Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Sep 2, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
4h 58m
Distance
256.3 mi
412 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$43
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
City of Portland, ME
Brett Sayles
Hodgdon, ME
Wikimedia Commons
The drive from City of Portland, ME to Hodgdon, ME covers 256.3 miles and takes about 4h 58m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on Maine Turnpike, I 295, Portland - Peaks Island for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is mostly highway. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 198.3 miles on Maine Turnpike. At current regular gas prices, budget about $42.69 one way before food or hotel costs.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is possible, but it will make for a full day on the road.
Break Rhythm
1 planned break
Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
Midpoint
128.2 miles from City of Portland, ME
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 2h 40m into the drive .
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Maine Turnpike | 198.3 mi | 3h 26m |
| I 295 | 46.3 mi | 52m |
| Portland - Peaks Island | 2.5 mi | 20m |
| Calais Road | 2.5 mi | 3m |
| Court Street | 2 mi | 2m |
| Hodgdon Mills Road | 0.9 mi | 2m |
| North Street | 0.9 mi | 1m |
| Seashore Avenue | 0.8 mi | 3m |
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 64 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
4 PM
~1,113 veh/hr typical · worst 1,508
Quietest
1 AM
~41 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
27.1×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
Averaged across 105 weeks of 2023 FHWA Travel Monitoring Analysis System data. Weekday hours only (Mon–Fri).
Step-by-step road directions between City of Portland, ME and Hodgdon, ME.
Start on Seashore Avenue
At end of road, turn left onto Seashore Avenue
Continue on Whitehead Street
Continue on Oakland Avenue
At end of road, turn left onto Welch Street
Continue on Portland - Peaks Island
Continue
Turn right onto Maine State Pier
Continue on Maine State Pier
Continue on US 1A
Take the ramp onto US 1A
Merge onto I 295; US 1
Merge onto I 95
Take the exit
Turn slight right
Turn straight onto US 1
Continue on US 1; US 2
At end of road, turn left onto US 1; US 2
Turn right onto US 1
Continue on US 1
Turn right onto Hodgdon Mills Road
Arrive at destination
Morning Departure
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.
Evening Departure
A late afternoon start means arriving after dark. Morning is better.
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 56 miles or 1h 25m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 128.2 miles or 2h 40m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 4h 6m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Hodgdon, ME than in the middle of the route.
Open the route before leaving City of Portland, 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 City of Portland, ME
This is one driving day of about 256.3 miles and 4h 58m.
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
128 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.
A short stop after about 56 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
The midpoint is around 128.2 miles from City of Portland, 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 198.3 miles.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
5 decision points cluster between mile 0.6 and 250.8 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
At end of road, turn left onto Seashore Avenue
Navigation decision point
At end of road, turn left onto Welch Street
Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch
Merge onto I 295; US 1
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Take the exit toward US 1: Houlton, Presque Isle
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
At end of road, turn left onto US 1; US 2 / Military Street
Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch
Regular Gas
$42.69 one way
$85.39 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.70 | $47.38 | $94.75 |
| premium | $5.07 | $51.12 | $102.24 |
| diesel | $5.60 | $56.50 | $112.99 |
Estimated Tolls: $11.90
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
$43
Tolls
$12
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$80–$105
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 89.7 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-08-31.
Driving Electric?
About $27 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 76.9 | 0 | $26.91 | $12.30 |
| Efficient EV | 64.1 | 0 | $22.43 | $10.25 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 102.5 | 1 | $35.88 | $16.40 |
Gas CO2
90 kg
EV CO2
30 kg (67% less)
Plan for 0 charging stops, roughly every 270 miles. Allow 25-40 minutes per stop at a DC fast charger.
DC fast charging avg $0.35/kWh. Home charging avg $0.16/kWh. US grid CO2: 0.39 kg/kWh.
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Origin
Late night in City of Portland on Wednesday
Local time
4:13 AM
EDT
Current temp
61°F
Mostly Cloudy
Destination
Late night in Hodgdon on Wednesday
Local time
4:13 AM
EDT
Current temp
40°F
Clear
73°F
Palmyra, ME
128 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
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
Worth a detour if your schedule allows.
National Monument
Spread across a wild landscape offering spectacular views of Katahdin, Katahdin Woods and Waters invites discovery of its rivers, streams, woods, flora, fauna, geology, and the night skies that have a...
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...
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
256.3 mi in 4h 58m, mostly highway — 198.3 mi of that is on Maine Turnpike.
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 around 0.6 miles in near Seashore Avenue.
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 4h 58m 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: at 0.6 miles (Seashore Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 1 miles (Welch Street): Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch; at 5 miles (I 295; US 1): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
Mostly flat terrain
Total Climb
812 ft
Total Descent
396 ft
Highest Point
696 ft
~238 mi in
Elevation Range
675 ft
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 4h 58m. Total distance: 256.3 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
4h 58m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (96%). Straightforward navigation.
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, USGS 3DEP for elevation, NPS for national parks, and FHWA TMAS for hourly traffic volumes. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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