Origin
Hampton, NH
Morning in Hampton on Saturday
Local time
7:10 AM
EDT
Current temp
--
Unavailable
Trip from Hampton, NH to Portsmouth, NH
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
22m
Distance
13.6 mi
22 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$2
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 21m
★
6 AM
0h 23m
8 AM
0h 27m
10 AM
0h 24m
12 PM
0h 24m
3 PM
0h 24m
5 PM
0h 26m
8 PM
0h 22m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Hampton, NH
Wikimedia Commons
Portsmouth, NH
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Hampton to Portsmouth is 13.6 miles and takes about 22 minutes via Blue Star Turnpike, with a fuel budget near $2 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This short drive stays within New Hampshire, moving from the Northeast region to the Northeast. It's a primarily highway-focused journey, making it a quick and convenient connection between these two coastal towns. Given its brief duration, this route is ideal for a same-day trip, allowing plenty of time for exploration at your destination.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 22m. Total distance: 13.6 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
22m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (66%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Drive Character
This route is heavily influenced by highway driving, with 66% of the journey on faster roads like the Blue Star Turnpike. You'll experience a continuous stretch of 8.9 miles on the Blue Star Turnpike, offering a consistent pace. As you transition to Exeter Road and then Market Street, the character of the drive will shift, likely becoming more local and urban as you approach Portsmouth. Expect a straightforward drive with minimal complexity.
Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 14 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Blue Star Turnpike is the longest continuous segment at about 8.9 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Blue Star Turnpike and Exeter Road. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near US 1 / Lafayette Road.
Driving Effort
9/10
Focused - lots of decisions in a short distance, but it is over quickly
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 11 decision points packed into just 13.6 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 22m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: near the start (US 1 / Lafayette Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 1.6 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 2.6 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 11 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
7
0 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
US 1 / Lafayette Road
Turn left onto US 1 / Lafayette Road
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
6
1.6 mi into trip
|
~4m in
Take the ramp toward NH 101 West
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
Toward NH 101 West
6
2.6 mi into trip
|
~6m in
Keep slight left at fork toward I 95 North: Portsmouth, Maine, Pease International Tradeport
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward I 95 North: Portsmouth, Maine, Pease Int...
8
10.4 mi into trip
|
~16m in
|
I 95 / Blue Star Turnpike
Keep slight right at fork onto I 95 / Blue Star Turnpike toward I 95 North: Portsmouth, New Hampshire, Maine Points
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight left lanes.
Toward I 95 North: Portsmouth, New Hampshire, M...
6
12.4 mi into trip
|
~19m in
Take the exit
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 7
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Hampton, NH and Portsmouth, NH, road signs point toward Boston, Maine, Pease International Tradeport, New Hampshire and Maine Points.
Boston
2.1 mi in
|
~5m
Maine
2.6 mi in
|
~6m
Pease International Tradeport
2.6 mi in
|
~6m
New Hampshire
10.4 mi in
|
~16m
|
via I 95
Maine Points
10.4 mi in
|
~16m
|
via I 95
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Blue Star Turnpike | 8.9 mi | 10m |
| Exeter Road | 1.3 mi | 3m |
| Market Street | 1 mi | 2m |
| Lafayette Road | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| Exeter-Hampton Expressway | 0.1 mi | <1m |
| Congress Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Blue Star Turnpike
— 8.9 mi, about 10m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Hampton, NH and Portsmouth, NH.
1
Start on this road
159 ft
·
17 sec
·
this road
2
Turn left onto US 1
0.3 mi
·
47 sec
·
Lafayette Road
Use the straight / right lanes.
3
Turn left onto NH 27
1.3 mi
·
3 min
·
Exeter Road
Use the left lane.
4
Take the ramp
0.3 mi
·
44 sec
Toward NH 101 West
Use the right lane.
5
Merge onto NH 101
0.1 mi
·
9 sec
·
Exeter-Hampton Expressway
6
Take the exit
0.5 mi
·
1 min
Toward I 95: Portsmouth, Boston
7
Keep slight left at fork
0.5 mi
·
1 min
Toward I 95 North: Portsmouth, Maine, Pease International Tradeport
8
Continue on this road
0.3 mi
·
44 sec
·
this road
9
Merge onto I 95
7.0 mi
·
8 min
·
Blue Star Turnpike
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Keep slight right at fork onto I 95
1.9 mi
·
2 min
·
Blue Star Turnpike
Toward I 95 North: Portsmouth, New Hampshire, Maine Points
Use the straight / slight left lanes.
11
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
35 sec
Exit 7
Use the slight right lane.
12
Turn right onto Market Street
1.0 mi
·
2 min
·
Market Street
Use the right lane.
13
At end of road, turn right onto US 1
52 ft
·
1 sec
·
Congress Street
14
Arrive at destination
US 1
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$2.19 one way
$4.38 round trip
$4.09/gal
25.4 MPG avg
5 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.50 | $2.41 | $4.82 |
| premium | $4.86 | $2.60 | $5.21 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $3.00 | $6.01 |
Estimated Tolls: $0.63
Blue Star Turnpike
(8.9 mi)
$0.63
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$2
Tolls
$1
Total
$3
Estimated CO2 emission: 4.8 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $1 in charging · 0 stops · 60% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 4.1 | 0 | $1.43 | $0.65 |
| Efficient EV | 3.4 | 0 | $1.19 | $0.54 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 5.4 | 0 | $1.90 | $0.87 |
Gas CO2
5 kg
EV CO2
2 kg (60% 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
Portsmouth, NH
Morning in Portsmouth on Saturday
Local time
7:10 AM
EDT
Current temp
42°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.
Road read
22m 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.
Frequently Asked Questions
The drive from Hampton, NH to Portsmouth, NH covers 13.6 miles and takes about 22m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Blue Star Turnpike, Exeter Road, Market Street. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 6.8 miles from Hampton, NH. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $2.19 one way. This estimate uses 25.4 MPG — your actual cost will vary with your vehicle's fuel efficiency and current gas prices.
Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch. Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.
This is a short but busy drive. With 11 decision points packed into just 13.6 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 22m.
The main spots that need attention: near the start (US 1 / Lafayette Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 1.6 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 2.6 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Between Hampton, NH and Portsmouth, NH, road signs point toward Boston, Maine, Pease International Tradeport, New Hampshire and Maine Points.
How this page is built
Compiled by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy from open government datasets — OSRM over OpenStreetMap for geometry, and EIA for fuel prices. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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