Clinton to South Portland is 86.7 miles and takes about 1h 41m via I 295 and I 95, with a fuel budget near $14 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within Maine, moving from the Northeast region to the Northeast region. It's a straightforward drive, mostly on the highway, making it a convenient option for a quick journey. You'll find the route efficient for getting from point A to point B with minimal fuss. Consider this for a day trip when you need to cover moderate distance without a significant time commitment.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Midpoint
43.4 miles from Clinton, ME
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 49m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
I 295
46.5 mi
52m
I 95
34.5 mi
37m
Casco Bay Bridge
1.1 mi
1m
Hinckley Road
1 mi
1m
State Street
1 mi
1m
Broadway
1 mi
1m
Marginal Way
0.5 mi
1m
US 1A
0.4 mi
1m
Longest stretch:
I 295
— 46.5 mi, about 52m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Clinton, ME and South Portland, ME.
1
Start on Railroad Street
273 ft·10 sec·Railroad Street
2
Turn right onto ME 11; ME 100
0.2 mi·20 sec·Main Street
3
Turn right onto Baker Street
0.2 mi·24 sec·Baker Street
4
Continue on Hinckley Road
1.0 mi·1 min·Hinckley Road
5
Take the ramp
0.4 mi·47 sec
6
Merge onto I 95
34 mi·37 min·I 95
7
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.
8
Take the exit onto US 1A
0.4 mi·1 min·US 1A
Exit 7Toward US 1AUse the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Turn right onto Marginal Way
0.5 mi·1 min·Marginal Way
Use the right lane.
10
Continue on State Street
1.0 mi·1 min·State Street
11
Continue on ME 77
1.1 mi·1 min·Casco Bay Bridge
12
Continue on ME 77
1.0 mi·1 min·Broadway
13
Turn sharp right onto Pine Street
60 ft·2 sec·Pine Street
14
Arrive at destination
Pine Street
Trip Plan
Given the short duration of 1 hour and 41 minutes, this trip is easily completed in a single day, offering flexibility for your departure time. You can leave anytime and still arrive with plenty of daylight. With a fuel cost estimated at $14, it's an economical journey, so you won't need to worry about frequent refueling stops. The longest stretch without a planned exit is 46.5 miles, so plan to stretch your legs before you get on I 295 if you prefer frequent breaks. Keep an eye out for transitions between I 95 and I 295, as these are your primary navigation points.
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 43.4 miles from Clinton, ME, or about 49m 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 19 miles or 22m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 43.4 miles or 49m 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 23m
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 Clinton, ME so your first major turns are already loaded.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Clinton, ME
This is one driving day of about 86.7 miles and 1h 41m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 19 miles from Clinton, 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 7
5 decision points cluster between mile 0.1 and 86.7 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
0.1 mi into trip|~0m in|ME 11; ME 100 / Main Street
Turn right onto ME 11; ME 100 / Main Street
Navigation decision point
9
36.2 mi into trip|~41m 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
82.7 mi into trip|~1h 34m 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
83.1 mi into trip|~1h 35m in|Marginal Way
Turn right onto Marginal Way
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
5
86.7 mi into trip|~1h 41m in|Pine Street
Turn sharp right onto Pine Street
Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$13.96 one way
$27.91 round trip
$4.09/gal25.4 MPG avg30 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.50
$15.36
$30.71
premium
$4.86
$16.60
$33.21
diesel
$5.61
$19.14
$38.28
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
$14
Tolls
$7
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$46–$71
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 30.3 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $9 in charging
· 0 stops
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
26
0
$9.10
$4.16
Efficient EV
21.7
0
$7.59
$3.47
EV Truck/SUV
34.7
0
$12.14
$5.55
Gas CO2
30 kg
EV CO2
10 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 Apr 16, 2026
Origin
Clinton, ME
Late night
in Clinton on Sunday
Local time
12:41 AM
EDT
Current temp
55°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
South Portland, ME
Late night
in South Portland on Sunday
Local time
12:41 AM
EDT
Current temp
--
Unavailable
52°F
Freeport, ME
43 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 41m 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 47.9
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
This drive is heavily focused on highway travel, with 94% of the route utilizing major interstates. Expect a smooth, high-speed experience for most of your journey. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is 46.5 miles on I 295. While primarily interstate, you will transition between I 95 and I 295, and finally cross the Casco Bay Bridge into South Portland. This highway-centric profile means you'll likely experience consistent speeds and minimal traffic delays, especially outside of peak commuting hours.
94% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
14 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 0.1 miles in near ME 11; ME 100 / Main 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 41m drive. You will face about 7 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (ME 11; ME 100 / Main Street): Navigation decision point; at 36.2 miles (I 295): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 82.7 miles (US 1A): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
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 Clinton, ME to South Portland, ME, road signs begin pointing toward Brunswick along the way.
Brunswick
36.2 mi in|~41m|via I 295
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 41m. Total distance: 86.7 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 0.1 miles (ME 11; ME 100 / Main Street): Navigation decision point; at 36.2 miles (I 295): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 82.7 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.
