This 95.6-mile drive from Pittsfield, ME to Portland, ME is a straightforward journey that can easily be completed in a single day, taking approximately 1 hour and 49 minutes. The route is heavily focused on highway travel, with 98% of the drive on major interstates like I-95 and I-295, making it efficient for getting from point A to point B. With an estimated fuel cost of just $15, it's a budget-friendly option for a quick trip within Maine. Given its short duration and highway-centric profile, this route is ideal for a day trip or as a segment of a larger New England adventure.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Midpoint
47.8 miles from Pittsfield, ME
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 53m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
I 95
46.5 mi
50m
I 295
46.5 mi
52m
Somerset Avenue
1 mi
1m
US 1A
0.7 mi
1m
Cumberland Avenue
0.4 mi
<1m
Forest Street
0.1 mi
<1m
Central Street
0.1 mi
<1m
Preble Street
0.1 mi
<1m
Longest stretch:
I 95
— 46.5 mi, about 50m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Pittsfield, ME and Portland, ME.
1
Start on Central Street
0.1 mi·12 sec·Central Street
2
Turn right onto Forest Street
0.1 mi·16 sec·Forest Street
3
Turn left onto Somerset Avenue
1.0 mi·1 min·Somerset Avenue
4
Take the ramp
0.2 mi·24 sec
5
Merge onto I 95
46 mi·50 min·I 95
6
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.
7
Take the exit onto US 1A
0.7 mi·1 min·US 1A
Exit 7Toward US 1AUse the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Turn right onto Cumberland Avenue
0.4 mi·50 sec·Cumberland Avenue
Use the straight lane.
9
Turn left onto Preble Street
0.1 mi·19 sec·Preble Street
10
Turn left onto Congress Street
156 ft·5 sec·Congress Street
11
Arrive at destination
Congress Street
Trip Plan
For this relatively short 1 hour and 49-minute drive, flexibility is key. Leaving Pittsfield, ME, aim to depart early to avoid any potential commuter traffic as you near Portland, ME. Since the route is primarily highway, you won't need many extended stops, but keep an eye on your fuel gauge as the longest stretch without an exit is 46.5 miles on I-95. The estimated fuel cost is a low $15, so topping up before you leave Pittsfield should be more than sufficient. This route is designed for efficient travel, so focus on a smooth and timely arrival in 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 47.8 miles from Pittsfield, ME, or about 53m 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 21 miles or 23m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 47.8 miles or 53m 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 28m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Portland, ME than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Pittsfield, ME so your first major turns are already loaded.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Pittsfield, ME
This is one driving day of about 95.6 miles and 1h 49m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 21 miles from Pittsfield, ME.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
The longest stretch is on I 95 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 8
5 decision points cluster between mile 0.1 and 95.6 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
4
0.1 mi into trip|~0m in|Forest Street
Turn right onto Forest Street
Navigation decision point
9
47.9 mi into trip|~53m 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
94.4 mi into trip|~1h 46m 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
95.1 mi into trip|~1h 47m in|Cumberland Avenue
Turn right onto Cumberland Avenue
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight lane.
5
95.6 mi into trip|~1h 49m in|Congress Street
Turn left onto Congress Street
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$15.39 one way
$30.78 round trip
$4.09/gal25.4 MPG avg33 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.50
$16.93
$33.87
premium
$4.86
$18.31
$36.61
diesel
$5.61
$21.11
$42.21
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$15
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$40–$65
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 33.4 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $10 in charging
· 0 stops
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
28.7
0
$10.04
$4.59
Efficient EV
23.9
0
$8.36
$3.82
EV Truck/SUV
38.2
0
$13.38
$6.12
Gas CO2
33 kg
EV CO2
11 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 21, 2026
Origin
Pittsfield, ME
Morning
in Pittsfield on Tuesday
Local time
6:22 AM
EDT
Current temp
60°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Portland, ME
Morning
in Portland on Tuesday
Local time
6:22 AM
EDT
Current temp
50°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
51°F
Brunswick, ME
48 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.
Temperature spread
10 degrees cooler at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
1h 49m 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 59.3
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
Expect a highway-focused experience for almost the entire 95.6 miles, as 98% of this drive utilizes major interstates. You'll spend most of your time on I-95, including a significant stretch of 46.5 miles without needing to exit. The road is predominantly fast-paced interstate driving, with brief transitions onto roads like Somerset Avenue as you approach your destination. This profile suggests a drive where maintaining speed and covering distance efficiently is the primary characteristic, rather than winding scenic byways.
98% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
11 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 46.5 mi on I 95.
How Hard Is This Drive?
4/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 95 and I 295. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes around 0.1 miles in near Forest Street.
Driving Effort4/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 1h 49m 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: at 0.1 miles (Forest Street): Navigation decision point; at 47.9 miles (I 295): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 94.4 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 Pittsfield, ME to Portland, ME, road signs begin pointing toward Brunswick along the way.
Portland is on a peninsula in Casco Bay on the Southern Maine coast approximately 100 miles (161 km) north of Boston, Massachusetts. It has more than 65,000 inhabitants, making it the largest city in Maine. Portland is a small seaside city with a high concentration of shops, restaurants, museums, galleries, tours and many things to see and do. Many people commute to Portland to work, and the city's population significantly increases in the summertime.
The longest stretch is about 46.5 miles on I 95. 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: at 0.1 miles (Forest Street): Navigation decision point; at 47.9 miles (I 295): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 94.4 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 Portland, ME before heading back.
