutts Street
4
Turn slight right onto US 1 Bypass
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
US 1 Bypass
5
Continue on NH 16
0.4 mi
·
50 sec
·
NH 16
Toward NH 16 North: Concord, Rochester
6
Take the exit onto NH 16
0.2 mi
·
14 sec
·
NH 16
7
Keep slight left at fork onto NH 16
0.3 mi
·
21 sec
·
NH 16
Toward Spaulding Turnpike North, NH 16 North, US 4 West
Use the straight lane.
8
Merge onto US 4; NH 16
8.1 mi
·
11 min
·
Spaulding Turnpike
9
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
35 sec
Exit 7
Toward NH 108: Dover, Durham
Use the slight right lane.
10
Turn left onto NH 108
42 ft
·
1 sec
·
Central Avenue
11
Turn right
120 ft
·
4 sec
12
Turn right onto Locust Street
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
Locust Street
13
Turn straight onto Chestnut Street
0.4 mi
·
59 sec
·
Chestnut Street
Use the straight / right lanes.
14
Turn right onto Third Street
0.1 mi
·
28 sec
·
Third Street
15
Turn sharp right onto NH 4; NH 9; NH 108
212 ft
·
6 sec
·
Central Avenue
16
Turn left
114 ft
·
5 sec
Use the straight / left lanes.
17
Arrive at destination
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 155 decision points cluster between mile 0.2 and 12.1 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
6
0.2 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
Maplewood Avenue
Turn right onto Maplewood Avenue
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
9
2.2 mi into trip
|
~5m in
|
NH 16
Keep slight left at fork onto NH 16 toward Spaulding Turnpike North, NH 16 North, US 4 West
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight lane.
Toward Spaulding Turnpike North, NH 16 North, U...
8
10.5 mi into trip
|
~16m 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
12.1 mi into trip
|
~20m 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
12.1 mi into trip
|
~21m in
Turn left
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / left lanes.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$1.95 one way
$3.90 round trip
$4.09/gal
25.4 MPG avg
4 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.50 | $2.14 | $4.29 |
| premium | $4.86 | $2.32 | $4.63 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $2.67 | $5.34 |
Estimated Tolls: $0.57
Spaulding Turnpike
(8.1 mi)
$0.57
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$2
Tolls
$1
Total
$3
Estimated CO2 emission: 4.2 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $1 in charging · 0 stops · 75% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 3.6 | 0 | $1.27 | $0.58 |
| Efficient EV | 3 | 0 | $1.06 | $0.48 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 4.8 | 0 | $1.69 | $0.77 |
Gas CO2
4 kg
EV CO2
1 kg (75% 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 Sunday
Local time
12:43 AM
EDT
Current temp
51°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
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
21m 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 highway-focused experience for about 79% of this drive. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is 8.1 miles on the Spaulding Turnpike. This route primarily utilizes major roads like the Spaulding Turnpike and NH 16, offering a consistent pace. While the main roads are straightforward, you'll transition onto Locust Street as you approach Dover. The character remains largely that of a functional, efficient drive connecting two points within the same state.
79% 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: 8.1 mi on Spaulding Turnpike.
How Hard Is This Drive?
7/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Spaulding Turnpike and NH 16. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 0.2 miles in near Maplewood Avenue.
Driving Effort
7/10
Focused - busy navigation packed into a short drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 15 decision points packed into just 12.1 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 21m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.2 miles (Maplewood Avenue): Lane positioning matters here; at 2.2 miles (NH 16): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 10.5 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.
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 Dover, NH, road signs point toward Rochester, Spaulding Turnpike North and Durham.
Rochester
1.6 mi in
|
~4m
|
via NH 16
Spaulding Turnpike North
2.2 mi in
|
~5m
|
via NH 16
Durham
10.5 mi in
|
~16m
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 21m. Total distance: 12.1 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
21m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (79%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 8.1 miles on Spaulding Turnpike. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Expect about $0.57 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 0.2 miles (Maplewood Avenue): Lane positioning matters here; at 2.2 miles (NH 16): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 10.5 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, and EIA for fuel prices. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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