How far is Portsmouth, NH from Chester, NH?

The driving distance from Portsmouth, NH to Chester, NH is about 35.7 miles (57.5 km), with a travel time of about 00h 52m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 26.6 miles (42.8 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 01h 45m 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
35.75 mi
00h 52m
Flight
26.57 mi
42.76 km direct

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

Learn Distance

Choose another destination from Portsmouth.

Flight Distance

Direct air line
26.57 mi
Kilometers
42.76 km
Flight Time
00h 03m

Driving Distance

Road route
35.75 mi
Kilometers
57.54 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 Chester
Thu, Apr 23, 4:33 AM EDT
Return by in Portsmouth
Thu, Apr 23, 5:25 AM EDT
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave Portsmouth
2026-04-23T03:40
Arrive Chester
Thu, Apr 23, 4:33 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
8:53 AM to 10:53 AM EDT

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

Leave by
4:44 PM EDT
Keeps a same-day return open with about 03h 00m at the destination.
Back in Portsmouth
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
Exeter
NH

Town in Rockingham County, New Hampshire, United States

From Portsmouth
17.8 mi
00h 26m
To Chester
17.9 mi
00h 26m

Route Weather Snapshot

Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.

Origin
Portsmouth Weather
NH
Live fallback forecast
56°F
Thursday
Using Greenland as the closest live forecast in the Rockingham County weather hub.

Slight Chance Rain Showers then Partly Sunny

Starts
Thu, Apr 23 6:00 AM EDT
Wind
0 to 10 mph W
Destination
58°F
Thursday

Partly Sunny

Starts
Thu, Apr 23 6:00 AM EDT
Wind
0 to 5 mph NW

Driving Route Map

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

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

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

  1. 1

    Start on Congress Street

    124 m · 15 sec · Congress Street

  2. 2

    Turn right onto Fleet Street

    141 m · 17 sec · Fleet Street

  3. 3

    Turn right onto Hanover Street

    662 ft · 27 sec · Hanover Street

  4. 4

    At the end of the road, turn left onto Market Street

    1 mi · 3 min · Market Street

  5. 5

    Take the ramp left toward I 95 South: Hampton, Boston

    1468 ft · 36 sec

  6. 6

    Merge slight left

    8.8 mi · 11 min

  7. 7

    Take the exit slight right toward NH 101: Hampton, Manchester

    3185 ft · 1 min

  8. 8

    Keep slight right to continue on 101 West: Manchester, Concord, Exeter

    2083 ft · 51 sec

  9. 9

    Merge slight left onto Exeter-Hampton Expressway

    16 mi · 18 min · Exeter-Hampton Expressway

  10. 10

    Take the exit slight right toward NH 102, NH 107, NH 156: Raymond, Fremont

    1885 ft · 55 sec

  11. 11

    At the end of the road, turn left onto Freetown Road

    1.1 mi · 2 min · Freetown Road

  12. 12

    Continue on Chester Road

    2.5 mi · 5 min · Chester Road

  13. 13

    Continue on Raymond Road

    4.2 mi · 8 min · Raymond Road

  14. 14

    Turn right onto Chester Street

    90 m · 14 sec · Chester Street

  15. 15

    Turn left

    152 m · 36 sec

  16. 16

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec

Car Route Details

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

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
16 steps
6 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
5
2 merges, 3 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
44.7 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
Exeter-Hampton Expressway
16 mi · 45%
I 95 South
9.11 mi · 25%
Raymond Road
4.17 mi · 12%
Chester Road
2.54 mi · 7%
Freetown Road
1.12 mi · 3%
Market Street
1.01 mi · 3%
Longest Stretch

Exeter-Hampton Expressway

Merge slight left onto Exeter-Hampton Expressway

16 mi · 00h 18m

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 46m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+9.1 mi
26.6 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
Exeter
00h 26m from Portsmouth
Leave By
4:44 PM EDT
Morning start is best
Weather Watch

Slight Chance Rain Showers then Partly Sunny leaving Portsmouth and Partly Sunny near Chester.

Trip Questions

Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.

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

The road trip is about 35.7 miles (57.5 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?

Exeter is a useful midpoint, sitting about 17.8 miles from Portsmouth and 17.9 miles from Chester.

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

The direct path is about 26.6 miles (42.8 km), while the road route adds roughly 9.1 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 8:00 AM to 10:00 AM EDT. If you want a more comfortable same-day return, try to leave by 4:44 PM EDT.

How much will gas cost for this route?

Using about 28.3 MPG, regular gas is estimated at $4.97 one way or $9.94 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 11.2 kg one way.

What should you check before leaving?

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

Stop Ideas Near Exeter

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 Exeter and the surrounding midpoint area.
Old City Hall
Scenic stop 12.4 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 14.2 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 Exeter.

RAIL

Exeter station

1 mi away
60 Lincoln Street
BUS

Portsmouth, New Hampshire

15 mi away
185 Grafton Drive
RAIL

Durham–UNH station

18 mi away
3 Depot Road
BUS

Newburyport, Massachusetts

19 mi away
90 Storey Avenue

Flight Path Map

This map shows the direct air route between Portsmouth and Chester. Straight-line distance: 26.57 mi (42.76 km).

Portsmouth

#1 Portsmouth

City in Rockingham County, New Hampshire, United States

Population21,557
Coordinates43.0770400, -70.7576600
Altitude6
CountryUnited States
Chester

#2 Chester

Human settlement in Rockingham County, New Hampshire, United States of America

Population5,278
Coordinates42.9567500, -71.2572800
Altitude139
CountryUnited States
Start: Portsmouth (-70.75766, 43.07704)
End: Chester (-71.25728, 42.95675)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 58 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)01h 11m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)00h 53m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)00h 42m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)00h 35m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)00h 30m
80 mph (129 km/h)00h 26m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
1.26 gal
4.78 L · about $4.97
Round trip
$9.94
2.52 gal · 9.56 L
Estimated CO2
11.2 kg one way
Round trip: 22.4 kg / 49 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $3.95 $4.97 $9.94
Mid-grade $4.46 $5.62 $11.23
Premium $4.86 $6.12 $12.24
Diesel $6.00 $7.56 $15.11

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 · Apr 23, 2026

There is no time difference between Portsmouth and Chester. The current time is 03:40:38.

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.