Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Oct 24, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 13m
Distance
51.9 mi
84 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$9
one way
EV Charging
Good
8 stations
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Portsmouth, NH
Wikimedia Commons
Pembroke, NH
Mohan Nannapaneni
Portsmouth to Pembroke is 51.9 miles and takes about 1 hour 13 minutes via Fleet Street, Hanover Street, and Market Street, with a fuel budget near $9 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within New Hampshire, connecting two points in the Northeast region. Since it's entirely on surface roads, expect a more local feel than a highway cruise. It's a straightforward drive, perfect for a quick transfer or a day trip without significant time commitment.
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Exeter-Hampton Expressway | 29 mi | 33m |
| I 95 | 8.8 mi | 10m |
| Hooksett Road | 5.4 mi | 11m |
| Londonderry Turnpike | 4 mi | 7m |
| Pembroke Street | 1.2 mi | 2m |
| Market Street | 1 mi | 2m |
| Allenstown Road | 0.4 mi | <1m |
| Daniel Webster Highway | 0.3 mi | <1m |
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
Averaged across 105 weeks of 2023 FHWA Travel Monitoring Analysis System data. Weekday hours only (Mon–Fri).
Step-by-step road directions between Portsmouth, NH and Pembroke, NH.
Start on US 1
Turn right onto Fleet Street
Turn right onto Hanover Street
At end of road, turn left onto Market Street
Take the ramp
Merge onto I 95
Take the exit
Keep slight right at fork
Merge onto NH 101
Take the exit
Turn right onto NH 28 Bypass
Turn right onto US 3; NH 28
Continue on US 3; NH 28
Continue on US 3
Continue on US 3
Turn right onto Academy Road
Arrive at destination
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
26 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.
A short stop after about 11 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
The midpoint is around 26 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.
5 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.
Turn right onto Fleet Street
Lane positioning matters here
At end of road, turn left onto Market Street
Lane positioning matters here
Take the ramp toward I 95 South: Hampton, Boston
Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
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
Keep slight right at fork toward 101 West: Manchester, Concord, Exeter
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Regular Gas
$8.97 one way
$17.95 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.90 | $10.01 | $20.02 |
| premium | $5.27 | $10.77 | $21.54 |
| diesel | $6.28 | $12.82 | $25.65 |
Estimated Tolls: $0.28
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$9
Tolls
$0
Total
$9
Estimated CO2 emission: 18.2 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-10-19.
Driving Electric?
About $5 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 15.6 | 0 | $5.45 | $2.49 |
| Efficient EV | 13 | 0 | $4.54 | $2.08 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 20.8 | 0 | $7.27 | $3.32 |
Gas CO2
18 kg
EV CO2
6 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.
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Origin
Morning in Portsmouth on Saturday
Local time
7:16 AM
EDT
Current temp
34°F
Mostly Clear
Destination
Morning in Pembroke on Saturday
Local time
7:16 AM
EDT
Current temp
31°F
Clear
Time zone
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
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.
This 51.9-mile route is entirely on surface roads, with 0% highway. You'll be navigating through local streets for the full duration, so anticipate traffic lights and intersections. The longest stretch without a significant break in speed is not specified, but expect consistent surface road driving. Given the lack of highway, merging and urban driving will be a noticeable feature.
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.
Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 51.9 miles you will encounter 12 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.
Mostly flat terrain
Total Climb
524 ft
Total Descent
135 ft
Highest Point
427 ft
~33.4 mi in
Elevation Range
398 ft
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Portsmouth, NH and Pembroke, NH, road signs point toward Manchester, 101 West: Manchester, Concord, Exeter and Hooksett.
Manchester
101 West: Manchester
Concord
Exeter
Hooksett
Founded 1630
Portsmouth is the third oldest city in the USA and is prominent in New Hampshire's seacoast region.
Top landmarks
Founded 1759
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 13m. Total distance: 51.9 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 13m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (81%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
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, USGS 3DEP for elevation, and FHWA TMAS for hourly traffic volumes. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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