Origin
Chelsea, ME
Morning in Chelsea on Sunday
Local time
10:21 AM
EDT
Current temp
50°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Chelsea, ME to 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
1h 6m
Distance
52.7 mi
85 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$8
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 1m
★
6 AM
1h 6m
8 AM
1h 17m
10 AM
1h 10m
12 PM
1h 9m
3 PM
1h 10m
5 PM
1h 16m
8 PM
1h 3m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Chelsea, ME
Quyn Phạm
Portland, ME
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
This straightforward 52.7-mile drive from Chelsea, ME to Portland, ME takes about 1 hour and 6 minutes, making it a perfect day trip. You'll primarily be on I-295, covering 82% of the route on highways. The estimated fuel cost is around $8, so it’s an economical journey. Given its short duration and focus on main roads, it's an easy drive to complete in a single day without needing an overnight stop. This trip stays within the Northeast region, offering a convenient connection between two points in Maine.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 295 | 42.7 mi | 48m |
| Brunswick Avenue | 4.8 mi | 7m |
| Windsor Street | 1.7 mi | 3m |
| Togus Road | 1.2 mi | 2m |
| US 1A | 0.7 mi | 1m |
| Bridge Street | 0.5 mi | <1m |
| Cumberland Avenue | 0.4 mi | <1m |
| Water Street | 0.2 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
I 295
— 42.7 mi, about 48m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Chelsea, ME and Portland, ME.
1
Start on Hankerson Road
57 ft
·
8 sec
·
Hankerson Road
2
Turn sharp right onto ME 226
1.2 mi
·
2 min
·
Togus Road
3
Continue on ME 226
1.7 mi
·
3 min
·
Windsor Street
4
Turn right onto ME 27; ME 126
0.2 mi
·
35 sec
·
Water Street
5
Turn left onto ME 9; ME 27; ME 126
0.5 mi
·
48 sec
·
Bridge Street
Use the left / straight lanes.
6
Continue on US 201
4.8 mi
·
7 min
·
Brunswick Avenue
7
Take the ramp
0.3 mi
·
44 sec
8
Merge onto I 295
43 mi
·
48 min
·
I 295
Use the straight lane.
9
Take the exit onto US 1A
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
US 1A
Exit 7
Toward US 1A
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Turn right onto Cumberland Avenue
0.4 mi
·
50 sec
·
Cumberland Avenue
Use the straight lane.
11
Turn left onto Preble Street
0.1 mi
·
19 sec
·
Preble Street
12
Turn left onto Congress Street
156 ft
·
5 sec
·
Congress Street
13
Arrive at destination
Congress Street
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
26 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 12 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 26.4 miles from Chelsea, 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 85 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 52.2 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
0 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
ME 226 / Togus Road
Turn sharp right onto ME 226 / Togus Road
Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach
5
3.1 mi into trip
|
~5m in
|
ME 9; ME 27; ME 126 / Bridge Street
Turn left onto ME 9; ME 27; ME 126 / Bridge Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left / straight lanes.
5
8.8 mi into trip
|
~14m in
|
I 295
Merge onto I 295
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight lane.
7
51.5 mi into trip
|
~1h 3m 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
52.2 mi into trip
|
~1h 4m in
|
Cumberland Avenue
Turn right onto Cumberland Avenue
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight lane.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$8.48 one way
$16.97 round trip
$4.09/gal
25.4 MPG avg
18 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.50 | $9.33 | $18.67 |
| premium | $4.86 | $10.09 | $20.18 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $11.64 | $23.27 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$8
Estimated CO2 emission: 18.4 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $6 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 15.8 | 0 | $5.53 | $2.53 |
| Efficient EV | 13.2 | 0 | $4.61 | $2.11 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 21.1 | 0 | $7.38 | $3.37 |
Gas CO2
18 kg
EV CO2
6 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
Portland, ME
Morning in Portland on Sunday
Local time
10:21 AM
EDT
Current temp
51°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
52°F
Freeport, ME
26 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 6m 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 highway-focused drive for most of this 52.7-mile trip, with 82% of it on high-speed roads like I-295. You'll encounter a significant uninterrupted stretch of 42.7 miles on I-295, which means long periods of consistent driving. The route utilizes major roadways like Brunswick Avenue and Windsor Street, suggesting a transition to more urban or suburban environments as you approach Portland. The overall feel is one of efficient travel rather than scenic exploration.
82% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
13 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 42.7 mi on I 295.
How Hard Is This Drive?
4/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 295 and Brunswick Avenue. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near ME 226 / Togus 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 1h 6m drive. You will face about 8 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 (ME 226 / Togus Road): Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach; at 3.1 miles (ME 9; ME 27; ME 126 / Bridge Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 8.8 miles (I 295): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 6m. Total distance: 52.7 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 6m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (82%). Straightforward navigation.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 42.7 miles on I 295. 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: near the start (ME 226 / Togus Road): Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach; at 3.1 miles (ME 9; ME 27; ME 126 / Bridge Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 8.8 miles (I 295): Merge point - match speed before joining. 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 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, EIA for fuel prices, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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