Origin
Auburn, ME
Morning in Auburn on Sunday
Local time
6:18 AM
EDT
Current temp
50°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Auburn, ME to South Portland, ME
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
48m
Distance
36.9 mi
59 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$6
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 45m
★
6 AM
0h 49m
8 AM
0h 57m
10 AM
0h 51m
12 PM
0h 51m
3 PM
0h 52m
5 PM
0h 56m
8 PM
0h 46m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Auburn, ME
Wikimedia Commons
South Portland, ME
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
This straightforward 36.9-mile drive from Auburn to South Portland, Maine, is easily manageable in under an hour, making it a perfect day trip. With an estimated fuel cost of $6, it's an economical option for getting between these two points in the Northeast region. The route primarily utilizes the Maine Turnpike, Washington Street, and Forest Avenue, offering a practical journey. You won't need an overnight stop for this relatively short distance; it's designed for a single, efficient drive. Consider this a functional connection rather than a scenic expedition, ideal for reaching your destination without significant time commitment.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Maine Turnpike | 22.3 mi | 23m |
| Washington Street | 4.1 mi | 5m |
| Forest Avenue | 2.3 mi | 2m |
| Auburn Street | 1.8 mi | 4m |
| Casco Bay Bridge | 1.1 mi | 1m |
| Broadway | 1 mi | 1m |
| State Street | 1 mi | 1m |
| Allen Avenue | 0.8 mi | 1m |
Longest stretch:
Maine Turnpike
— 22.3 mi, about 23m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Auburn, ME and South Portland, ME.
1
Start on US 202; ME 4; ME 11; ME 100
40 ft
·
7 sec
·
Minot Avenue
2
Continue on US 202; ME 4; ME 11; ME 100
0.7 mi
·
59 sec
·
Minot Avenue
3
Turn slight left onto US 202; ME 4; ME 100
4.1 mi
·
5 min
·
Washington Street
4
Take the exit
0.1 mi
·
18 sec
5
Keep slight left at fork
0.5 mi
·
1 min
6
Merge onto I 95
7.7 mi
·
8 min
·
Maine Turnpike
7
Keep slight left at fork onto I 95
15 mi
·
15 min
·
Maine Turnpike
8
Take the exit
0.6 mi
·
1 min
Exit 53
Toward ME 26, ME 100: West Falmouth
Use the slight right lane.
9
Keep slight right at fork
151 ft
·
3 sec
10
Turn straight onto ME 26; ME 100
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
Gray Road
11
Continue on ME 26; ME 100
1.8 mi
·
4 min
·
Auburn Street
Use the straight / left / right lanes.
12
Turn right onto ME 100
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
Allen Avenue
13
Turn left onto US 302; ME 100
2.3 mi
·
2 min
·
Forest Avenue
14
Turn slight right
438 ft
·
16 sec
15
Keep slight right at fork
177 ft
·
7 sec
16
Turn slight right onto State Street
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
State Street
17
Continue on ME 77
1.1 mi
·
1 min
·
Casco Bay Bridge
18
Continue on ME 77
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
Broadway
19
Turn sharp right onto Pine Street
60 ft
·
2 sec
·
Pine Street
20
Arrive at destination
Pine Street
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
18 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 36.9 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 18.5 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.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 105 decision points cluster between mile 4.9 and 36.9 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
4
4.9 mi into trip
|
~6m in
Keep slight left at fork
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
4
13.1 mi into trip
|
~15m in
|
I 95 / Maine Turnpike
Keep slight left at fork onto I 95 / Maine Turnpike
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
8
27.7 mi into trip
|
~31m in
Take the exit toward ME 26, ME 100: West Falmouth
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 53
Toward ME 26, ME 100: West Falmouth
5
33.8 mi into trip
|
~43m in
Keep slight right at fork
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
5
36.9 mi into trip
|
~48m in
|
Pine Street
Turn sharp right onto Pine Street
Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$5.94 one way
$11.88 round trip
$4.09/gal
25.4 MPG avg
13 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.50 | $6.54 | $13.07 |
| premium | $4.86 | $7.07 | $14.13 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $8.15 | $16.29 |
Estimated Tolls: $8.33
Bay Bridge
$7.00
Maine Turnpike
(22.3 mi)
$1.33
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$6
Tolls
$8
Total
$14
Estimated CO2 emission: 12.9 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $4 in charging · 0 stops · 69% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 11.1 | 0 | $3.87 | $1.77 |
| Efficient EV | 9.2 | 0 | $3.23 | $1.48 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 14.8 | 0 | $5.17 | $2.36 |
Gas CO2
13 kg
EV CO2
4 kg (69% 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
South Portland, ME
Morning in South Portland on Sunday
Local time
6:18 AM
EDT
Current temp
--
Unavailable
51°F
Portland, ME
18 mi in
Time zone
Same local time
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Road read
48m 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 mixed driving experience on this route, with about 60% of the journey on highways. The longest uninterrupted stretch is a significant 22.3 miles along the Maine Turnpike, which provides a consistent, faster pace. As you transition off the turnpike and onto Washington Street and Forest Avenue, the character will likely shift to more local road conditions. This blend means you'll experience both open-road cruising and more involved navigation through town and city sections as you approach South Portland.
60% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
20 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 22.3 mi on Maine Turnpike.
How Hard Is This Drive?
7/10
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 4.9 miles in.
Driving Effort
7/10
Focused - busy navigation packed into a short drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 10 decision points packed into just 36.9 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 48m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 4.9 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully; at 13.1 miles (I 95 / Maine Turnpike): Highway fork - watch signs carefully; at 27.7 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 48m. Total distance: 36.9 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
48m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (60%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 22.3 miles on Maine Turnpike. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Expect about $8.33 in tolls one way, starting with Bay Bridge. Most Northeast and Midwest toll agencies accept E-ZPass; in the West and Texas, transponders like TxTag or FasTrak apply. If you do not have a transponder, cashless tolling plates will mail a bill to the vehicle's registered address — usually with a surcharge, so a rental-car toll pass is often cheaper than paying by mail.
It helps. This route has a higher-than-average number of complex decision points, which get harder in the dark. If the last hour of the trip is on surface roads or mountain grades, aim to arrive at South Portland, ME before sunset when you can. Check the Trip Plan for departure windows that land you in daylight.
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: at 4.9 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully; at 13.1 miles (I 95 / Maine Turnpike): Highway fork - watch signs carefully; at 27.7 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at South Portland, 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, and EIA for fuel prices. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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