Origin
Salem, OR
Late night in Salem on Tuesday
Local time
1:51 AM
PDT
Current temp
44°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Salem, OR to Portland, OR
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
1h 5m
Distance
47.6 mi
77 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$9
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 0m
★
6 AM
1h 5m
8 AM
1h 16m
10 AM
1h 9m
12 PM
1h 8m
3 PM
1h 9m
5 PM
1h 15m
8 PM
1h 2m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Salem, OR
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Connecting Salem and Portland, this 47.6-mile trip is an efficient journey that typically takes about 1 hour and 5 minutes. Because the route is short and highly accessible, it is perfectly suited for a single-day excursion rather than an overnight stay. You can expect to spend approximately $9 on fuel for the entire trip, making it a budget-friendly option for commuters or casual travelers. Since both cities are located within the Pacific Coast region of Oregon, you won't experience drastic shifts in geography, but you will enjoy a seamless transition between two of the state's major urban centers. Whether you are heading north for business or leisure, this drive offers a straightforward path that gets you to your destination quickly.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 5 | 39.7 mi | 48m |
| Doctor Martin Luther King Junior Parkway | 3.1 mi | 4m |
| Stadium Freeway | 2.1 mi | 3m |
| Liberty Street Northeast | 1.5 mi | 4m |
| Northwest Everett Street | 0.3 mi | 1m |
| Commercial Street Northeast | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| Northwest Couch Street | 0.1 mi | <1m |
| Northwest 8th Avenue | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
I 5
— 39.7 mi, about 48m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Salem, OR and Portland, OR.
1
Start on High Street Northeast
469 ft
·
19 sec
·
High Street Northeast
2
Turn right onto Chemeketa Street Northeast
447 ft
·
19 sec
·
Chemeketa Street Northeast
3
Turn right onto Liberty Street Northeast
0.3 mi
·
1 min
·
Liberty Street Northeast
Use the straight / right lanes.
4
Turn left onto Division Street Northeast
350 ft
·
11 sec
·
Division Street Northeast
5
Turn right onto OR 99E Bus
0.3 mi
·
41 sec
·
Commercial Street Northeast
Use the right lane.
6
Continue on OR 99E Bus
1.1 mi
·
2 min
·
Liberty Street Northeast
7
Turn right onto OR 99E Bus
3.1 mi
·
4 min
·
Doctor Martin Luther King Junior Parkway
Use the left lane.
8
Keep slight left at fork onto I 5
40 mi
·
48 min
·
I 5
Toward I 5 North: Portland
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Keep slight left at fork onto I 405
2.1 mi
·
3 min
·
Stadium Freeway
Exit 299B
Toward I 405 North: City Center
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
10
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
29 sec
Exit 2B
Toward Everett Street, Glisan Street
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Turn right onto Northwest Everett Street
0.3 mi
·
1 min
·
Northwest Everett Street
12
Turn right onto Northwest 8th Avenue
521 ft
·
27 sec
·
Northwest 8th Avenue
13
Turn left onto Northwest Couch Street
0.1 mi
·
32 sec
·
Northwest Couch Street
14
Turn right
110 ft
·
8 sec
15
Arrive at destination
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
24 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 23.8 miles from Salem, OR, 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 125 decision points cluster between mile 0.1 and 46.9 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
0.1 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
Chemeketa Street Northeast
Turn right onto Chemeketa Street Northeast
Navigation decision point
6
0.2 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
Liberty Street Northeast
Turn right onto Liberty Street Northeast
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
7
5 mi into trip
|
~10m in
|
I 5
Keep slight left at fork onto I 5 toward I 5 North: Portland
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward I 5 North: Portland
8
44.8 mi into trip
|
~59m in
|
I 405 / Stadium Freeway
Keep slight left at fork onto I 405 / Stadium Freeway toward I 405 North: City Center
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
Exit 299B
Toward I 405 North: City Center
8
46.9 mi into trip
|
~1h 2m in
Take the exit toward Everett Street, Glisan Street
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 2B
Toward Everett Street, Glisan Street
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$9.48 one way
$18.97 round trip
$5.06/gal
25.4 MPG avg
17 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $5.36 | $10.04 | $20.07 |
| premium | $5.59 | $10.48 | $20.96 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $10.51 | $21.02 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$9
Estimated CO2 emission: 16.7 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $5 in charging · 0 stops · 65% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 14.3 | 0 | $5.00 | $2.28 |
| Efficient EV | 11.9 | 0 | $4.17 | $1.90 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 19 | 0 | $6.66 | $3.05 |
Gas CO2
17 kg
EV CO2
6 kg (65% 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
Portland, OR
Late night in Portland on Tuesday
Local time
1:51 AM
PDT
Current temp
54°F
Light Rain
SSW 10 to 14 mph
92% chance
Live forecast
Winter Weather Advisory
Winter Weather Advisory issued April 14 at 10:08AM PDT until April 15 at 11:00PM PDT by NWS Pendleton OR
Winter Storm Warning
Winter Storm Warning issued April 14 at 10:08AM PDT until April 16 at 5:00AM PDT by NWS Pendleton OR
46°F
King City, OR
24 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
10 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
1h 5m on the road
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.
What kind of drive is this?
This trip is a quintessential highway-focused drive, with 94% of the journey spent on major thoroughfares. You will spend the vast majority of your time on I-5, which accounts for your longest uninterrupted stretch of 39.7 miles. As you approach Portland, the route transitions onto the Doctor Martin Luther King Junior Parkway and the Stadium Freeway to guide you into the city center. Expect a consistent, fast-paced interstate experience rather than a winding backroad adventure. Being behind the wheel here requires staying alert to high-speed traffic flow as you navigate these primary arteries connecting the Willamette Valley’s largest hubs.
94% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
15 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 39.7 mi on I 5.
How Hard Is This Drive?
8/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 5 and Doctor Martin Luther King Junior Parkway. 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 Chemeketa Street Northeast.
Driving Effort
8/10
Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 47.6 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 (Chemeketa Street Northeast): Navigation decision point; at 0.2 miles (Liberty Street Northeast): Lane positioning matters here; at 5 miles (I 5): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Elevation Profile
Mostly flat terrain
459 ft
32 ft
Total Climb
329 ft
Total Descent
456 ft
Highest Point
459 ft
~40.8 mi in
Elevation Range
427 ft
About the Cities
Starting in Salem, OR
Full guide →Salem, the capital of Oregon, is located in the Willamette Valley between Portland and Eugene. It is also the county seat of Marion County. Salem was established in the early 1800s as a farming community. The town grew during the years of the California gold rush. Salem became the capital of Oregon in 1851 after it was moved from Oregon City. The capital was then briefly moved to Corvallis in 1855, but in that same year was permanently moved back to Salem. The first two Oregon State Capitol buildings tragically burned down. The third and current building was completed in 1938, complete with its distinctive gold-plated pioneer statue, the "Gold Man," perched atop. Besides being the seat of state government, Salem is also a major agricultural center in one of the most fertile regions in the world.
Arriving in Portland, OR
Full guide →Few American cities can match the youthful spirit of Portland, "The City of Roses". The largest city in the state of Oregon, Portland's residents are proud of their city, which draws people for its scenic beauty, great outdoors environment, excellent microbreweries, and eco-friendly urban planning policies, as well as a reputation for colorful characters and a proudly liberal outlook with an attitude to match. Lying about 70 mi (124 km) from the Pacific Coast on Oregon's northern border, the city straddles the Willamette River (pronounced will-LAM-ett; just remember the rhyme "It's Willamette, dammit.") south of its confluence with the Columbia River. To the east, majestic Mount Hood forms an inspiring backdrop for Portland's skyline.
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 1h 5m. Total distance: 47.6 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 5m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (94%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 39.7 miles on I 5. 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 Portland, OR 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.
The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (Chemeketa Street Northeast): Navigation decision point; at 0.2 miles (Liberty Street Northeast): Lane positioning matters here; at 5 miles (I 5): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Portland, OR 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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