Origin
Rochester, NH
Late night in Rochester on Tuesday
Local time
5:24 AM
EDT
Current temp
56°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Rochester, NH to Auburn, NH
Pin this tripCompiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 21, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
58m
Distance
38.5 mi
62 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$6
one way
EV Charging
Sparse
1 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 54m
★
6 AM
0h 59m
8 AM
1h 8m
10 AM
1h 2m
12 PM
1h 1m
3 PM
1h 2m
5 PM
1h 8m
8 PM
0h 56m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Rochester, NH
Wikimedia Commons
Auburn, NH
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Spanning 38.5 miles across New Hampshire, this straightforward journey between Rochester and Auburn is perfect for a quick one-day excursion. You can expect to spend about 58 minutes behind the wheel, making it an efficient connection within the Northeast region. With a fuel budget of just $6, it is a very economical trip that avoids the need for overnight stays. The route relies primarily on Calef Highway, NH 101, and Gonic Road to bridge the distance. Whether you are heading out for business or a change of scenery, this drive offers a simple, no-fuss transition between these two communities.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Calef Highway | 17.3 mi | 27m |
| NH 101 | 15.1 mi | 17m |
| Gonic Road | 1.9 mi | 3m |
| Hooksett Road | 1.8 mi | 3m |
| Columbus Avenue | 1.6 mi | 4m |
| Museum Way | 0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Calef Highway
— 17.3 mi, about 27m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Rochester, NH and Auburn, NH.
1
Start on this road
55 ft
·
6 sec
·
this road
2
Turn right onto Museum Way
0.1 mi
·
19 sec
·
Museum Way
3
Turn right onto NH 125
1.6 mi
·
4 min
·
Columbus Avenue
4
Continue on NH 125
1.9 mi
·
3 min
·
Gonic Road
5
Continue on NH 125
7.7 mi
·
12 min
·
Calef Highway
Use the straight lane.
6
Enter roundabout onto NH 125
165 ft
·
4 sec
·
Calef Highway
7
Continue on NH 125
9.6 mi
·
14 min
·
Calef Highway
Use the straight / right lanes.
8
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
46 sec
Use the right lane.
9
Merge onto NH 101
15 mi
·
17 min
·
NH 101
10
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
53 sec
Exit 2
Toward Auburn, Chester
11
Turn left onto Hooksett Road
1.8 mi
·
3 min
·
Hooksett Road
12
Arrive at destination
Hooksett Road
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
19 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 38.5 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 19.2 miles from Rochester, 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 75 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 36.4 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
0 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
Museum Way
Turn right onto Museum Way
Navigation decision point
4
0.1 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
NH 125 / Columbus Avenue
Turn right onto NH 125 / Columbus Avenue
Navigation decision point
4
11.3 mi into trip
|
~20m in
|
NH 125 / Calef Highway
Enter roundabout onto NH 125 / Calef Highway
Roundabout - know your exit number before entering
5
20.9 mi into trip
|
~35m in
Take the exit
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
6
36.4 mi into trip
|
~53m in
Take the exit toward Auburn, Chester
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Exit 2
Toward Auburn, Chester
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$6.20 one way
$12.40 round trip
$4.09/gal
25.4 MPG avg
14 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.50 | $6.82 | $13.64 |
| premium | $4.86 | $7.37 | $14.75 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $8.50 | $17.00 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$6
Estimated CO2 emission: 13.5 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $4 in charging · 0 stops · 62% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 11.5 | 0 | $4.04 | $1.85 |
| Efficient EV | 9.6 | 0 | $3.37 | $1.54 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 15.4 | 0 | $5.39 | $2.46 |
Gas CO2
13 kg
EV CO2
5 kg (62% 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
Auburn, NH
Late night in Auburn on Tuesday
Local time
5:24 AM
EDT
Current temp
57°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
56°F
Barrington, NH
19 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
1 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
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 mixed driving experience as you navigate the 39% of this route that consists of highway travel. The road transitions through varying environments, with the longest uninterrupted stretch occurring over 17.3 miles on Calef Highway. This segment provides a consistent pace before the route shifts into the more localized navigation required by Gonic Road and NH 101. Behind the wheel, you will feel a balance between faster, open road stretches and the more grounded, technical feel of local transit. It is a functional drive that keeps you moving steadily toward your destination without the monotony of a pure interstate slog.
39% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
12 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 17.3 mi on Calef Highway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
3/10
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near Museum Way.
Driving Effort
3/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 58m drive. You will face about 7 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: near the start (Museum Way): Navigation decision point; at 0.1 miles (NH 125 / Columbus Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 11.3 miles (NH 125 / Calef Highway): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering.
Elevation Profile
Mostly flat terrain
362 ft
157 ft
Total Climb
205 ft
Total Descent
176 ft
Highest Point
362 ft
~35.7 mi in
Elevation Range
205 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.
On the drive from Rochester, NH to Auburn, NH, road signs begin pointing toward Chester along the way.
Chester
36.4 mi in
|
~53m
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 58m. Total distance: 38.5 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 (39%). Straightforward navigation.
Scenic Drive
Mixed highway & surface route profile.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 17.3 miles on Calef Highway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
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: near the start (Museum Way): Navigation decision point; at 0.1 miles (NH 125 / Columbus Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 11.3 miles (NH 125 / Calef Highway): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Auburn, 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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