Trip from Penobscot, ME to City of Portland, ME

Drive Time

6h 36m

Distance

138.1 mi

222 km

Drive Score

7/10

Good drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$22

one way

EV Charging

Loading...

station data

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 36 min
4 AM
6h 24m ★
6 AM
6h 36m
8 AM
7h 0m
10 AM
6h 45m
12 PM
6h 42m
3 PM
6h 46m
5 PM
6h 59m
8 PM
6h 29m

Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.

Downtown Penobscot, ME, ME

Penobscot, ME

Skyler Ewing

Downtown City of Portland, ME, ME

City of Portland, ME

Brett Sayles

Trip Overview

The drive from Penobscot, ME to City of Portland, ME covers 138.1 miles and takes about 6h 36m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.

The route leans on Front Ridge Road, Acadia Highway, Route 1 for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. At current regular gas prices, budget about $22.11 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

69.1 miles from Penobscot, ME

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 3h 18m into the drive .

Drive Character

Expect a 6h 36m drive with frequent turns across 138.1 miles of local and secondary roads.

This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 43 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Front Ridge Road 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 (6h 36m) 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 Penobscot, ME to City of Portland, ME is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
Front Ridge Road Unavailable Refreshing
Acadia Highway Unavailable Refreshing
Route 1 Unavailable Refreshing
Main Street Unavailable Refreshing
Highway 1 Unavailable Refreshing
Searsport Avenue Unavailable Refreshing
Belmont Avenue Unavailable Refreshing
Augusta Road Unavailable Refreshing

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

Longest stretch: Front Ridge Road — detailed segment metrics are refreshing.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Penobscot, ME and City of Portland, ME.

1

Start on North Penobscot Road

5.0 mi · 8 min · North Penobscot Road
2

At the end of the road, turn left onto Front Ridge Road

3.7 mi · 5 min · Front Ridge Road
3

At the end of the road, turn left onto Acadia Highway

3.4 mi · 3 min · Acadia Highway
4

Continue on Route 1

1.0 mi · 1 min · Route 1
5

Continue on Main Street

135 ft · 9 sec · Main Street
6

Turn left onto Route 1

0.1 mi · 17 sec · Route 1
7

Continue on US Highway 1

1.2 mi · 2 min · US Highway 1
8

Continue on Route 1

13 mi · 15 min · Route 1
9

Continue on Searsport Avenue

2.7 mi · 4 min · Searsport Avenue
10

Continue on Route 1

0.7 mi · 1 min · Route 1
11

Take the exit slight right

0.3 mi · 39 sec
12

Keep slight right

374 ft · 12 sec
13

Merge slight left onto Belmont Avenue

3.9 mi · 4 min · Belmont Avenue
14

Continue on Augusta Road

4.8 mi · 5 min · Augusta Road
15

Continue on Belfast Augusta Road East

3.4 mi · 3 min · Belfast Augusta Road East
16

Continue on Acadia Highway

4.0 mi · 4 min · Acadia Highway
17

Continue on Belfast Augusta Road

18 mi · 21 min · Belfast Augusta Road
18

Continue on Belfast Road

0.2 mi · 17 sec · Belfast Road
19

Continue on North Belfast Avenue

8.1 mi · 11 min · North Belfast Avenue
20

Turn left onto North Belfast Avenue

1.0 mi · 1 min · North Belfast Avenue
21

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

0.6 mi · 53 sec · Bangor Street
22

Enter the roundabout and take exit 2 toward Cony Circle

161 ft · 3 sec · Cony Circle
23

Exit the rotary onto Memorial Drive

0.7 mi · 1 min · Memorial Drive
24

Enter the roundabout and take exit 3 toward Memorial Circle

400 ft · 7 sec · Memorial Circle
25

Exit the rotary onto State Street

0.2 mi · 19 sec · State Street
26

Turn right onto Capitol Street

0.8 mi · 1 min · Capitol Street
27

Turn straight onto Armory Street

0.2 mi · 20 sec · Armory Street
28

Turn left onto Western Avenue

0.7 mi · 1 min · Western Avenue
29

Take the exit slight right toward I 95: Portland, Waterville, Bangor

0.3 mi · 44 sec · I 95: Portland, Waterville, Bangor
30

Keep slight left to continue on I-95 South: Portland, Kittery

0.6 mi · 1 min · I-95 South: Portland, Kittery
31

Merge slight left onto Maine Turnpike

5.9 mi · 6 min · Maine Turnpike
32

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
33

Take the exit slight right toward US 1A

1.1 mi · 2 min · US 1A
34

Continue on Maine State Pier

0.1 mi · 29 sec · Maine State Pier
35

Turn slight right

187 ft · 14 sec
36

Turn straight onto Portland - Peaks Island

2.5 mi · 20 min · Portland - Peaks Island
37

Continue straight

213 ft · 16 sec
38

Continue on Welch Street

0.2 mi · 50 sec · Welch Street
39

Turn right onto Oakland Avenue

0.1 mi · 26 sec · Oakland Avenue
40

Turn slight left onto Whitehead Street

351 ft · 15 sec · Whitehead Street
41

Continue on Seashore Avenue

0.2 mi · 46 sec · Seashore Avenue
42

Continue on Seashore Avenue

0.6 mi · 2 min · Seashore Avenue
43

Arrive at your destination

Trip Plan

Morning Departure

Start early — leave by 6-7 AM to arrive at a reasonable hour.

Evening Departure

This is a long drive — plan for a morning departure or consider splitting it into two days.

You can normally do this drive in one day.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 69.1 miles from Penobscot, ME, or about 3h 18m 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 80 miles or 3h 49m in

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

Halfway reset

Around 69.1 miles or 3h 18m in

This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.

Final approach

Final hour starts around 5h 24m

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

Before You Leave

+

Open the route before leaving Penobscot, 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 Penobscot, ME

This is one driving day of about 138.1 miles and 6h 36m.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 80 miles from Penobscot, 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 69.1 mi from Penobscot, ME · 3h 18m into the drive

Downtown Brunswick, ME, ME

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Brunswick, ME

69 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.

Popular next leg

Brunswick, ME to City of Portland, ME

30.3 mi · 1h 1m

Pacing Suggestions

Brunswick, ME

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 80 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Brunswick, ME

Meal break

The midpoint is around 69.1 miles from Penobscot, ME, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Arriving in City of Portland, ME

The final approach into City of 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 City of 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

$22.11 one way

$44.21 round trip

$4.07/gal 25.4 MPG avg 48 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.46 $24.23 $48.47
premium $4.83 $26.25 $52.50
diesel $5.64 $30.68 $61.36

No toll roads detected on this route.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$22

Meals

$25–$50

Total

$47–$72

Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.

Estimated CO2 emission: 48.3 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-06.

Driving Electric?

About $15 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 41.4 0 $14.50 $6.63
Efficient EV 34.5 0 $12.08 $5.52
EV Truck/SUV 55.2 0 $19.33 $8.84

Gas CO2

48 kg

EV CO2

16 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 3 days ago

Origin

Penobscot, ME

Morning in Penobscot on Monday

Local time

10:58 AM

EDT

Current temp

61°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

City of Portland, ME

Morning in City of Portland on Monday

Local time

10:58 AM

EDT

Current temp

43°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Along the Route

43°F

Brunswick, ME

69 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

18 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

6h 36m on the road

Start early — leave by 6-7 AM to arrive at a reasonable hour.

Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.

Frequently Asked Questions

The drive from Penobscot, ME to City of Portland, ME covers 138.1 miles and takes about 6h 36m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Front Ridge Road, Acadia Highway, Route 1. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 69.1 miles from Penobscot, ME. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $22.11 one way. This estimate uses 25.4 MPG — your actual cost will vary with your vehicle's fuel efficiency and current gas prices.
Start early — leave by 6-7 AM to arrive at a reasonable hour. This is a long drive — plan for a morning departure or consider splitting it into two days.
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 (6h 36m) 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 Penobscot, ME to City of Portland, ME is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
The route from Penobscot, ME to City of Portland, ME does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.

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