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Trip from Portland, ME to Mexico, ME

Last recalculated Apr 16, 2026

Drive Time

1h 43m

Distance

76.2 mi

123 km

Drive Score

9/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$12

one way

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 23 min
4 AM
1h 35m ★
6 AM
1h 43m
8 AM
1h 58m
10 AM
1h 48m
12 PM
1h 47m
3 PM
1h 49m
5 PM
1h 58m
8 PM
1h 38m

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

seat of Cumberland County, and largest city in State of Maine, United States

Portland, ME

Wikimedia Commons

Downtown Mexico, ME, ME

Mexico, ME

Osvaldo Samuel Rendon

Trip Overview

The drive from Portland, ME to Mexico, ME covers 76.2 miles and takes about 1h 43m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.

The route leans on Maine Turnpike, Auburn Road, Washington Street for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is mixed drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 22.2 miles on Maine Turnpike. At current regular gas prices, budget about $12.27 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

38.1 miles from Portland, ME

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 50m into the drive .

Drive Character

The drive from Portland, ME to Mexico, ME covers 76.2 miles and takes about 1h 43m, 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 34 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Maine Turnpike is the longest continuous segment at about 22.2 miles.

Elevation Profile

Mostly flat terrain

474 ft 78 ft

Total Climb

538 ft

Total Descent

142 ft

Highest Point

474 ft

~76.2 mi in

Elevation Range

396 ft

How Hard Is This Drive?

This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 0.1 miles in near Brown Street.

Route Complexity 9/10

Demanding - stay alert through the decision-heavy sections

This drive requires moderate attention. Across 76.2 miles you will encounter 17 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.

Where does it get tricky?

The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (Brown Street): Navigation decision point; at 4 miles (ME 26; ME 100 / Washington Avenue): Lane positioning matters here; at 6.3 miles: Lane positioning matters here.

Critical Maneuvers

5 of 17 key points

These are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.

5
0.1 mi into trip | ~0m in | Brown Street

Turn right onto Brown Street

Navigation decision point

5
4 mi into trip | ~6m in | ME 26; ME 100 / Washington Avenue

Turn left onto ME 26; ME 100 / Washington Avenue

Lane positioning matters here

Use the left lane.
6
6.3 mi into trip | ~12m in

Take the ramp

Lane positioning matters here

Use the left lane.
7
6.5 mi into trip | ~13m in

Keep slight right at fork toward I 95 North: Lewiston, Augusta

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Toward I 95 North: Lewiston, Augusta
5
28.9 mi into trip | ~37m in

Take the exit toward US 202, ME 4, ME 100: Auburn

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Toward US 202, ME 4, ME 100: Auburn

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 Portland, ME to Mexico, ME, road signs begin pointing toward Augusta along the way.

Augusta

6.5 mi in | ~13m

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
Maine Turnpike 22.2 mi 23m
Auburn Road 19.4 mi 24m
Washington Street 4.2 mi 6m
Pleasant Street 4 mi 5m
State Route 108 3.1 mi 4m
Turner Road 3.1 mi 3m
Turner Street 3 mi 4m
Center Street 2.9 mi 3m
Longest stretch: Maine Turnpike — 22.2 mi, about 23m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

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

1

Start on Congress Street

484 ft · 20 sec · Congress Street
2

Turn right onto Brown Street

0.1 mi · 30 sec · Brown Street
3

Turn left onto Cumberland Avenue

0.2 mi · 29 sec · Cumberland Avenue
4

Turn right onto ME 77

0.3 mi · 37 sec · High Street
5

Continue on ME 100

2.4 mi · 3 min · Forest Avenue
Use the straight / right lanes.
6

Take the exit

200 ft · 9 sec
7

Turn slight right onto ME 100

0.8 mi · 1 min · Allen Avenue
8

Turn left onto ME 26; ME 100

262 ft · 7 sec · Washington Avenue
Use the left lane.
9

Continue on ME 26; ME 100

1.7 mi · 4 min · Auburn Street
Use the left lane.
10

Continue on ME 26; ME 100

0.6 mi · 1 min · Gray Road
11

Take the ramp

0.2 mi · 41 sec
Use the left lane.
12

Keep slight right at fork

0.2 mi · 21 sec
Toward I 95 North: Lewiston, Augusta
13

Merge onto I 95

14 mi · 15 min · Maine Turnpike
14

Keep slight left at fork onto I 95

8.1 mi · 8 min · Maine Turnpike
15

Take the exit

0.3 mi · 41 sec
Toward US 202, ME 4, ME 100: Auburn
16

At end of road, turn left onto US 202; ME 4

4.2 mi · 6 min · Washington Street
17

Merge onto US 202; ME 4; ME 11; ME 100

0.5 mi · 38 sec · Minot Avenue
18

Continue on ME 4

0.4 mi · 30 sec · Union Street Bypass
Use the straight / right lanes.
19

Merge onto ME 4

2.9 mi · 3 min · Center Street
Use the straight lane.
20

Continue on ME 4

2.9 mi · 3 min · Turner Road
21

Continue on ME 4

13 mi · 14 min · Auburn Road
22

Continue on ME 4

1.2 mi · 1 min · Federal Road
23

Turn left onto ME 108

2.6 mi · 3 min · Canton Road
24

Continue on Turner Road

0.2 mi · 17 sec · Turner Road
25

Continue on ME 108

3.0 mi · 4 min · Turner Street
26

Continue on ME 108

4.0 mi · 5 min · Pleasant Street
27

Continue on ME 108

6.7 mi · 9 min · Auburn Road
28

Continue on ME 108

1.2 mi · 1 min · Oxford Road
29

Continue on ME 108

3.1 mi · 4 min · State Route 108
30

Turn right onto Veterans Street

0.3 mi · 32 sec · Veterans Street
31

At end of road, turn left onto US 2; ME 17

0.2 mi · 28 sec · River Road
32

Continue on US 2; ME 17

0.5 mi · 1 min · Main Street
33

Turn right onto ME 17

0.3 mi · 50 sec · Roxbury Road
34

Arrive at destination

ME 17

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 38.1 miles from Portland, ME, or about 50m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 22.2 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 17 miles or 24m in

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

Halfway reset

Around 38.1 miles or 50m 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 24m

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

Before You Leave

+

Open the route before leaving Portland, ME so your first major turns are already loaded.

Day 1

Settle into the route from Portland, ME

This is one driving day of about 76.2 miles and 1h 43m.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 17 miles from Portland, ME.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
The longest stretch is on Maine Turnpike for about 22.2 miles.

Where to Stop

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

Halfway Point

Midpoint

About 38.1 mi from Portland, ME · 50m into the drive

city in Androscoggin County, Maine, United States

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Lewiston, ME

38 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

Gray, ME

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 17 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Auburn, ME

Meal break

The midpoint is around 38.1 miles from Portland, ME, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Arriving in Mexico, ME

The final approach into Mexico, ME usually feels slower than the middle of the drive, so avoid planning your tightest schedule at the very end.

These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$12.27 one way

$24.53 round trip

$4.09/gal 25.4 MPG avg 27 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.50 $13.50 $26.99
premium $4.86 $14.59 $29.18
diesel $5.61 $16.82 $33.65

Estimated Tolls: $1.34

Maine Turnpike (22.2 mi) $1.34

Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$12

Tolls

$1

Meals

$25–$50

Total

$39–$64

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

Estimated CO2 emission: 26.7 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

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

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 22.9 0 $8.00 $3.66
Efficient EV 19.1 0 $6.67 $3.05
EV Truck/SUV 30.5 0 $10.67 $4.88

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 as of Apr 16, 2026

Origin

Portland, ME

Night in Portland on Wednesday

Local time

10:20 PM

EDT

Current temp

51°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Mexico, ME

Night in Mexico on Wednesday

Local time

10:20 PM

EDT

Current temp

45°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

6 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 43m 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 Portland, ME to Mexico, ME covers 76.2 miles and takes about 1h 43m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Maine Turnpike, Auburn Road, Washington Street. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 38.1 miles from Portland, ME. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $12.27 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 drive requires moderate attention. Across 76.2 miles you will encounter 17 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.
The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (Brown Street): Navigation decision point; at 4 miles (ME 26; ME 100 / Washington Avenue): Lane positioning matters here; at 6.3 miles: Lane positioning matters here.
On the drive from Portland, ME to Mexico, ME, road signs begin pointing toward Augusta along the way.
Mostly flat terrain. The route ranges from 78 ft to 474 ft elevation with about 538 ft of total climbing.

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