How far is Durham, NH from Portsmouth, NH?

The driving distance from Durham, NH to Portsmouth, NH is about 11.5 miles (18.5 km), with a travel time of about 00h 17m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 9.4 miles (15.1 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 00h 35m of driving time before adding stops, traffic, or weather delays.
  • A comfortable departure window is usually 7:00 AM to 7:00 PM EDT.
Trip Tools

Reverse, save, or send this route

This is an easy same-day return drive. Copy the route link, send it to another device, or print a clean version before you head out.

Reverse Route
Quick Snapshot
Road
11.48 mi
00h 17m
Flight
9.38 mi
15.09 km direct

This is an easy same-day return drive.

Learn Distance

Choose another destination from Durham.

Flight Distance

Direct air line
9.38 mi
Kilometers
15.09 km
Flight Time
00h 01m

Driving Distance

Road route
11.48 mi
Kilometers
18.47 km
Drive Time
00h 17m

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 17m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in Portsmouth
Sat, May 2, 3:45 PM EDT
Return by in Durham
Sat, May 2, 4:03 PM EDT
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave Durham
2026-05-02T15:27
Arrive Portsmouth
Sat, May 2, 3:45 PM EDT
Route Timing
00h 17m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
7:00 AM to 7:00 PM EDT
Leave when it suits your day
Arrive between
7:18 AM to 7:18 PM EDT

This is a short drive, so your comfort window is wide. Traffic and current weather matter more than the clock.

Leave by
7:54 PM EDT
Keeps a same-day return open with about 01h 30m at the destination.
Back in Durham
10:00 PM EDT
Flexible departure

This departure sits inside the recommended comfort window for the route.

Halfway Point

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

Mid-route stop
Newington
NH

Town in New Hampshire

From Durham
5.7 mi
00h 08m
To Portsmouth
5.7 mi
00h 08m

Route Weather Snapshot

Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.

Origin
56°F
Saturday

Mostly Sunny

Starts
Sat, May 2 6:00 AM EDT
Wind
5 mph W
Destination
Portsmouth Weather
NH
Live fallback forecast
55°F
Saturday
Using Greenland as the closest live forecast in the Rockingham County weather hub.

Mostly Sunny then Slight Chance Rain Showers

Starts
Sat, May 2 6:00 AM EDT
Wind
5 mph SW

Driving Route Map

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

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

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

  1. 1

    Start on Mill Road

    44 m · 7 sec · Mill Road

  2. 2

    Turn slight right onto Main Street

    80 m · 9 sec · Main Street

  3. 3

    Keep slight right to continue on Main Street

    1187 ft · 37 sec · Main Street

  4. 4

    Continue on Dover Road

    3280 ft · 2 min · Dover Road

  5. 5

    Take the ramp right

    1231 ft · 23 sec

  6. 6

    Merge slight left onto Piscataqua Road

    2.9 mi · 5 min · Piscataqua Road

  7. 7

    Continue on Scammell Bridge

    1132 ft · 28 sec · Scammell Bridge

  8. 8

    Continue on Boston Harbor Road

    812 ft · 22 sec · Boston Harbor Road

  9. 9

    Enter the roundabout and take exit 2 toward the route

    54 m · 4 sec

  10. 10

    Exit the roundabout

    684 ft · 17 sec

  11. 11

    Take the exit slight right

    2827 ft · 1 min

  12. 12

    Merge slight left onto Spaulding Turnpike

    3.5 mi · 5 min · Spaulding Turnpike

  13. 13

    Take the exit slight left toward I 95 North

    1.5 km · 2 min

  14. 14

    Enter the roundabout and take exit 3 toward Portsmouth Traffic Circle

    692 ft · 20 sec

  15. 15

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

    1.6 km · 2 min

  16. 16

    Turn left onto Submarine Way

    566 ft · 18 sec · Submarine Way

  17. 17

    Turn right onto Market Street

    1 km · 2 min · Market Street

  18. 18

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

    16 m · 1 sec · Congress Street

  19. 19

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec · Congress Street

Car Route Details

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

OSRM road route
Drive Character

Turn-heavy local drive

The route has frequent decision points for its length, so lane choice and turn timing will matter more than cruising speed.

Directions
19 steps
9 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
9
2 merges, 7 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
165.2 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
Spaulding Turnpike
3.53 mi · 31%
Piscataqua Road
2.92 mi · 25%
US 1 Bypass North
0.98 mi · 9%
I 95 North
0.93 mi · 8%
Dover Road
0.85 mi · 7%
Boston Harbor Road
0.85 mi · 7%
Longest Stretch

Spaulding Turnpike

Merge slight left onto Spaulding Turnpike

3.53 mi · 00h 05m

Route Summary

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

Trip Read

A short regional drive

This route is short enough to handle as a quick errand, commute, or easy same-day return without much planning overhead.

Drive Time
00h 17m
Quick drive
Same-Day Return
00h 36m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+2.1 mi
9.4 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
Newington
00h 08m from Durham
Leave By
7:54 PM EDT
Flexible departure
Weather Watch

Mostly Sunny leaving Durham and Mostly Sunny then Slight Chance Rain Showers near Portsmouth.

Trip Questions

Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.

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

The road trip is about 11.5 miles (18.5 km) and usually takes 00h 17m in normal driving conditions.

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

This route is short enough to handle as a quick errand, commute, or easy same-day return without much planning overhead.

What is the halfway point on this route?

Newington is a useful midpoint, sitting about 5.7 miles from Durham and 5.7 miles from Portsmouth.

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

The direct path is about 9.4 miles (15.1 km), while the road route adds roughly 2.1 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 7:00 AM to 7:00 PM EDT. If you want a more comfortable same-day return, try to leave by 7:54 PM EDT.

How much will gas cost for this route?

Using about 28.3 MPG, regular gas is estimated at $1.58 one way or $3.16 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 3.6 kg one way.

What should you check before leaving?

Before you leave, expect Mostly Sunny around Durham and Mostly Sunny then Slight Chance Rain Showers near Portsmouth.

Stop Ideas Near Newington

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

Mid-route Guidance
These suggestions come from reviewed places and nearby services around Newington and the surrounding midpoint area.
Old City Hall
Scenic stop 4.5 mi away

Old City Hall

Portsmouth , NH
Portsmouth, NH 03801
Rating 5.0/5 2 reviews City Hall,Tourist attraction
Dover City Hall
Meeting point 5.8 mi away

Dover City Hall

Dover , NH
288 Central Ave, Dover, NH 03820
Rating 4.2/5 38 reviews City Hall

Transit and Meeting Points

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

BUS

Portsmouth, New Hampshire

5 mi away
185 Grafton Drive
RAIL

Durham–UNH station

9 mi away
3 Depot Road
RAIL

Dover Transportation Center

12 mi away
33 Chestnut St.
RAIL

Exeter station

17 mi away
60 Lincoln Street

Flight Path Map

This map shows the direct air route between Durham and Portsmouth. Straight-line distance: 9.38 mi (15.09 km).

Durham

#1 Durham

Town in New Hampshire

Population16,441
Coordinates43.1339700, -70.9264500
Altitude15
CountryUnited States
Portsmouth

#2 Portsmouth

City in Rockingham County, New Hampshire, United States

Population21,557
Coordinates43.0770400, -70.7576600
Altitude6
CountryUnited States
Start: Mill Road (-70.926428, 43.133934)
End: Congress Street (-70.757617, 43.077054)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 18 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)00h 22m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)00h 17m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)00h 13m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)00h 11m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)00h 09m
80 mph (129 km/h)00h 08m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
0.4 gal
1.53 L · about $1.58
Round trip
$3.16
0.8 gal · 3.06 L
Estimated CO2
3.6 kg one way
Round trip: 7.1 kg / 16 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $3.95 $1.58 $3.16
Mid-grade $4.46 $1.78 $3.57
Premium $4.86 $1.94 $3.89
Diesel $6.00 $2.40 $4.80

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 · May 02, 2026

There is no time difference between Durham and Portsmouth. The current time is 15:27:37.

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.