Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Sep 2, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 44m
Distance
86.2 mi
139 km
Drive Score
9/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$14
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Auburn, ME
Wikimedia Commons
Solon, ME
Wikimedia Commons
The drive from Auburn, ME to Solon, ME covers 86.2 miles and takes about 1h 44m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on Maine Turnpike, South Main Street, Skowhegan Road for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is mostly highway. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 52.5 miles on Maine Turnpike. At current regular gas prices, budget about $14.36 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.
Midpoint
43.1 miles from Auburn, ME
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 48m into the drive .
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Maine Turnpike | 52.5 mi | 57m |
| South Main Street | 13.3 mi | 15m |
| Skowhegan Road | 7.6 mi | 11m |
| Waterville Road | 6.8 mi | 9m |
| Madison Avenue | 1.6 mi | 3m |
| Lisbon Street | 1.5 mi | 1m |
| Canal Street | 0.8 mi | 1m |
| Court Street | 0.4 mi | <1m |
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 24 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
4 PM
~1,552 veh/hr typical · worst 2,081
Quietest
1 AM
~69 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
22.5×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
Averaged across 103 weeks of 2023 FHWA Travel Monitoring Analysis System data. Weekday hours only (Mon–Fri).
Step-by-step road directions between Auburn, ME and Solon, ME.
Start on US 202; ME 4; ME 11; ME 100
Turn right onto US 202; ME 11; ME 100
Continue on US 202; ME 11; ME 100
Turn sharp right onto ME 196
Merge onto ME 196
Take the exit
Turn straight onto Alfred A Plourde Parkway
Take the ramp
Merge onto I 95
Keep slight left at fork onto I 95
Take the exit
Keep slight right at fork
Merge onto US 201
Continue on US 201
Turn right onto US 2; US 201
Continue on US 2; US 201
Continue on US 2; US 201
Take the exit
Turn left onto US 2; US 201
Turn right onto US 201
Continue on US 201
Turn right onto Pleasant Street
Arrive at destination
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.
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 19 miles or 22m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 43.1 miles or 48m 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 29m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Solon, ME than in the middle of the route.
Open the route before leaving Auburn, ME so your first major turns are already loaded.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Auburn, ME
This is one driving day of about 86.2 miles and 1h 44m.
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
43 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.
A short stop after about 19 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
The midpoint is around 43.1 miles from Auburn, 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.
5 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 71.1 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
Turn right onto US 202; ME 11; ME 100 / Court Street
Navigation decision point
Turn sharp right onto ME 196 / Canal Street
Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach
Take the exit toward US 201: Fairfield, Skowhegan
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Keep slight right at fork
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
Take the exit
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early
Regular Gas
$14.36 one way
$28.72 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.70 | $15.93 | $31.87 |
| premium | $5.07 | $17.19 | $34.38 |
| diesel | $5.60 | $19.00 | $38.00 |
Estimated Tolls: $3.15
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
$14
Tolls
$3
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$43–$68
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 30.2 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-08-31.
Driving Electric?
About $9 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 25.9 | 0 | $9.05 | $4.14 |
| Efficient EV | 21.6 | 0 | $7.54 | $3.45 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 34.5 | 0 | $12.07 | $5.52 |
Gas CO2
30 kg
EV CO2
10 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.
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Origin
Late night in Auburn on Wednesday
Local time
3:37 AM
EDT
Current temp
75°F
Mostly Cloudy
Destination
Late night in Solon on Wednesday
Local time
3:37 AM
EDT
Current temp
77°F
Mostly Sunny
77°F
Fairfield, ME
43 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
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
The weather snapshot is not static. If you are leaving later, give both cities one more quick forecast check before departure.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
86.2 mi in 1h 44m, mostly highway — 52.5 mi of that is on Maine Turnpike.
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Maine Turnpike and South Main Street. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near US 202; ME 11; ME 100 / Court Street.
Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 86.2 miles you will encounter 15 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: near the start (US 202; ME 11; ME 100 / Court Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.7 miles (ME 196 / Canal Street): Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach; at 56.2 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Mostly flat terrain
Total Climb
770 ft
Total Descent
560 ft
Highest Point
585 ft
~80 mi in
Elevation Range
427 ft
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
On the drive from Auburn, ME to Solon, ME, road signs begin pointing toward Skowhegan along the way.
Skowhegan
Lewiston-Auburn is a city in Androscoggin County, in the central Maine region of Maine. The Androscoggin River divides the city into two separate municipalities: the east bank is Lewiston, with a population of about 39,000 (2016), and the west bank is Auburn, with about 23,000 people (2016). They are known locally as the "Twin Cities" or "L–A".
Top landmarks
Founded 1809
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 44m. Total distance: 86.2 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 44m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (61%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
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, USGS 3DEP for elevation, and FHWA TMAS for hourly traffic volumes. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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