Bangor to Manchester is 77.6 miles and takes about 1 hour 27 minutes via I 95, with a fuel budget near $13 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within Maine, connecting two points in the Northeast region. You'll spend most of your time on the interstate, making for a straightforward drive. It’s a quick hop, perfect for when you need to get from point A to point B without a lot of fuss, and the fuel cost is quite manageable.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
I 95
73.4 mi
1h 20m
Western Avenue
2.5 mi
2m
Hammond Street
1.2 mi
3m
Longest stretch:
I 95
— 73.4 mi, about 1h 20m
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 Manchester, 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
73 mi·1 hr 20 min·I 95; ME 15
4
Take the exit
0.2 mi·30 sec
Exit 109BToward US 202 West, ME 11 West, ME 17 West, ME 100 West: Winthrop
5
Turn right onto US 202; ME 11; ME 17; ME 100
2.5 mi·2 min·Western Avenue
6
Turn left
73 ft·5 sec
7
Arrive at destination
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
The midpoint is around 38.8 miles from Bangor, ME, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Before the longest stretch
Fuel check
Top up before I 95 if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 73.4 miles.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Heads-up: tricky spots
4 of 4
4 decision points cluster between mile 1.5 and 77.6 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
3
1.5 mi into trip|~4m in|I 95; ME 15
Merge onto I 95; ME 15
Merge point - match speed before joining
6
74.9 mi into trip|~1h 24m in
Take the exit toward US 202 West, ME 11 West, ME 17 West, ME 100 West: Winthrop
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Exit 109B
Toward US 202 West, ME 11 West, ME 17 West, ME...
3
75.1 mi into trip|~1h 24m in|US 202; ME 11; ME 17; ME 100 / Western Avenue
Turn right onto US 202; ME 11; ME 17; ME 100 / Western Avenue
Navigation decision point
3
77.6 mi into trip|~1h 27m in
Turn left
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$12.93 one way
$25.85 round trip
$4.23/gal25.4 MPG avg27 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.70
$14.34
$28.69
premium
$5.07
$15.48
$30.95
diesel
$5.60
$17.11
$34.21
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$13
Estimated CO2 emission: 27.2 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-08-31.
Driving Electric?
About $8 in charging
· 0 stops
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
23.3
0
$8.15
$3.72
Efficient EV
19.4
0
$6.79
$3.10
EV Truck/SUV
31
0
$10.86
$4.97
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 Aug 30, 2026
Origin
Bangor, ME
Night
in Bangor on Tuesday
Local time
10:05 PM
EDT
Current temp
52°F
Chance Showers And Thunderstorms then Patchy Fog
W 5 to 10 mph74% chanceLive forecast
Beach Hazards Statement
Beach Hazards Statement issued August 29 at 9:55PM EDT until August 30 at 8:00PM EDT by NWS Caribou ME
Destination
Manchester, ME
Night
in Manchester on Tuesday
Local time
10:05 PM
EDT
Current temp
53°F
Chance Showers And Thunderstorms then Patchy Fog
NW 5 mph53% chanceLive forecast
Beach Hazards Statement
Beach Hazards Statement issued August 29 at 9:55PM EDT until August 30 at 8:00PM EDT by NWS Caribou ME
79°F
Pittsfield, ME
39 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.
Temperature spread
1 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 27m 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.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
This drive is mostly highway, with 95% of the 77.6 miles on I 95. You'll have a long stretch of 73.4 miles on the interstate before transitioning to surface roads for the final leg. Expect frequent exits and merges as you navigate the highway system for the bulk of your travel.
95% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
7 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 73.4 mi on I 95.
How Hard Is This Drive?
1/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 95 and Western Avenue. Navigation is very simple - set it and forget it for most of the drive. The trickiest moment comes around 1.5 miles in near I 95; ME 15.
Driving Effort1/10
Very easy - short and simple to drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
The drive from Bangor, ME to Manchester, ME is easy. At 1h 27m with 95% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 1.5 miles (I 95; ME 15): Merge point - match speed before joining; at 74.9 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 75.1 miles (US 202; ME 11; ME 17; ME 100 / Western Avenue): Navigation decision point.
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 73.4 miles on I 95. 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: at 1.5 miles (I 95; ME 15): Merge point - match speed before joining; at 74.9 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 75.1 miles (US 202; ME 11; ME 17; ME 100 / Western Avenue): Navigation decision point.
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 Manchester, ME before heading back.
