Origin
Cape Elizabeth, ME
Night in Cape Elizabeth on Saturday
Local time
10:47 PM
EDT
Current temp
--
Unavailable
Trip from Cape Elizabeth, ME to Bangor, ME
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
2h 44m
Distance
137.2 mi
221 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$22
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
2h 33m
★
6 AM
2h 44m
8 AM
3h 6m
10 AM
2h 52m
12 PM
2h 50m
3 PM
2h 53m
5 PM
3h 5m
8 PM
2h 38m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Cape Elizabeth, ME
Wikimedia Commons
Bangor, ME
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
This 137.4-mile journey from Cape Elizabeth to Bangor, Maine, is estimated to take about 2 hours and 15 minutes of driving time. With a fuel cost around $22, it's an economical day trip primarily utilizing local roads like Two Lights Road and Ocean House Road. Since there's no highway driving on this route, expect a more engaging, turn-heavy experience. Given its relatively short duration and local road nature, this drive is best suited as a single-day adventure, allowing you ample flexibility to explore along the way. You'll stay within the Northeast region for this entire trip.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Break Rhythm
1 planned break
A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.
Midpoint
68.6 miles from Cape Elizabeth, ME
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 1h 27m into the drive .
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Maine Turnpike | 80.1 mi | 1h 27m |
| I 295 | 46.8 mi | 53m |
| Ocean House Road | 3.7 mi | 6m |
| Two Lights Road | 1.6 mi | 6m |
| Hammond Street | 1.2 mi | 3m |
| Casco Bay Bridge | 1.1 mi | 1m |
| High Street | 0.9 mi | 1m |
| Ocean Street | 0.5 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Maine Turnpike
— 80.1 mi, about 1h 27m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Cape Elizabeth, ME and Bangor, ME.
1
Start on this road
182 ft
·
19 sec
·
this road
2
Turn left onto Two Lights Road
0.6 mi
·
2 min
·
Two Lights Road
3
Keep slight right at fork onto Two Lights Road
1.0 mi
·
4 min
·
Two Lights Road
4
Continue on Two Lights Road
111 ft
·
5 sec
·
Two Lights Road
5
Turn right onto ME 77
3.7 mi
·
6 min
·
Ocean House Road
6
Continue on ME 77
0.2 mi
·
23 sec
·
Ocean House Street
7
Continue on ME 77
0.5 mi
·
52 sec
·
Ocean Street
8
Continue on ME 77
0.2 mi
·
21 sec
·
Ocean House Street
9
Turn left onto ME 77
0.2 mi
·
33 sec
·
Broadway
10
Continue on ME 77
1.1 mi
·
1 min
·
Casco Bay Bridge
11
Turn straight onto ME 77
0.1 mi
·
18 sec
·
York Street
12
Turn left onto ME 77
0.9 mi
·
1 min
·
High Street
13
Take the ramp
0.3 mi
·
32 sec
Toward I 295 North, US 1 North: Falmouth
14
Merge onto I 295; US 1
47 mi
·
53 min
·
I 295; US 1
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
15
Merge onto I 95
80 mi
·
1 hr 27 min
·
Maine Turnpike
16
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
29 sec
Toward US 2, ME 100: Hammond Street, Airport
17
Turn right onto US 2; ME 100
1.2 mi
·
3 min
·
Hammond Street
18
Arrive at destination
US 2; ME 100
Trip Plan
For this 137.4-mile drive, consider an early start to make the most of your day trip. Since it's a local road route with no highway stretches, the 2 hours and 15 minutes duration will feel more immersive, so be prepared for a slower pace. You won't need to worry about long stretches without services, but it's always wise to monitor your fuel, especially with an estimated cost of $22. A concrete tip for this route: pay close attention to road names and turns as you leave coastal areas, as the local roads can be winding and require careful navigation.
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.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 68.6 miles from Cape Elizabeth, ME, or about 1h 27m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 80.1 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 30 miles or 43m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 68.6 miles or 1h 27m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 2h 14m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Bangor, ME than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Cape Elizabeth, ME so your first major turns are already loaded.
+
Leave with enough water and a charging cable within reach, not packed away.
+
Check your fuel range against the first long segment, especially if you are starting outside city service areas.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Cape Elizabeth, ME
This is one driving day of about 137.2 miles and 2h 44m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 30 miles from Cape Elizabeth, ME.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
Plan about 1 real break rather than only quick fuel stops.
The longest stretch is on Maine Turnpike for about 80.1 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
69 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 30 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 68.6 miles from Cape Elizabeth, ME, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Before the longest stretch
Fuel checkTop up before Maine Turnpike if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 80.1 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
5 of 105 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 135.9 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
4
0 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
Two Lights Road
Turn left onto Two Lights Road
Navigation decision point
4
0.6 mi into trip
|
~2m in
|
Two Lights Road
Keep slight right at fork onto Two Lights Road
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
4
8.6 mi into trip
|
~19m in
Take the ramp toward I 295 North, US 1 North: Falmouth
Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward I 295 North, US 1 North: Falmouth
5
8.9 mi into trip
|
~19m in
|
I 295; US 1
Merge onto I 295; US 1
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
5
135.9 mi into trip
|
~2h 40m in
Take the exit toward US 2, ME 100: Hammond Street, Airport
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward US 2, ME 100: Hammond Street, Airport
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$22.09 one way
$44.17 round trip
$4.09/gal
25.4 MPG avg
48 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.50 | $24.30 | $48.60 |
| premium | $4.86 | $26.27 | $52.55 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $30.29 | $60.58 |
Estimated Tolls: $11.81
Bay Bridge
$7.00
Maine Turnpike
(80.1 mi)
$4.81
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
$22
Tolls
$12
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$59–$84
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 48 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $14 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 41.2 | 0 | $14.41 | $6.59 |
| Efficient EV | 34.3 | 0 | $12.00 | $5.49 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 54.9 | 0 | $19.21 | $8.78 |
Gas CO2
48 kg
EV CO2
16 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.
Destination
Bangor, ME
Night in Bangor on Saturday
Local time
10:47 PM
EDT
Current temp
52°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
46°F
Brunswick, ME
69 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
2h 44m 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 47.3
Park Closure: For Current Visitor Information
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
What kind of drive is this?
Prepare for a distinctly turn-heavy local drive as you navigate from Cape Elizabeth to Bangor. With a 0% highway share, you'll be spending your entire 2 hours and 15 minutes on roads like Two Lights Road and Ocean House Road. This means you won't encounter any long stretches of high-speed travel. Instead, anticipate a more intimate connection with the landscape as you make frequent turns and navigate through communities. The drive's character remains consistent throughout, focusing on local thoroughfares rather than open highway cruising.
93% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
18 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 80.1 mi on Maine Turnpike.
How Hard Is This Drive?
4/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Maine Turnpike and I 295. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near Two Lights Road.
Driving Effort
4/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 2h 44m drive. You will face about 10 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: near the start (Two Lights Road): Navigation decision point; at 0.6 miles (Two Lights Road): Highway fork - watch signs carefully; at 8.6 miles: Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 2h 44m. Total distance: 137.2 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
2h 44m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (93%). Straightforward navigation.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 80.1 miles on Maine Turnpike. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Expect about $11.81 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, with realistic expectations. Build in a stop roughly every 2 hours, have snacks and activities ready, and check the Nearby Places tabs for kid-friendly stops along the way.
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: near the start (Two Lights Road): Navigation decision point; at 0.6 miles (Two Lights Road): Highway fork - watch signs carefully; at 8.6 miles: Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
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 Bangor, 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, EIA for fuel prices, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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