Origin
Salem, NH
Late night in Salem on Tuesday
Local time
5:23 AM
EDT
Current temp
59°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Salem, NH to Manchester, 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
32m
Distance
22.7 mi
37 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$4
one way
EV Charging
Good
8 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 30m
★
6 AM
0h 33m
8 AM
0h 39m
10 AM
0h 35m
12 PM
0h 34m
3 PM
0h 35m
5 PM
0h 38m
8 PM
0h 31m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Salem, NH
Banx Photography
Manchester, NH
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
If you are looking for a quick connection between Salem and Manchester, New Hampshire, this 22.7-mile journey is a straightforward commute. You can expect to spend about 32 minutes behind the wheel, making this an ideal day trip that requires no overnight stops. Budgeting approximately $4 for fuel will cover your transit across the Northeast corridor. Because the distance is relatively short, you have plenty of flexibility in your schedule. Whether you are traveling for business or a quick visit, the path is efficient and easy to navigate.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 93 | 14.9 mi | 17m |
| Main Street | 2.1 mi | 5m |
| South Maple Street | 1.8 mi | 3m |
| I 293 | 1.5 mi | 2m |
| South Willow Street | 1.2 mi | 2m |
| Pelham Road | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| Bridge Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
I 93
— 14.9 mi, about 17m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Salem, NH and Manchester, NH.
1
Start on this road
113 ft
·
13 sec
·
this road
2
Turn left onto NH 97
2.1 mi
·
5 min
·
Main Street
3
Continue on Pelham Road
0.2 mi
·
31 sec
·
Pelham Road
4
Take the ramp
0.6 mi
·
1 min
Toward I 93 North
Use the right lane.
5
Merge onto I 93
15 mi
·
17 min
·
I 93
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
Take the exit onto I 293
1.5 mi
·
2 min
·
I 293
Toward I 293 North, NH 101 West: Manchester Airport, Bedford, Manchester
7
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
41 sec
Exit 1
Toward NH 28
8
Turn right
105 ft
·
3 sec
9
Turn right onto NH 28
1.2 mi
·
2 min
·
South Willow Street
Use the straight / right lanes.
10
Turn right onto NH 28
1.8 mi
·
3 min
·
South Maple Street
Use the straight / right lanes.
11
Turn left onto Bridge Street
284 ft
·
8 sec
·
Bridge Street
Use the left lane.
12
Arrive at destination
Bridge Street
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 95 decision points cluster between mile 2.3 and 19.6 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
2.3 mi into trip
|
~6m in
Take the ramp toward I 93 North
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
Toward I 93 North
5
2.9 mi into trip
|
~7m in
|
I 93
Merge onto I 93
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
5
17.7 mi into trip
|
~24m in
|
I 293
Take the exit onto I 293 toward I 293 North, NH 101 West: Manchester Airport, Bedford, Manchester
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward I 293 North, NH 101 West: Manchester Air...
5
19.3 mi into trip
|
~26m in
Take the exit toward NH 28
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early
Exit 1
Toward NH 28
5
19.6 mi into trip
|
~27m in
|
NH 28 / South Willow Street
Turn right onto NH 28 / South Willow Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$3.65 one way
$7.31 round trip
$4.09/gal
25.4 MPG avg
8 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.50 | $4.02 | $8.04 |
| premium | $4.86 | $4.35 | $8.69 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $5.01 | $10.02 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$4
Estimated CO2 emission: 7.9 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $2 in charging · 0 stops · 63% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 6.8 | 0 | $2.38 | $1.09 |
| Efficient EV | 5.7 | 0 | $1.99 | $0.91 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 9.1 | 0 | $3.18 | $1.45 |
Gas CO2
8 kg
EV CO2
3 kg (63% 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 Tuesday
Local time
5:23 AM
EDT
Current temp
60°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
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
32m 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?
This trip is heavily focused on highway travel, with 72% of your route spent on high-speed roads. You will find yourself primarily on I-93, which accounts for the longest uninterrupted stretch of 14.9 miles. As you transition from the interstate, the drive shifts into more localized navigation using Main Street and South Maple Street. The experience is practical and functional rather than leisurely, emphasizing speed and connectivity between these two New Hampshire hubs. Expect a consistent, predictable pace as you move through this highway-focused transit.
72% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
12 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 14.9 mi on I 93.
How Hard Is This Drive?
5/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 93 and Main Street. You will hit about 9 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 2.3 miles in.
Driving Effort
5/10
Moderate - straightforward overall, but long enough or busy enough to require pacing
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 22.7 miles you will encounter 9 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 2.3 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 2.9 miles (I 93): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 17.7 miles (I 293): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Elevation Profile
Mostly flat terrain
364 ft
148 ft
Total Climb
233 ft
Total Descent
127 ft
Highest Point
364 ft
~8.1 mi in
Elevation Range
217 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 Salem, NH to Manchester, NH, road signs begin pointing toward Bedford along the way.
Bedford
17.7 mi in
|
~24m
|
via I 293
About the Cities
Starting in Salem, NH
Full guide →Salem is a city in New Hampshire.
Arriving in Manchester, NH
Full guide →Manchester is in New Hampshire, USA. The state's largest city has enjoyed a renaissance over the past several years. Once home to the largest textiles facility in the world, the area has a vibrant and largely service-oriented economy. It is home to several educational institutions, including Southern New Hampshire University and St. Anselm College. In 2020, it was home to 116,000 people.
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 32m. Total distance: 22.7 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
32m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (72%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 14.9 miles on I 93. 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: at 2.3 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 2.9 miles (I 93): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 17.7 miles (I 293): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. 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.
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