How far is Alton, NH from Portsmouth, NH?

The driving distance from Alton, NH to Portsmouth, NH is about 39 miles (62.8 km), with a travel time of about 00h 52m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 34.7 miles (55.9 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 01h 44m of driving time before adding stops, traffic, or weather delays.
  • A comfortable departure window is usually 8:00 AM to 10:00 AM EDT.
Trip Tools

Reverse, save, or send this route

This route works well as a day trip with time at the destination. Copy the route link, send it to another device, or print a clean version before you head out.

Reverse Route
Quick Snapshot
Road
39.01 mi
00h 52m
Flight
34.75 mi
55.93 km direct

This route works well as a day trip with time at the destination.

Learn Distance

Choose another destination from Alton.

Flight Distance

Direct air line
34.75 mi
Kilometers
55.93 km
Flight Time
00h 04m

Driving Distance

Road route
39.01 mi
Kilometers
62.78 km
Drive Time
00h 52m

Gas Cost Calculator

Leave and Arrive Planner

Pick a departure time to see your estimated arrival and same-day return window.

Drive time stays fixed at 00h 52m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in Portsmouth
Thu, Jun 11, 11:13 AM EDT
Return by in Alton
Thu, Jun 11, 12:05 PM EDT
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave Alton
2026-06-11T10:21
Arrive Portsmouth
Thu, Jun 11, 11:13 AM EDT
Route Timing
00h 52m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
8:00 AM to 10:00 AM EDT
Aim for a morning departure
Arrive between
8:52 AM to 10:52 AM EDT

A morning start gives you useful time at the destination and keeps the return out of the late evening.

Leave by
4:46 PM EDT
Keeps a same-day return open with about 03h 00m at the destination.
Back in Alton
9:30 PM EDT
Morning start is best

You are leaving earlier than the recommended window, which gives you extra margin for breaks and traffic.

Halfway Point

A useful midpoint for breaks, coffee, or meeting in the middle.

Mid-route stop
Rochester
NH

City in Strafford County, New Hampshire, United States

From Alton
19.1 mi
00h 26m
To Portsmouth
19.9 mi
00h 26m

Route Weather Snapshot

Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.

Origin
84°F
Thursday

Patchy Fog then Scattered Showers And Thunderstorms

Starts
Thu, Jun 11 6:00 AM EDT
Wind
5 mph W
Destination
Portsmouth Weather
NH
Live fallback forecast
88°F
Thursday
Using Greenland as the closest live forecast in the Rockingham County weather hub.

Patchy Fog then Isolated Showers And Thunderstorms

Starts
Thu, Jun 11 6:00 AM EDT
Wind
5 mph SW

Driving Route Map

The map below follows the saved road route between Alton and Portsmouth.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Alton and Portsmouth.

  1. 1

    Start on the route

    102 m · 27 sec

  2. 2

    Turn right onto Main Street

    1343 ft · 38 sec · Main Street

  3. 3

    Enter the roundabout and take exit 2 toward the route

    605 ft · 17 sec

  4. 4

    Exit the roundabout

    14.5 mi · 22 min

  5. 5

    Take the exit slight right

    552 ft · 16 sec

  6. 6

    Continue on NH 16 On-Ramp South

    1625 ft · 25 sec · NH 16 On-Ramp South

  7. 7

    Merge slight left onto Spaulding Turnpike

    20 mi · 26 min · Spaulding Turnpike

  8. 8

    Take the exit slight left toward I 95 North

    1.5 km · 2 min

  9. 9

    Enter the roundabout and take exit 3 toward Portsmouth Traffic Circle

    692 ft · 20 sec

  10. 10

    Exit the rotary onto US 1 Bypass North: Portsmouth, Woodbury Avenue

    1.6 km · 2 min

  11. 11

    Turn left onto Submarine Way

    566 ft · 18 sec · Submarine Way

  12. 12

    Turn right onto Market Street

    1 km · 2 min · Market Street

  13. 13

    At the end of the road, turn right onto Congress Street

    16 m · 1 sec · Congress Street

  14. 14

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec · Congress Street

Car Route Details

A richer read on the saved driving route between Alton and Portsmouth.

OSRM road route
Drive Character

Highway-focused drive

Most of the mileage stays on named highways, so the important moments are ramps, exits, merges, and the final local approach.

Directions
14 steps
9 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
8
1 merges, 7 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
35.9 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
Spaulding Turnpike
20 mi · 51%
Main Street
15 mi · 38%
US 1 Bypass North
0.98 mi · 3%
I 95 North
0.93 mi · 2%
Market Street
0.65 mi · 2%
NH 16 On-Ramp South
0.31 mi · 1%
Longest Stretch

Spaulding Turnpike

Merge slight left onto Spaulding Turnpike

20 mi · 00h 26m

Route Summary

A quick read on whether this route feels easy, ambitious, or worth planning around.

Trip Read

A comfortable day-trip route

This route works well as a day trip. You can leave in the morning, spend meaningful time at the destination, and still return the same day.

Drive Time
00h 52m
Day trip friendly
Same-Day Return
01h 44m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+4.3 mi
34.7 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
Rochester
00h 26m from Alton
Leave By
4:46 PM EDT
Morning start is best
Weather Watch

Patchy Fog then Scattered Showers And Thunderstorms leaving Alton and Patchy Fog then Isolated Showers And Thunderstorms near Portsmouth.

Trip Questions

Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.

How long does it take to drive from Alton to Portsmouth?

The road trip is about 39 miles (62.8 km) and usually takes 00h 52m in normal driving conditions.

Is this a same-day trip or an overnight route?

This route works well as a day trip. You can leave in the morning, spend meaningful time at the destination, and still return the same day.

What is the halfway point on this route?

Rochester is a useful midpoint, sitting about 19.1 miles from Alton and 19.9 miles from Portsmouth.

How much longer is the road route than the straight-line distance?

The direct path is about 34.7 miles (55.9 km), while the road route adds roughly 4.3 extra miles because roads do not follow the straight air line.

When is the best time to leave for this route?

A good departure window is usually 8:00 AM to 10:00 AM EDT. If you want a more comfortable same-day return, try to leave by 4:46 PM EDT.

How much will gas cost for this route?

Using about 28.3 MPG, regular gas is estimated at $5.44 one way or $10.89 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 12.3 kg one way.

What should you check before leaving?

Before you leave, expect Patchy Fog then Scattered Showers And Thunderstorms around Alton and Patchy Fog then Isolated Showers And Thunderstorms near Portsmouth.

Stop Ideas Near Rochester

Useful break, food, and waypoint ideas within about 15 miles of the route midpoint.

Mid-route Guidance
Local place coverage is thin around Rochester, so nearby transit and meeting points are shown instead.
Reviewed stop coverage is still thin around this midpoint, so practical transit waypoints are shown on the right.

Transit and Meeting Points

Useful pickup, handoff, or rendezvous points close to Rochester.

RAIL

Dover Transportation Center

14 mi away
33 Chestnut St.
RAIL

Durham–UNH station

19 mi away
3 Depot Road
BUS

Portsmouth, New Hampshire

30 mi away
185 Grafton Drive
RAIL

Wells Regional Transportation Center

30 mi away
696 Sanford Road

Flight Path Map

This map shows the direct air route between Alton and Portsmouth. Straight-line distance: 34.75 mi (55.93 km).

Alton

#1 Alton

Town in New Hampshire (United States)

Population5,364
Coordinates43.4523000, -71.2175700
Altitude165
CountryUnited States
Portsmouth

#2 Portsmouth

City in Rockingham County, New Hampshire, United States

Population21,557
Coordinates43.0770400, -70.7576600
Altitude6
CountryUnited States
Start: (-71.217463, 43.452253)
End: Congress Street (-70.757617, 43.077054)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 63 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)01h 17m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)00h 58m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)00h 46m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)00h 39m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)00h 33m
80 mph (129 km/h)00h 29m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
1.38 gal
5.21 L · about $5.44
Round trip
$10.89
2.76 gal · 10.42 L
Estimated CO2
12.3 kg one way
Round trip: 24.5 kg / 54 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $3.95 $5.44 $10.89
Mid-grade $4.46 $6.15 $12.30
Premium $4.86 $6.70 $13.41
Diesel $6.00 $8.28 $16.55

Assumes 8.3 L/100 km (about 28.3 MPG). CO2 is an estimate and varies by vehicle, fuel blend, traffic, and terrain.

Prices in New Hampshire · Jun 11, 2026

There is no time difference between Alton and Portsmouth. The current time is 10:21:09.

Distance to Other Cities

Planning a road trip? See the full trip guide on Trip.ovh — stops, fuel costs, weather, and departure timing.

How did we calculate? Place names are translated into coordinates. The Haversine formula calculates straight-line distance; driving distance uses road network data.