Bangor to Gardiner is 81.8 miles and takes about 1h 36m via I 95 and Maine Avenue, with a fuel budget near $14 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within the Northeast region, connecting two points in Maine. The route is predominantly highway, making for a straightforward drive. With a short duration and low fuel cost, it's an easy option for a quick trip or to extend another journey in the area.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Midpoint
40.9 miles from Bangor, ME
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 47m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
I 95
70.9 mi
1h 17m
Maine Avenue
2.5 mi
3m
Water Street
2.2 mi
3m
State Street
1.8 mi
2m
Hammond Street
1.2 mi
3m
Civic Center Drive
1.2 mi
1m
Mount Vernon Avenue
1.1 mi
1m
US 201
0.3 mi
<1m
Longest stretch:
I 95
— 70.9 mi, about 1h 17m
Traffic on I-95
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 40 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
4 PM
~1,630 veh/hr typical
· worst 2,119
Quietest
1 AM
~58 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
28.1×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
12a6anoon6p11p
Averaged across 105 weeks of 2023 FHWA Travel Monitoring Analysis System data. Weekday hours only (Mon–Fri).
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Bangor, ME and Gardiner, ME.
1
Start on US 2; ME 100
1.2 mi·3 min·Hammond Street
2
Take the ramp
0.3 mi·39 sec
3
Merge onto I 95; ME 15
71 mi·1 hr 17 min·I 95; ME 15
4
Take the exit
0.1 mi·20 sec
Exit 112Toward ME 8, ME 11: Augusta, Belgrade
5
Keep slight left at fork
327 ft·11 sec
6
Turn left onto ME 8; ME 11; ME 27
1.2 mi·1 min·Civic Center Drive
Use the straight lane.
7
Continue on ME 8; ME 11; ME 27
1.1 mi·1 min·Mount Vernon Avenue
8
Continue on ME 8; ME 11; ME 27
0.7 mi·1 min·State Street
9
Enter roundabout onto US 201; ME 27
173 ft·3 sec·State Street
10
Continue on US 201; ME 27
1.0 mi·1 min·State Street
11
Continue on US 201; ME 27
2.2 mi·3 min·Water Street
12
Continue on US 201; ME 27
2.5 mi·3 min·Maine Avenue
13
Turn slight right onto US 201
0.3 mi·42 sec·US 201
14
Turn right onto Water Street
248 ft·8 sec·Water Street
15
Turn right onto Arcade Street
40 ft·1 sec·Arcade Street
16
Arrive at destination
Arcade Street
Trip Plan
Given the short 1h 36m drive, you have a lot of flexibility with departure time. Leaving Bangor in the morning or early afternoon allows you to arrive in Gardiner with plenty of daylight. Since the total distance is only 81.8 miles and the estimated fuel cost is $14, you won't need to worry about extensive refueling stops. The bulk of the drive is on I 95, so keep an eye out for the exit numbers as you approach Gardiner to ensure you're on the right track for Maine Avenue and Water Street.
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 40.9 miles from Bangor, ME, or about 47m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 70.9 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 18 miles or 22m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 40.9 miles or 47m 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 18m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Gardiner, ME than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Bangor, ME so your first major turns are already loaded.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Bangor, ME
This is one driving day of about 81.8 miles and 1h 36m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 18 miles from Bangor, ME.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
The longest stretch is on I 95 for about 70.9 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Place data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 6
5 decision points cluster between mile 72.4 and 81.8 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
6
72.4 mi into trip|~1h 21m in
Take the exit toward ME 8, ME 11: Augusta, Belgrade
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Exit 112
Toward ME 8, ME 11: Augusta, Belgrade
5
72.6 mi into trip|~1h 21m in
Keep slight left at fork
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
5
72.6 mi into trip|~1h 22m in|ME 8; ME 11; ME 27 / Civic Center Drive
Turn left onto ME 8; ME 11; ME 27 / Civic Center Drive
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight lane.
4
75.7 mi into trip|~1h 26m in|US 201; ME 27 / State Street
Enter roundabout onto US 201; ME 27 / State Street
Roundabout - know your exit number before entering
4
81.8 mi into trip|~1h 36m in|Arcade Street
Turn right onto Arcade Street
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$14.28 one way
$28.55 round trip
$4.43/gal25.4 MPG avg29 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.93
$15.89
$31.78
premium
$5.30
$17.07
$34.14
diesel
$6.18
$19.90
$39.80
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$14
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$39–$64
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 28.6 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-10-12.
Driving Electric?
About $9 in charging
· 0 stops
· 66% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
24.5
0
$8.59
$3.93
Efficient EV
20.5
0
$7.16
$3.27
EV Truck/SUV
32.7
0
$11.45
$5.24
Gas CO2
29 kg
EV CO2
10 kg (66% 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 Oct 19, 2026
Origin
Bangor, ME
Night
in Bangor on Monday
Local time
10:11 PM
EDT
Current temp
34°F
Clear
S 6 mph0% chanceLive forecast
Destination
Gardiner, ME
Night
in Gardiner on Monday
Local time
10:11 PM
EDT
Current temp
34°F
Clear
S 0 to 5 mph0% chanceLive 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
Very similar conditions
Both ends of the route are sitting at about the same temperature right now.
Road read
1h 36m on the road
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.
National Parks Near This Route
Worth a detour if your schedule allows.
Frances Perkins National Monument
National Monument
Known as the first woman to hold a presidential cabinet position and the “Woman behind the New Deal,” Frances Perkins championed many labor rights that Americans enjoy today, including safety standard...
19 mi from route
~47 min detour
Free
near mile 81.8
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
You'll spend most of your time on I 95, which accounts for 87% of this drive. The longest stretch of highway cruising is 70.9 miles on I 95. After this, you'll transition to surface roads like Maine Avenue and Water Street for the final portion of the trip into Gardiner. Expect frequent exits on the highway portion.
87% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
16 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 70.9 mi on I 95.
How Hard Is This Drive?
2/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 95 and Maine Avenue. Navigation is very simple - set it and forget it for most of the drive. The trickiest moment comes around 72.4 miles in.
Driving Effort2/10
Very easy - short and simple to drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
The drive from Bangor, ME to Gardiner, ME is easy. At 1h 36m with 87% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 72.4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 72.6 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully; at 72.6 miles (ME 8; ME 11; ME 27 / Civic Center Drive): Lane positioning matters here.
Elevation Profile
Mostly flat terrain
338 ft29 ft
Total Climb
516 ft
Total Descent
603 ft
Highest Point
338 ft
~17.5 mi in
Elevation Range
309 ft
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 Bangor, ME to Gardiner, ME, road signs begin pointing toward Belgrade along the way.
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.
Top landmarks
•Mount Hope Cemetery — cemetery in Bangor, Maine
•Bangor Public Library — library in Bangor, Maine
•Great Fire of 1911 Historic District — historic district in Bangor, Maine
The longest stretch is about 70.9 miles on I 95. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes — we found about 6 rest areas or service plazas within a short detour of the route (from OpenStreetMap). See the Rest Stops tab under Nearby Places for locations and mile markers. Plan to stretch, use the bathroom, and top off fluids every 2–3 hours on longer drives.
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 72.4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 72.6 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully; at 72.6 miles (ME 8; ME 11; ME 27 / Civic Center Drive): Lane positioning matters here.
Yes — Frances Perkins National Monument. 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 Gardiner, ME before heading back.
