If you are planning a trip from Burnham to South Portland, expect a straightforward 92.6-mile journey that typically takes about 1 hour and 33 minutes. This route is designed as a single-day excursion, meaning you can easily complete the entire trek without needing an overnight stay. You will primarily navigate via Bangor Road, Main Street, and Baker Street throughout your travel. Budgeting approximately $15 for fuel will cover your transit costs for the trip. Since both locations are situated within the Northeast region of Maine, you will experience consistent local driving conditions from start to finish. It is a practical choice for those who prefer an efficient, direct path through the heart of the state.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Midpoint
46.2 miles from Burnham, ME
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 56m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
I 295
46.5 mi
52m
I 95
34.5 mi
37m
Bangor Road
3.2 mi
5m
North Main Street
1.8 mi
3m
Casco Bay Bridge
1.1 mi
1m
Hinckley Road
1 mi
1m
State Street
1 mi
1m
Broadway
1 mi
1m
Longest stretch:
I 295
— 46.5 mi, about 52m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Burnham, ME and South Portland, ME.
1
Start on ME 11; ME 100
1.8 mi·3 min·North Main Street
2
Continue on ME 11; ME 100
3.2 mi·5 min·Bangor Road
3
Continue on ME 11; ME 100
0.8 mi·1 min·Main Street
4
Turn right onto Baker Street
0.2 mi·24 sec·Baker Street
5
Continue on Hinckley Road
1.0 mi·1 min·Hinckley Road
6
Take the ramp
0.4 mi·47 sec
7
Merge onto I 95
34 mi·37 min·I 95
8
Keep slight right at fork onto I 295
46 mi·52 min·I 295
Exit 103Toward I 295 South, ME 9, ME 126: Gardiner, BrunswickUse the straight lane.
9
Take the exit onto US 1A
0.4 mi·1 min·US 1A
Exit 7Toward US 1AUse the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Turn right onto Marginal Way
0.5 mi·1 min·Marginal Way
Use the right lane.
11
Continue on State Street
1.0 mi·1 min·State Street
12
Continue on ME 77
1.1 mi·1 min·Casco Bay Bridge
13
Continue on ME 77
1.0 mi·1 min·Broadway
14
Turn sharp right onto Pine Street
60 ft·2 sec·Pine Street
15
Arrive at destination
Pine Street
Trip Plan
Since this is a relatively short trip, you have plenty of flexibility to plan your departure around your personal schedule. Given that there are no mandatory stops scheduled into the 1 hour and 33-minute duration, you can easily pace the drive to suit your own comfort levels. Be mindful that because the route consists entirely of local roads, travel times can be sensitive to local traffic patterns along Bangor Road and Main Street. Make sure your fuel tank is ready for the road, as the estimated $15 cost is based on typical consumption for this specific mileage. My best tip is to treat this as a direct local transit; since there are no designated stops, plan any necessary breaks in advance to ensure a smooth, continuous flow to South Portland.
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 46.2 miles from Burnham, ME, or about 56m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 46.5 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 20 miles or 27m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 46.2 miles or 56m 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 South Portland, ME than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Burnham, ME so your first major turns are already loaded.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Burnham, ME
This is one driving day of about 92.3 miles and 1h 51m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 20 miles from Burnham, ME.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
The longest stretch is on I 295 for about 46.5 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 5.8 and 92.3 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
3
5.8 mi into trip|~10m in|Baker Street
Turn right onto Baker Street
Navigation decision point
9
41.8 mi into trip|~51m in|I 295
Keep slight right at fork onto I 295 toward I 295 South, ME 9, ME 126: Gardiner, Brunswick
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight lane.
Exit 103
Toward I 295 South, ME 9, ME 126: Gardiner, Bru...
7
88.3 mi into trip|~1h 44m in|US 1A
Take the exit onto US 1A toward US 1A
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 7
Toward US 1A
5
88.7 mi into trip|~1h 45m in|Marginal Way
Turn right onto Marginal Way
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
5
92.3 mi into trip|~1h 51m in|Pine Street
Turn sharp right onto Pine Street
Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$14.86 one way
$29.72 round trip
$4.09/gal25.4 MPG avg32 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.50
$16.35
$32.70
premium
$4.86
$17.68
$35.35
diesel
$5.61
$20.38
$40.76
Estimated Tolls: $7.00
Bay Bridge
$7.00
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
$15
Tolls
$7
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$47–$72
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 32.3 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $10 in charging
· 0 stops
· 66% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
27.7
0
$9.69
$4.43
Efficient EV
23.1
0
$8.08
$3.69
EV Truck/SUV
36.9
0
$12.92
$5.91
Gas CO2
32 kg
EV CO2
11 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 Apr 15, 2026
Origin
Burnham, ME
Late night
in Burnham on Sunday
Local time
12:42 AM
EDT
Current temp
34°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
South Portland, ME
Late night
in South Portland on Sunday
Local time
12:42 AM
EDT
Current temp
--
Unavailable
52°F
Freeport, ME
46 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
Same local time
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Road read
1h 51m 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.
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...
17 mi from route
~42 min detour
Free
near mile 50.9
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
Prepare for a turn-heavy local drive that demands your full attention behind the wheel. Unlike a monotonous interstate slog, this 92.6-mile path avoids major highways entirely, maintaining a 0% highway share throughout the duration. You will navigate through a series of local roads that prioritize maneuvering and consistent steering over high-speed cruising. Because the route relies on local streets rather than open freeways, the character of the drive remains intimate and grounded in the local landscape. Expect a hands-on experience where the focus is on navigating turns rather than covering long, uninterrupted stretches of asphalt.
88% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
15 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 46.5 mi on I 295.
How Hard Is This Drive?
3/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 295 and I 95. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes around 5.8 miles in near Baker Street.
Driving Effort3/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 1h 51m drive. You will face about 6 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 5.8 miles (Baker Street): Navigation decision point; at 41.8 miles (I 295): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 88.3 miles (US 1A): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
Elevation Profile
Mostly flat terrain
240 ft25 ft
Total Climb
138 ft
Total Descent
259 ft
Highest Point
240 ft
~33 mi in
Elevation Range
214 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 Burnham, ME to South Portland, ME, road signs begin pointing toward Brunswick along the way.
Brunswick
41.8 mi in|~51m|via I 295
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 51m. Total distance: 92.3 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
The longest stretch is about 46.5 miles on I 295. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Expect about $7.00 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.
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 5.8 miles (Baker Street): Navigation decision point; at 41.8 miles (I 295): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 88.3 miles (US 1A): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. 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 South Portland, ME before heading back.
