Portsmouth to Jaffrey is 87.8 miles and takes about 2h 4m via Exeter-Hampton Expressway and NH 101, with a fuel budget near $14 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This route stays within New Hampshire, beginning in the Northeast region and ending in the same area. The majority of this drive is on highways, making for a straightforward trip. It's a solid option if you're looking for a relatively quick drive between two points in the state without much complexity. Plan for a direct and efficient transit.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Midpoint
43.9 miles from Portsmouth, NH
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 55m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
Exeter-Hampton Expressway
32.4 mi
37m
NH 101
23.1 mi
34m
Gibbons Highway
9.3 mi
14m
I 95
8.8 mi
10m
Wilton Road
4 mi
6m
Jaffrey Road
3.1 mi
5m
Peterborough Street
2.8 mi
4m
Elm Street
1.4 mi
2m
Longest stretch:
Exeter-Hampton Expressway
— 32.4 mi, about 37m
Traffic on I-95
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 37 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
3 PM
~3,308 veh/hr typical
· worst 4,816
Quietest
2 AM
~197 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
16.8×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
12a6anoon6p11p
Averaged across 105 weeks of 2023 FHWA Travel Monitoring Analysis System data. Weekday hours only (Mon–Fri).
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Portsmouth, NH and Jaffrey, 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, BostonUse 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 2Toward NH 101: Hampton, ManchesterUse 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
32 mi·37 min·Exeter-Hampton Expressway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Keep slight right at fork onto NH 101
3.3 mi·4 min·NH 101
Toward I 293 North, NH 101 West: Manchester Airport, Manchester, BedfordUse the slight right lane.
11
Keep slight left at fork onto NH 101
2.2 mi·3 min·NH 101
Toward NH 101 West: Bedford, Nashua
12
Turn left onto NH 101
0.4 mi·48 sec·NH 101
Use the left lane.
13
Continue on NH 101
17 mi·25 min·NH 101
Use the left / straight lanes.
14
Turn left onto NH 101
1.4 mi·2 min·Elm Street
15
Continue on NH 101
9.3 mi·14 min·Gibbons Highway
16
Continue on NH 101
4.0 mi·6 min·Wilton Road
17
Turn left onto US 202
0.2 mi·36 sec·Grove Street
Use the left lane.
18
Continue on US 202
3.1 mi·5 min·Jaffrey Road
19
Continue on US 202
2.8 mi·4 min·Peterborough Street
20
Continue on Blake Street
184 ft·9 sec·Blake Street
21
Turn right
90 ft·6 sec
22
Arrive at destination
Trip Plan
Given this route is under 90 miles and takes just over two hours, you have plenty of flexibility. Consider leaving mid-morning to avoid the typical rush hour traffic in the Portsmouth area. You won't need to plan for extensive stops, but if you need to refuel, keep in mind the estimated $14 fuel cost might fluctuate. Keep an eye out for the transition points from highway to local roads, as this is where you'll likely see more varied speed limits and traffic patterns. The flexibility of a shorter drive means you can easily adjust your departure time based on your schedule.
Morning Departure
Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch.
Evening Departure
Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
You may only need one short stretch break if traffic stays light.
The halfway point lands around 43.9 miles from Portsmouth, NH, or about 55m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 32.4 miles.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
Departure
Before you leave
Start with fuel, water, and navigation already sorted so the first hour feels easy.
First stop
Around 19 miles or 25m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 43.9 miles or 55m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 1h 42m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Jaffrey, NH than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Portsmouth, NH so your first major turns are already loaded.
+
Leave with enough water and a charging cable within reach, not packed away.
+
Check your fuel range against the first long segment, especially if you are starting outside city service areas.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Portsmouth, NH
This is one driving day of about 87.8 miles and 2h 4m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 19 miles from Portsmouth, NH.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
The longest stretch is on Exeter-Hampton Expressway for about 32.4 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Place data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 13
5 decision points cluster between mile 0.1 and 43.8 — 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
8
43.8 mi into trip|~54m in|NH 101
Keep slight right at fork onto NH 101 toward I 293 North, NH 101 West: Manchester Airport, Manchester, Bedford
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Toward I 293 North, NH 101 West: Manchester Air...
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$15.18 one way
$30.36 round trip
$4.39/gal25.4 MPG avg31 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.90
$16.93
$33.87
premium
$5.27
$18.22
$36.44
diesel
$6.28
$21.69
$43.39
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$15
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$40–$65
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 30.7 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-10-19.
Driving Electric?
About $9 in charging
· 0 stops
· 68% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
26.3
0
$9.22
$4.21
Efficient EV
22
0
$7.68
$3.51
EV Truck/SUV
35.1
0
$12.29
$5.62
Gas CO2
31 kg
EV CO2
10 kg (68% 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 Oct 23, 2026
Origin
Portsmouth, NH
Evening
in Portsmouth on Saturday
Local time
8:52 PM
EDT
Current temp
34°F
Mostly Clear
N 5 to 10 mph0% chanceLive forecast
Destination
Jaffrey, NH
Evening
in Jaffrey on Saturday
Local time
8:52 PM
EDT
Current temp
31°F
Clear
N 5 mph0% chanceLive forecast
Seasonal Notes
Summer travel usually means heavier construction, hotter rest stops, and busier weekend traffic around major cities.
Winter travel shortens daylight, so a route that looks manageable on paper can feel much longer after dark.
Holiday weekends tend to make both departure and arrival windows slower than the raw route time suggests.
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
3 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
2h 4m on the road
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.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
About 73% of this drive is on highways, so expect a good amount of time cruising at higher speeds. The longest stretch without needing to exit is 32.4 miles on the Exeter-Hampton Expressway. As you transition off the highway portion, you'll likely notice more frequent intersections and a change in speed. The shift from highway speeds to surface roads will be noticeable.
73% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
22 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 32.4 mi on Exeter-Hampton Expressway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
9/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Exeter-Hampton Expressway and NH 101. 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 Effort9/10
High effort - long or complex enough to need steady focus all day
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a demanding drive. With 13 significant decision points across 87.8 miles, you will need to stay alert - especially through interchange areas and urban stretches. Consider splitting it into segments if you are not comfortable with fast highway navigation.
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
Gently rolling terrain
1,015 ft30 ft
Total Climb
1,374 ft
Total Descent
389 ft
Highest Point
1,015 ft
~87.8 mi in
Elevation Range
985 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 Jaffrey, NH, road signs point toward Manchester, 101 West: Manchester, Concord, Exeter, Bedford and Nashua.
Doable as a same-day drive at 2h 4m. Total distance: 87.8 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
2h 4m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (73%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 32.4 miles on Exeter-Hampton Expressway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes — we found about 4 rest areas or service plazas within a short detour of the route (from OpenStreetMap). See the Rest Stops tab under Nearby Places for locations and mile markers. Plan to stretch, use the bathroom, and top off fluids every 2–3 hours on longer drives.
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 Jaffrey, NH before sunset when you can. Check the Trip Plan for departure windows that land you in daylight.
Only with planning. This is a long drive for kids — consider splitting it into two days rather than pushing through. There are 4 rest areas along the route for bathroom stops.
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 Jaffrey, NH before heading back.
