Trip from Fairfield, ME to Portland, ME

Drive Time

1h 13m

Distance

78.1 mi

126 km

Drive Score

7/10

Good drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$13

one way

Best Time Drive vs Fly

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Trip Overview

The drive from Fairfield, ME to Portland, ME covers 78.1 miles and takes about 1h 13m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.

The route leans on High Street, Western Avenue, I 295 South for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. At current regular gas prices, budget about $12.50 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

39.1 miles from Fairfield, ME

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 36m into the drive .

Drive Character

Expect a 1h 13m drive with frequent turns across 78.1 miles of local and secondary roads.

This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.

There are about 11 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.

High Street 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

The drive from Fairfield, ME to Portland, ME is easy. At 1h 13m with 0% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.

Where does it get tricky?

This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Fairfield, ME to Portland, ME is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.

Main Roads

Road	Distance	Duration
High Street	Unavailable	Refreshing
Western Avenue	Unavailable	Refreshing
I 295 South	Unavailable	Refreshing
US 1A	Unavailable	Refreshing
Cumberland Avenue	Unavailable	Refreshing
Preble Street	Unavailable	Refreshing
Congress Street	Unavailable	Refreshing

Per-road distance and duration are being refreshed from OSRM for this route.

Longest stretch: High Street — detailed segment metrics are refreshing.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Fairfield, ME and Portland, ME.

1

Start on Lawrence Avenue

164 ft · 10 sec · Lawrence Avenue

2

Turn right onto High Street

0.2 mi · 57 sec · High Street

3

Turn left onto Western Avenue

0.9 mi · 2 min · Western Avenue

4

Take the ramp left

0.2 mi · 24 sec

5

Merge slight left

29 mi · 31 min

6

Keep slight right to continue on I 295 South, ME 9, ME 126: Gardiner, Brunswick

46 mi · 53 min · I 295 South, ME 9, ME 126: Gardiner, Brunswick

7

Take the exit slight right toward US 1A

0.7 mi · 1 min · US 1A

8

Turn right onto Cumberland Avenue

0.4 mi · 51 sec · Cumberland Avenue

9

Turn left onto Preble Street

0.1 mi · 19 sec · Preble Street

10

Turn left onto Congress Street

157 ft · 5 sec · Congress Street

11

Arrive at your destination

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 39.1 miles from Fairfield, ME, or about 36m 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 78.1 miles or 1h 13m in

Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.

Halfway reset

Around 39.1 miles or 36m 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 2m

Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Portland, ME than in the middle of the route.

Before You Leave

+

Open the route before leaving Fairfield, 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 Fairfield, ME

This is one driving day of about 78.1 miles and 1h 13m.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 80 miles from Fairfield, ME.

This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.

You may only need one short stretch stop if conditions stay smooth.

Where to Stop

Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.

Halfway Point

Midpoint

About 39.1 mi from Fairfield, ME · 36m into the drive

Mid-route town

Meal stop

West Scarborough, ME

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

Lawrence, MA

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 78.1 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

West Scarborough, ME

Meal break

The midpoint is around 39.1 miles from Fairfield, ME, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Arriving in Portland, ME

The final approach into Portland, 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 Portland, 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

$12.50 one way

$25.00 round trip

$4.07/gal 25.4 MPG avg 27 kg CO₂

Fuel Type	$/gal	One Way	Round Trip
midgrade	$4.46	$13.70	$27.41
premium	$4.83	$14.85	$29.69
diesel	$5.64	$17.35	$34.70

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: 27.3 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-06.

Driving Electric?

About $8 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO₂

Vehicle Type	kWh	DC Fast	Home Charge
Average EV	23.4	$8.20	$3.75
Efficient EV	19.5	$6.83	$3.12
EV Truck/SUV	31.2	$10.93	$5.00

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.

Forecast data refreshed 2 days ago

Origin

Fairfield, ME

Afternoon in Fairfield on Sunday

Local time

3:24 PM

EDT

Current temp

66°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Portland, ME

Afternoon in Portland on Sunday

Local time

3:24 PM

EDT

Current temp

59°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

7 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

1h 13m 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 Fairfield, ME to Portland, ME covers 78.1 miles and takes about 1h 13m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.

The main roads are High Street, Western Avenue, I 295 South. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.

This is a comfortable same-day trip.

The midpoint is about 39.1 miles from Fairfield, ME. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.

At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $12.50 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.

The drive from Fairfield, ME to Portland, ME is easy. At 1h 13m with 0% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.

This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Fairfield, ME to Portland, ME is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.

The route from Fairfield, ME to Portland, ME does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.

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