Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Jun 3, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 3m
Distance
46.6 mi
75 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$8
one way
EV Charging
Sparse
1 stations
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Salem, NH
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Madbury, NH
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Salem, NH to Madbury, NH is 46.6 miles and takes about 1 hour 3 minutes via I 495 and the Spaulding Turnpike, with a fuel budget near $8 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within New Hampshire for its entirety, making it a convenient local excursion. The majority of the drive is on major highways, so expect a straightforward commute. It's a short enough distance that you can easily fit it into a single day, whether you're heading out in the morning or after lunch.
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 495 | 13.6 mi | 15m |
| Spaulding Turnpike | 10.7 mi | 14m |
| Blue Star Turnpike | 7.8 mi | 9m |
| I 95 | 6.7 mi | 7m |
| Knox Marsh Road | 2.2 mi | 3m |
| State Route 97 | 1.8 mi | 3m |
| Broadway | 1.3 mi | 2m |
| Main Street | 1 mi | 2m |
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 49 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
3 PM
~3,130 veh/hr typical · worst 3,810
Quietest
2 AM
~214 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
14.6×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
Averaged across 52 weeks of 2023 FHWA Travel Monitoring Analysis System data. Weekday hours only (Mon–Fri).
Step-by-step road directions between Salem, NH and Madbury, NH.
Start on this road
Turn right onto NH 97
Continue on MA 97
Continue on MA 97
Continue on MA 97
Take the ramp
Merge onto I 495
Merge onto I 95
Keep slight left at fork onto I 95
Keep slight left at fork onto Spaulding Turnpike
Take the exit
Turn slight right onto NH 9
Turn left
Keep slight right at fork
Turn right onto Kelley Road
Arrive at destination
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
23 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 10 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
The midpoint is around 23.3 miles from Salem, 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 4.9 and 46.4 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
Take the ramp toward I 495 North: Amesbury, Salisbury
Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Keep slight left at fork onto I 95 / Blue Star Turnpike
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Keep slight left at fork onto Spaulding Turnpike toward US 4, NH 16: New Hampshire Lakes, White Mountains
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Take the exit toward NH 9 West, NH 155 West: Madbury
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Keep slight right at fork
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
Regular Gas
$8.24 one way
$16.48 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.92 | $9.02 | $18.05 |
| premium | $5.29 | $9.70 | $19.41 |
| diesel | $5.35 | $9.82 | $19.63 |
Estimated Tolls: $1.30
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$8
Tolls
$1
Total
$10
Estimated CO2 emission: 16.3 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-06-01.
Driving Electric?
About $5 in charging · 0 stops · 69% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 14 | 0 | $4.89 | $2.24 |
| Efficient EV | 11.7 | 0 | $4.08 | $1.86 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 18.6 | 0 | $6.52 | $2.98 |
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.
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Origin
Afternoon in Salem on Wednesday
Local time
3:47 PM
EDT
Current temp
49°F
Partly Cloudy
Destination
Afternoon in Madbury on Wednesday
Local time
3:47 PM
EDT
Current temp
71°F
Unavailable
70°F
Kensington, NH
23 mi in
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 route is 87% highway, meaning you'll spend most of your time on high-speed roads like I 495 and the Spaulding Turnpike. The longest stretch without a significant change in road type is 13.6 miles on I 495. You'll transition from interstate driving to surface roads as you approach Madbury, NH. Expect a steady pace with frequent exits as you navigate these main arteries.
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 495 and Spaulding Turnpike. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 4.9 miles in.
Demanding - stay alert through the decision-heavy sections
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 46.6 miles you will encounter 11 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 4.9 miles: Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 25.5 miles (I 95 / Blue Star Turnpike): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 33.4 miles (Spaulding Turnpike): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Mostly flat terrain
Total Climb
340 ft
Total Descent
349 ft
Highest Point
148 ft
~3.3 mi in
Elevation Range
130 ft
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Salem, NH and Madbury, NH, road signs point toward Salisbury and White Mountains.
Salisbury
White Mountains
Tagged by where each one fits in your drive — first break, midpoint, final stretch.
Cafe
Near the start, short detour
Cuisine: coffee_shop
Visit websiteCafe
Near the start, short detour
Salem, NH
Cuisine: coffee_shop
Visit websiteCafe
Near the start, short detour
Haverhill, MA
Cuisine: coffee_shop
Visit websiteCafe
Early in the drive, short detour
Cuisine: coffee_shop
Cafe
Early in the drive, short detour
Cafe
Near the end, short detour
Durham
Cuisine: bagel;sandwich;bagel_sandwich
Hours: Mo-Su 06:00-19:00
Visit websiteFast_food
Later in the drive, right off the route
Newington, NH
Cuisine: mexican
Visit websiteFast_food
Near the start, right off the route
Haverhill, MA
Cuisine: donut;coffee_shop
Hours: 04:00-21:00
Visit websiteFast_food
Later in the drive, short detour
Portsmouth, NH
Cuisine: sandwich;bakery
Hours: Mo-Th 06:00-21:30; Fr-Sa 06:00-22:00; Su...
Visit websiteRestaurant
Near the start, right off the route
Haverhill
Cuisine: pizza
Fast_food
Early in the drive, short detour
Amesbury, MA
Cuisine: donut;coffee_shop
Hours: 00:00-24:00
Visit websiteFast_food
Early in the drive, short detour
Amesbury, MA
Cuisine: burger
Hours: 07:00-22:00
Visit websiteAttraction
Later in the drive, short detour
Park
Later in the drive, short detour
Viewpoint
Near the end, short detour
Attraction
Around the midpoint, short detour
Hampton Beach, NH
Camp_site
Around the midpoint, short detour
Viewpoint
Later in the drive, ~9 min detour
Museum
Early in the drive, right off the route
Amesbury, MA
Visit websiteMemorial
Early in the drive, right off the route
Memorial
Early in the drive, right off the route
Memorial
Early in the drive, short detour
Museum
Later in the drive, short detour
NH
District
Later in the drive, short detour
Hotel
Near the start, right off the route
Haverhill
Visit websiteCamp_site
Around the midpoint, short detour
Points of interest from OpenStreetMap contributors. Listings may not reflect current hours or availability.
Founded 1750
Salem is a city in New Hampshire.
Top landmarks
Founded 1699
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 3m. Total distance: 46.6 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 3m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (87%). 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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