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Voykit pocket guide · United States
Durham, New Hampshire
Durham
Spend 1 day (or a night) in Durham to see UNH campus and walk downtown; longer stays only for university events.
Durham is a small New Hampshire town dominated by the University of New Hampshire (≈15,000 students). The campus and compact downtown are walkable, and the town is a convenient rail stop on the Amtrak Downeaster. One day covers the main sights; add a night if you need campus facilities or want a relaxed pace.
- Country
- United States
- Local name
- Durham
- Best months
- May–Oct
- Avoid
- Winter (snow may limit walking)
- Stay
- 1 night
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- USD
- Money
- Currency is the US dollar (USD, $). Cards and phone payments work almost everywhere; carry a little cash for tips and small vendors.
- Daily spend
- Budget $50–$80 excl. bed · Mid $80–$130 excl. bed · High $130+ excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- AT&T, Verizon and T-Mobile cover the country; prepaid SIMs at their stores and Walmart/Target (passport required), or an eSIM before you fly.
- Emergency
- Police / Fire / Ambulance 911
- Plugs
- Types A, B · 120 V · 60 Hz · Chargers are dual-voltage; hair dryers and straighteners from 230 V countries need a converter.
- Tipping
- Sit-down restaurant: 18–22% of the pre-tax bill.; Bar: US$1–2 per drink or 20% of the tab.; Taxi / ride-hailing: 15–20%, in the app.; Hotel housekeeping: US$3–5 a night.; Porter / valet: US$2–5 per bag or car.; Tour guide: US$10–20 per person for a day tour.; Counter service / tablet prompts: Optional; 0–15%.
- Water
- Tap water is drinkable nearly everywhere; boil or treat water from streams in parks.
- Toilets
- Free public toilets are scarce in big cities; use cafés, department stores, libraries, stations. Rest areas on highways are free.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Coffee at Young's Restaurant | $2–$4 |
| Sandwich at campus café | $5–$8 |
| UNH Wildcat bus ride | $1 |
| Amtrak Downeaster fare (Durham–Boston) | $45–$70 |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- PSM · Portsmouth International Airport at Pease
- about 15 mi north of Durham
- MHT · Manchester–Boston Regional Airport
- about 45 mi west of Durham
Typical fares
- Amtrak Downeaster Durham → Boston
- about $45–$70, 1 h 15 min (check)
- UNH Wildcat bus
- $1 per ride, 15–30 min (check)
Show 7 more sections and the pocket cardHideGet around, See and do, Sleep, Phrase card, Etiquette, safety and scams, One and two days, Sources, Pocket card
Get around
Walk within downtown and campus. Use UNH Wildcat bus ($1 per ride, check summer schedule) for Dover, Newmarket, Portsmouth. Amtrak Downeaster provides hourly service to Boston and Portland.
See and do
Known for
- University of New Hampshire
- Amtrak Downeaster stop
- Walkable downtown
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Portsmouth, New Hampshire | UNH Wildcat bus, about 30 min | ≈45 min |
| Dover, New Hampshire | UNH Wildcat bus or Amtrak Downeaster, 15 min | ≈30 min |
Sleep
- University area hotels/inns
- Close to campus and train station; suitable for 1‑night stays.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Excuse me / Sorry | Excusez‑moi / PardonExcuse me |
| Thank you | MerciMerci |
| How much is it? | Combien ça coûte ?Combien ça coûte |
| Where is the bus stop? | Où est l'arrêt de bus ?Où est l'arrêt de bus |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: Handshake and 'hi, how are you?' — reply 'good, thanks'; avoid: Treating the question as a real health enquiry
- Restaurants: Tip 18–22% and wait for the check; avoid: Leaving without tipping
- Personal space: Keep an arm's length in queues; avoid: Standing close to strangers
- Politics and religion: Listen more than you speak; avoid: Opening with hot-button topics
- Smoking: Smoke only in marked areas; avoid: Smoking near doors or in parks where banned
Scams and watch-outs
- Amtrak Downeaster runs fewer trains on weekends; check schedule.
- UNH Wildcat bus reduces service during school holidays, especially summer; verify times.
Durham is generally safe; typical college‑town caution applies—keep valuables secure and be aware of late‑night traffic near the campus.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Durham, New Hampshire yet. Suggested stay: 1 night. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- University of New Hampshire
- Amtrak Downeaster stop
- Walkable downtown
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Amtrak Durham station: www.amtrak.com/stations/dnc
- Wikivoyage: Durham (New Hampshire), revision 4991961 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=4991961
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Durham, New HampshireDurham
À cette adresse, s'il vous plaît
To this address, please
My hotel (write the name and address in the local script)
- Police / Fire / Ambulance911
Voykit · checked 2026-09
Printed from Voykit (/durham-new-hampshire). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.