Origin
Appleton, ME
Late night in Appleton on Tuesday
Local time
5:15 AM
EDT
Current temp
55°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Appleton, ME to Bangor, ME
Pin this tripCompiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 21, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 26m
Distance
53.5 mi
86 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$9
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 19m
★
6 AM
1h 26m
8 AM
1h 39m
10 AM
1h 31m
12 PM
1h 29m
3 PM
1h 31m
5 PM
1h 39m
8 PM
1h 22m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Appleton, ME
RealToughCandy.com
Bangor, ME
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Traveling from Appleton to Bangor covers 53.5 miles and typically takes about 1 hour and 26 minutes to complete. Because of the relatively short travel time, this journey functions perfectly as a simple day trip that requires no overnight stops. You will navigate primarily via River Road, West Main Street, and East Main Street, keeping your transit costs low with an estimated fuel budget of just $9. Both locations are situated within the Northeast region, making this a consistent regional drive. It is a straightforward route that allows for maximum flexibility in your schedule, whether you are heading out for business or a quick visit.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| River Road | 15.2 mi | 22m |
| West Main Street | 7 mi | 8m |
| East Main Street | 6.3 mi | 7m |
| Searsmont Road | 4 mi | 9m |
| Belmont Avenue | 4 mi | 4m |
| Main Street South | 2.9 mi | 6m |
| Searsport Avenue | 2.7 mi | 4m |
| Main Street North | 2.4 mi | 5m |
Longest stretch:
River Road
— 15.2 mi, about 22m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Appleton, ME and Bangor, ME.
1
Start on Town Hill Road
137 ft
·
11 sec
·
Town Hill Road
2
Turn left onto ME 131; ME 105
2.4 mi
·
5 min
·
Searsmont Road
3
Continue on Searmont Road
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
Searmont Road
4
Continue on ME 131
2.9 mi
·
6 min
·
Main Street South
5
Continue on ME 131; ME 173
0.1 mi
·
20 sec
·
Searsmont Road
6
Continue on ME 131; ME 173
2.4 mi
·
5 min
·
Main Street North
7
Continue on ME 131
1.5 mi
·
3 min
·
Searsmont Road
8
At end of road, turn right onto ME 3
2.0 mi
·
2 min
·
Augusta Road
9
Continue on ME 3
4.0 mi
·
4 min
·
Belmont Avenue
10
Take the exit onto ME 3
0.3 mi
·
43 sec
·
ME 3
11
Merge onto US 1; ME 3
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
Route 1
12
Continue on US 1; ME 3
2.7 mi
·
4 min
·
Searsport Avenue
Use the left lane.
13
Continue on US 1; ME 3
7.0 mi
·
8 min
·
West Main Street
14
Keep slight right at fork onto US 1; ME 3
6.3 mi
·
7 min
·
East Main Street
15
Continue on US 1; ME 3
1.2 mi
·
2 min
·
US Highway 1
16
Continue on US 1; ME 3
0.1 mi
·
23 sec
·
Route 1
17
At end of road, turn left onto ME 15
0.9 mi
·
1 min
·
Main Street
18
Continue on ME 15
15 mi
·
22 min
·
River Road
19
Continue on South Main Street
2.3 mi
·
3 min
·
South Main Street
20
Turn left onto US 1A; ME 9 Business
0.1 mi
·
12 sec
·
Wilson Street
21
Continue on US 1A; ME 9 Business
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
Union Street
22
Turn slight left onto US 2; ME 100
73 ft
·
2 sec
·
Hammond Street
23
Arrive at destination
US 2; ME 100
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
27 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 12 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 26.8 miles from Appleton, ME, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 75 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 34.5 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
3
0 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
ME 131; ME 105 / Searsmont Road
Turn left onto ME 131; ME 105 / Searsmont Road
Navigation decision point
4
10 mi into trip
|
~24m in
|
ME 3 / Augusta Road
At end of road, turn right onto ME 3 / Augusta Road
Navigation decision point
4
16.1 mi into trip
|
~31m in
|
ME 3
Take the exit onto ME 3
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early
4
26.8 mi into trip
|
~46m in
|
US 1; ME 3 / East Main Street
Keep slight right at fork onto US 1; ME 3 / East Main Street
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
4
34.5 mi into trip
|
~57m in
|
ME 15 / Main Street
At end of road, turn left onto ME 15 / Main Street
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$8.61 one way
$17.23 round trip
$4.09/gal
25.4 MPG avg
19 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.50 | $9.48 | $18.95 |
| premium | $4.86 | $10.25 | $20.49 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $11.81 | $23.62 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$9
Estimated CO2 emission: 18.7 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $6 in charging · 0 stops · 68% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 16.1 | 0 | $5.62 | $2.57 |
| Efficient EV | 13.4 | 0 | $4.68 | $2.14 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 21.4 | 0 | $7.49 | $3.42 |
Gas CO2
19 kg
EV CO2
6 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
Bangor, ME
Late night in Bangor on Tuesday
Local time
5:15 AM
EDT
Current temp
57°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
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
2 degrees warmer at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
1h 26m 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.
What kind of drive is this?
Expect a turn-heavy local drive that demands your full attention rather than a monotonous interstate cruise. With only 4% of the trip spent on highways, you will spend the vast majority of your time navigating local roads. Your longest uninterrupted stretch occurs during the 15.2-mile segment on River Road, which provides the most consistent pace of the entire journey. Because the route relies so heavily on secondary roads, you will experience a constant series of turns that keep the drive engaging. Be prepared for a winding experience that prioritizes local navigation over high-speed travel.
Only 4% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
23 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 15.2 mi on River Road.
How Hard Is This Drive?
3/10
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near ME 131; ME 105 / Searsmont Road.
Driving Effort
3/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 1h 26m drive. You will face about 7 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: near the start (ME 131; ME 105 / Searsmont Road): Navigation decision point; at 10 miles (ME 3 / Augusta Road): Navigation decision point; at 16.1 miles (ME 3): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early.
About the Cities
Arriving in Bangor, ME
Full guide →Bangor is a small city of 32,000 people (2019) in the Highlands region of Maine. Bangor is the third-largest city in the state and the retail, cultural and service center for central, eastern and northern Maine. It is a good base for exploring Aroostook County, Down East & Acadia, the Maine Highlands and Maine’s Mid-Coast.
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 26m. Total distance: 53.5 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 26m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (4%). Straightforward navigation.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile with national parks nearby.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 15.2 miles on River Road. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes. At under 2 hours behind the wheel, this works well for families — plan one quick stop if you have younger kids.
Mostly yes along the main roads, but rural stretches through ME can have sparse or no coverage. Before you leave, download offline Google Maps or Apple Maps for the route, and consider downloading music or podcasts instead of streaming. If you depend on data for navigation, keep a paper backup of the turn-by-turn directions.
The main spots that need attention: near the start (ME 131; ME 105 / Searsmont Road): Navigation decision point; at 10 miles (ME 3 / Augusta Road): Navigation decision point; at 16.1 miles (ME 3): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early.
Yes — Frances Perkins National Monument and Acadia National Park. See the National Parks section for detour distances and tips on detours.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Bangor, ME before heading back.
How this page is built
Compiled by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy from open government datasets — OSRM over OpenStreetMap for geometry, EIA for fuel prices, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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