Origin
City of Portland, ME
Afternoon in City of Portland on Monday
Local time
1:34 PM
EDT
Current temp
43°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from City of Portland, ME to Waterville, ME
Drive Time
5h 20m
Distance
78.4 mi
126 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$13
one way
EV Charging
Loading...
station data
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
5h 7m
★
6 AM
5h 20m
8 AM
5h 47m
10 AM
5h 30m
12 PM
5h 27m
3 PM
5h 31m
5 PM
5h 46m
8 PM
5h 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
Waterville, ME
Vika Glitter
Trip Overview
The drive from City of Portland, ME to Waterville, ME covers 78.4 miles and takes about 5h 20m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on Seashore Avenue, Whitehead Street, Oakland Avenue for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. At current regular gas prices, budget about $12.55 one way before food or hotel costs.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is possible, but it will make for a full day on the road.
Break Rhythm
1 planned break
Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
Midpoint
39.2 miles from City of Portland, ME
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 2h 40m into the drive .
Drive Character
Expect a 5h 20m drive with frequent turns across 78.4 miles of local and secondary roads.
This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 19 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Seashore Avenue is one of the defining roads on this drive.
How Hard Is This Drive?
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. Navigation is very simple — set it and forget it for most of the drive.
Route Complexity
1/10
Very easy - short and simple to drive
Navigation is easy, but the length (5h 20m) means fatigue is the real challenge. The route is 0% highway with very few tricky spots.
Where does it get tricky?
This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from City of Portland, ME to Waterville, ME is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Seashore Avenue | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| Whitehead Street | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| Oakland Avenue | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| Welch Street | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| Portland - Peaks Island | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| Maine State Pier | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| Franklin Street | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| Maine Turnpike | Unavailable | Refreshing |
Per-road distance and duration are being refreshed from OSRM for this route.
Longest stretch:
Seashore Avenue
— detailed segment metrics are refreshing.
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between City of Portland, ME and Waterville, ME.
1
Start on Seashore Avenue
0.6 mi
·
2 min
·
Seashore Avenue
2
At the end of the road, turn left onto Seashore Avenue
0.2 mi
·
46 sec
·
Seashore Avenue
3
Continue on Whitehead Street
351 ft
·
15 sec
·
Whitehead Street
4
Continue on Oakland Avenue
0.1 mi
·
32 sec
·
Oakland Avenue
5
At the end of the 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 straight
187 ft
·
14 sec
8
Turn right onto Maine State Pier
75 ft
·
31 sec
·
Maine State Pier
9
Continue on Maine State Pier
0.1 mi
·
31 sec
·
Maine State Pier
10
Continue on Franklin Street
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
Franklin Street
11
Take the ramp slight right
0.3 mi
·
39 sec
12
Merge slight left
46 mi
·
52 min
13
Merge slight left onto Maine Turnpike
24 mi
·
26 min
·
Maine Turnpike
14
Take the exit slight right toward ME 11, ME 137: Waterville, Oakland
0.2 mi
·
28 sec
·
ME 11, ME 137: Waterville, Oakland
15
Turn right onto Kennedy Memorial Drive
1.6 mi
·
3 min
·
Kennedy Memorial Drive
16
Continue on Silver Street
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
Silver Street
17
Turn slight left onto Elm Street
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
Elm Street
18
Turn right onto Post Office Square
43 ft
·
2 sec
·
Post Office Square
19
Arrive at your destination
Trip Plan
Morning Departure
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.
Evening Departure
A late afternoon start means arriving after dark. Morning is better.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 39.2 miles from City of Portland, ME, or about 2h 40m into the drive.
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 78.4 miles or 5h 20m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 39.2 miles or 2h 40m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 4h 32m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Waterville, 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 78.4 miles and 5h 20m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 80 miles from City of Portland, ME.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
Plan about 1 real break rather than only quick fuel stops.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 39.2 mi from City of Portland, ME · 2h 40m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
39 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 78.4 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 39.2 miles from City of Portland, ME, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Waterville, ME
The final approach into Waterville, 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 Waterville, 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
$12.55 one way
$25.10 round trip
$4.07/gal
25.4 MPG avg
27 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.46 | $13.76 | $27.51 |
| premium | $4.83 | $14.90 | $29.80 |
| diesel | $5.64 | $17.42 | $34.84 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$13
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$38–$63
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 27.4 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-06.
Driving Electric?
About $8 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 23.5 | 0 | $8.23 | $3.76 |
| Efficient EV | 19.6 | 0 | $6.86 | $3.14 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 31.4 | 0 | $10.98 | $5.02 |
Gas CO2
27 kg
EV CO2
9 kg (67% 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
Waterville, ME
Afternoon in Waterville on Monday
Local time
1:34 PM
EDT
Current temp
43°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Along the Route
52°F
Lawrence, MA
39 mi in
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
Very similar conditions
Both ends of the route are sitting at about the same temperature right now.
Road read
5h 20m on the road
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.
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 Waterville, ME covers 78.4 miles and takes about 5h 20m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Seashore Avenue, Whitehead Street, Oakland Avenue. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 39.2 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 $12.55 one way. This estimate uses 25.4 MPG — your actual cost will vary with your vehicle's fuel efficiency and current gas prices.
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left. A late afternoon start means arriving after dark. Morning is better.
Plan about 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, or rest. Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
Navigation is easy, but the length (5h 20m) means fatigue is the real challenge. The route is 0% highway with very few tricky spots.
This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from City of Portland, ME to Waterville, ME is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
The route from City of Portland, ME to Waterville, ME does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
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Return Trip
Waterville, ME to City of Portland, MEPlan the drive back the other way.
80.3 mi
5h 22m
Continue From Waterville, ME
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