Origin
City of Portland, ME
Evening in City of Portland on Wednesday
Local time
5:55 PM
EDT
Current temp
43°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from City of Portland, ME to Appleton, ME
Last recalculated Apr 15, 2026
Drive Time
2h 18m
Distance
87.5 mi
141 km
Drive Score
9/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$14
one way
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
2h 9m
★
6 AM
2h 18m
8 AM
2h 37m
10 AM
2h 25m
12 PM
2h 23m
3 PM
2h 26m
5 PM
2h 36m
8 PM
2h 12m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
City of Portland, ME
Brett Sayles
Appleton, ME
RealToughCandy.com
Trip Overview
The drive from City of Portland, ME to Appleton, ME covers 87.5 miles and takes about 2h 18m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on I 295, Rockland Road, Sennebec Road for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is mixed drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 45 miles on I 295. At current regular gas prices, budget about $14.09 one way before food or hotel costs.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Break Rhythm
0 planned breaks
A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.
Midpoint
43.7 miles from City of Portland, ME
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 1h 11m into the drive .
Drive Character
The drive from City of Portland, ME to Appleton, ME covers 87.5 miles and takes about 2h 18m, using a mix of highways and local roads.
Expect a mix of faster highway mileage and slower local approaches near the beginning or end.
There are about 35 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
I 295 is the longest continuous segment at about 45 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes around 0.6 miles in near Seashore Avenue.
Route Complexity
4/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
This is a straightforward 2h 18m drive. You will face about 13 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.6 miles (Seashore Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 1 miles (Welch Street): Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch; at 5 miles (I 295; US 1): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 13 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
4
0.6 mi into trip
|
~2m in
|
Seashore Avenue
At end of road, turn left onto Seashore Avenue
Navigation decision point
6
1 mi into trip
|
~3m in
|
Welch Street
At end of road, turn left onto Welch Street
Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch
5
5 mi into trip
|
~28m in
|
I 295; US 1
Merge onto I 295; US 1
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
50 mi into trip
|
~1h 18m in
Take the exit toward ME 9, ME 126: Litchfield, Gardiner
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Exit 51
Toward ME 9, ME 126: Litchfield, Gardiner
5
59.5 mi into trip
|
~1h 35m in
|
ME 17 / Augusta Road
At end of road, turn right onto ME 17 / Augusta Road
Navigation decision point
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
On the drive from City of Portland, ME to Appleton, ME, road signs begin pointing toward Gardiner along the way.
Gardiner
50 mi in
|
~1h 18m
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 295 | 45 mi | 50m |
| Rockland Road | 8.4 mi | 11m |
| Sennebec Road | 5.6 mi | 10m |
| Augusta Road | 5 mi | 7m |
| Augusta-Rockland Road | 4.1 mi | 6m |
| Togus Road | 3.7 mi | 6m |
| Heald Highway | 3.7 mi | 5m |
| Portland - Peaks Island | 2.5 mi | 20m |
Longest stretch:
I 295
— 45 mi, about 50m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between City of Portland, ME and Appleton, ME.
1
Start on Seashore Avenue
0.6 mi
·
2 min
·
Seashore Avenue
2
At end of road, turn left onto Seashore Avenue
0.2 mi
·
45 sec
·
Seashore Avenue
3
Continue on Whitehead Street
351 ft
·
15 sec
·
Whitehead Street
4
Continue on Oakland Avenue
0.1 mi
·
31 sec
·
Oakland Avenue
5
At end of road, turn left onto Welch Street
0.2 mi
·
1 min
·
Welch Street
6
Continue on Portland - Peaks Island
2.5 mi
·
20 min
·
Portland - Peaks Island
7
Continue
187 ft
·
14 sec
8
Turn right onto Maine State Pier
74 ft
·
30 sec
·
Maine State Pier
9
Continue on Maine State Pier
0.1 mi
·
30 sec
·
Maine State Pier
10
Continue on US 1A
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
Franklin Street
11
Take the ramp onto US 1A
0.3 mi
·
39 sec
·
US 1A
12
Merge onto I 295; US 1
45 mi
·
50 min
·
I 295; US 1
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
50 sec
Exit 51
Toward ME 9, ME 126: Litchfield, Gardiner
14
Turn right onto ME 9; ME 126
1.1 mi
·
1 min
·
Lewiston Road
15
Continue on Cobbossee Avenue
0.7 mi
·
59 sec
·
Cobbossee Avenue
16
Continue on Lewiston Road
0.1 mi
·
10 sec
·
Lewiston Road
17
Continue on Central Street
0.2 mi
·
15 sec
·
Central Street
18
Turn straight onto Water Street
0.9 mi
·
1 min
·
Water Street
19
Turn left onto US 201
0.5 mi
·
49 sec
·
Bridge Street
20
At end of road, turn right onto ME 27; ME 126
0.2 mi
·
33 sec
·
Water Street
21
Turn left onto ME 226
1.7 mi
·
3 min
·
Windsor Street
22
Continue on ME 226
3.7 mi
·
6 min
·
Togus Road
23
At end of road, turn right onto ME 17
0.6 mi
·
52 sec
·
Augusta Road
24
Continue on ME 17
1.1 mi
·
1 min
·
Eastern Avenue
25
Continue on ME 17
0.9 mi
·
1 min
·
Augusta Road
26
Continue on ME 17
4.1 mi
·
6 min
·
Augusta-Rockland Road
27
Continue on ME 17; ME 32
1.3 mi
·
1 min
·
Rockland Road
28
Continue on ME 17; ME 32
4.9 mi
·
6 min
·
Rockland Road
29
Continue on ME 17
3.5 mi
·
4 min
·
Augusta Road
30
Continue on ME 17
2.2 mi
·
3 min
·
Rockland Road
31
Continue on ME 17
3.7 mi
·
5 min
·
Heald Highway
32
Turn left onto Sennebec Road
3.3 mi
·
6 min
·
Sennebec Road
33
Continue on Sennebec Road
1.8 mi
·
3 min
·
Sennebec Road
34
Keep slight left at fork onto Sennebec Road
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
Sennebec Road
35
Arrive at destination
Town Hill Road
Trip Plan
Morning Departure
Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch.
Evening Departure
Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
You may only need one short stretch break if traffic stays light.
The halfway point lands around 43.7 miles from City of Portland, ME, or about 1h 11m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 45 miles.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
Departure
Before you leave
Start with fuel, water, and navigation already sorted so the first hour feels easy.
First stop
Around 19 miles or 43m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 43.7 miles or 1h 11m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 1h 56m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Appleton, ME than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving City of Portland, ME so your first major turns are already loaded.
+
Leave with enough water and a charging cable within reach, not packed away.
+
Check your fuel range against the first long segment, especially if you are starting outside city service areas.
Day 1
Settle into the route from City of Portland, ME
This is one driving day of about 87.5 miles and 2h 18m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 19 miles from City of Portland, ME.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
The longest stretch is on I 295 for about 45 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 43.7 mi from City of Portland, ME · 1h 11m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
44 mi into the route
Best for: Lunch, fuel, and a longer reset
This sits close to the middle of the route, so it works well for the longest stop of the day.
Pacing Suggestions
Fuel and coffee
A short stop after about 19 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 43.7 miles from City of Portland, ME, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Appleton, ME
The final approach into Appleton, ME usually feels slower than the middle of the drive, so avoid planning your tightest schedule at the very end.
Try to arrive with enough fuel left to skip an immediate station stop unless you already know the area around Appleton, ME.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$14.09 one way
$28.17 round trip
$4.09/gal
25.4 MPG avg
31 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.50 | $15.50 | $31.00 |
| premium | $4.86 | $16.76 | $33.51 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $19.32 | $38.64 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$14
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$39–$64
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 30.6 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $9 in charging · 0 stops · 68% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 26.3 | 0 | $9.19 | $4.20 |
| Efficient EV | 21.9 | 0 | $7.66 | $3.50 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 35 | 0 | $12.25 | $5.60 |
Gas CO2
31 kg
EV CO2
10 kg (68% 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
Appleton, ME
Evening in Appleton on Wednesday
Local time
5:55 PM
EDT
Current temp
35°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Seasonal Notes
Summer travel usually means heavier construction, hotter rest stops, and busier weekend traffic around major cities.
Winter travel shortens daylight, so a route that looks manageable on paper can feel much longer after dark.
Holiday weekends tend to make both departure and arrival windows slower than the raw route time suggests.
Time zone
Same local time
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
8 degrees cooler at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
2h 18m 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 City of Portland, ME to Appleton, ME covers 87.5 miles and takes about 2h 18m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are I 295, Rockland Road, Sennebec Road. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 43.7 miles from City of Portland, ME. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $14.09 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 straightforward 2h 18m drive. You will face about 13 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
The main spots that need attention: at 0.6 miles (Seashore Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 1 miles (Welch Street): Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch; at 5 miles (I 295; US 1): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
On the drive from City of Portland, ME to Appleton, ME, road signs begin pointing toward Gardiner along the way.
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