Origin
Portsmouth, NH
Late night in Portsmouth on Sunday
Local time
12:49 AM
EDT
Current temp
42°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Portsmouth, NH to Manchester, NH
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
58m
Distance
44.5 mi
72 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$7
one way
EV Charging
Good
8 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 53m
★
6 AM
0h 58m
8 AM
1h 7m
10 AM
1h 1m
12 PM
1h 0m
3 PM
1h 2m
5 PM
1h 7m
8 PM
0h 55m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Portsmouth, NH
Wikimedia Commons
Manchester, NH
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
This 44.5-mile drive from Portsmouth to Manchester, New Hampshire, is a quick trip that can easily be completed in under an hour, specifically around 58 minutes. With a fuel cost estimated at $7, it's an economical choice for a day trip. The route is predominantly highway-focused, with 89% of it on major roadways, making it a straightforward journey through the Northeast region. Since there are no recommended stops and the drive is short, it offers a lot of flexibility for when you depart and how you structure your day. You'll find this to be a practical and efficient way to travel between these two New Hampshire cities.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Exeter-Hampton Expressway | 30.4 mi | 35m |
| I 95 | 8.8 mi | 10m |
| Bridge Street | 1.1 mi | 2m |
| Market Street | 1 mi | 2m |
| I 93 | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| Wellington 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 Manchester, 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
0.3 mi
·
23 sec
·
I 93
12
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
56 sec
Exit 8
Toward Wellington Road, Bridge Street
13
Turn slight right
0.1 mi
·
13 sec
14
Turn straight onto Wellington Road
0.3 mi
·
41 sec
·
Wellington Road
15
Continue on Bridge Street
1.1 mi
·
2 min
·
Bridge Street
16
Arrive at destination
Bridge Street
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
22 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 22.3 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 115 decision points cluster between mile 0.1 and 11 — 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
6
11 mi into trip
|
~16m in
Keep slight right at fork toward 101 West: Manchester, Concord, Exeter
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward 101 West: Manchester, Concord, Exeter
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$7.16 one way
$14.33 round trip
$4.09/gal
25.4 MPG avg
16 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.50 | $7.88 | $15.76 |
| premium | $4.86 | $8.52 | $17.04 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $9.83 | $19.65 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$7
Estimated CO2 emission: 15.6 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $5 in charging · 0 stops · 69% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 13.4 | 0 | $4.67 | $2.14 |
| Efficient EV | 11.1 | 0 | $3.89 | $1.78 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 17.8 | 0 | $6.23 | $2.85 |
Gas CO2
16 kg
EV CO2
5 kg (69% 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
Manchester, NH
Late night in Manchester on Sunday
Local time
12:49 AM
EDT
Current temp
38°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
4 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
58m 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 most of this 44.5-mile journey. You'll spend a significant portion, 89%, on major roads, including the Exeter-Hampton Expressway and I-95. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is 30.4 miles on the Exeter-Hampton Expressway, offering a good opportunity to settle in. While the primary roads are highways, you will also navigate Bridge Street as part of the route. This drive prioritizes efficiency, with minimal diversions from high-speed travel.
89% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
16 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?
9/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Exeter-Hampton Expressway and I 95. 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
9/10
Focused - lots of decisions in a short distance, but it is over quickly
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 11 decision points packed into just 44.5 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 58m.
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
466 ft
3 ft
Total Climb
519 ft
Total Descent
295 ft
Highest Point
466 ft
~35 mi in
Elevation Range
462 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 Portsmouth, NH and Manchester, NH, road signs point toward 101 West: Manchester, Concord and Exeter.
101 West: Manchester
11 mi in
|
~16m
Concord
11 mi in
|
~16m
Exeter
11 mi in
|
~16m
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 58m. Total distance: 44.5 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
58m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (89%). 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.
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 Manchester, 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 Manchester, 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.
Was this helpful?
Thanks for your feedback!
Your tip has been submitted. Thanks!
/500
Recent Tips
·
Explore More
Continue From Manchester, NH
More trips to Manchester, NH
Explore more options from Portsmouth, NH or browse trips ending in Manchester, NH.
Looking for more statewide routes? Browse NH road trips.