Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Sep 2, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
6h
Distance
312.7 mi
503 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$52
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Presque Isle, ME
Wikimedia Commons
Kennebunk, ME
Torie Roman
Presque Isle to Kennebunk is 312.7 miles and takes about 6h via I 95 and I 295, with a fuel budget near $42 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip keeps you within Maine, traversing the Northeast region of the US. Given its mostly highway profile and single-day duration, it’s a straightforward drive. Consider this route if you're looking for an efficient way to cover ground between these two points in Maine.
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
156.4 miles from Presque Isle, ME
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 3h 6m into the drive .
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 95 | 198.2 mi | 3h 26m |
| I 295 | 53.2 mi | 1h 2m |
| Maine Turnpike | 17.4 mi | 18m |
| Houlton Road | 10.3 mi | 14m |
| Route 1 | 9.1 mi | 14m |
| Main Road | 6.7 mi | 10m |
| North Road | 5.8 mi | 8m |
| North Street | 3.1 mi | 5m |
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 78 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
4 PM
~2,550 veh/hr typical · worst 3,104
Quietest
2 AM
~86 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
29.7×
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 Presque Isle, ME and Kennebunk, ME.
Start on State Street
Turn right onto US 1
Continue on US 1
Continue on US 1
Continue on US 1
At end of road, turn right onto US 1
Continue on US 1
Continue on US 1
Continue on US 1
Continue on US 1
Continue on US 1
Continue on US 1
Continue on US 1
Take the exit
Merge onto I 95
Keep slight right at fork onto I 295
Keep slight left at fork onto I 295
Merge onto I 95
Take the exit
Keep slight right at fork
Continue on this road
At end of road, turn left onto ME 35
Turn left onto ME 35
Enter roundabout onto ME 35
Continue on ME 35
Turn right onto US 1; ME 9A
Continue on US 1; ME 9A
Turn right onto Friend Street
Arrive at destination
For this 6-hour drive, leaving Presque Isle in the morning will allow you to reach Kennebunk well before evening. With a total distance of 312.7 miles, you can comfortably complete it in one day. The longest stretch without a major exit is 198.2 miles on I 95, so plan your fuel and rest stops accordingly, perhaps around the halfway point. The estimated fuel cost is around $42, so factor that into your budget. Given the efficiency of this route, you have flexibility for spontaneous stops if needed.
Morning Departure
Start early — leave by 6-7 AM to arrive at a reasonable hour.
Evening Departure
This is a long drive — plan for a morning departure or consider splitting it into two days.
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 69 miles or 1h 34m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 156.4 miles or 3h 6m 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 52m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Kennebunk, ME than in the middle of the route.
Open the route before leaving Presque Isle, 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 Presque Isle, ME
This is one driving day of about 312.7 miles and 6h.
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
156 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 69 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
The midpoint is around 156.4 miles from Presque Isle, ME, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Before the longest stretch
Fuel checkTop up before I 95 if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 198.2 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 and 310.2 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
Turn right onto US 1 / Main Street
Lane positioning matters here
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
Take the exit toward ME 35: Kennebunk, Kennebunkport
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Keep slight right at fork toward ME 35: Kennebunk, Kennebunkport
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
At end of road, turn left onto ME 35 / Alewive Road
Lane positioning matters here
Regular Gas
$52.09 one way
$104.18 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.70 | $57.80 | $115.60 |
| premium | $5.07 | $62.37 | $124.74 |
| diesel | $5.60 | $68.93 | $137.86 |
Estimated Tolls: $1.04
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
$52
Tolls
$1
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$78–$103
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 109.4 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-08-31.
Driving Electric?
About $33 in charging · 1 stop · 66% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 93.8 | 1 | $32.83 | $15.01 |
| Efficient EV | 78.2 | 0 | $27.36 | $12.51 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 125.1 | 1 | $43.78 | $20.01 |
Gas CO2
109 kg
EV CO2
37 kg (66% less)
Plan for 1 charging stop. A 30-minute DC fast charge mid-route should be enough to complete the trip comfortably.
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 Presque Isle on Wednesday
Local time
2:39 AM
EDT
Current temp
58°F
Light Rain Likely
Destination
Late night in Kennebunk on Wednesday
Local time
2:39 AM
EDT
Current temp
63°F
Chance Rain Showers
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
Start early — leave by 6-7 AM to arrive at a reasonable hour.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
This drive is primarily on highways, with 89% of the 312.7 miles covered on interstates. You'll encounter the longest continuous stretch on I 95, spanning 198.2 miles. Expect a consistent cruising experience for the majority of the trip, with the urban merging and dense exits characteristic of approaching southern Maine likely occurring on I 295 and the Maine Turnpike.
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 95 and I 295. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near US 1 / Main Street.
Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a demanding drive. With 14 significant decision points across 312.7 miles, you will need to stay alert - especially through interchange areas and urban stretches. Consider splitting it into segments if you are not comfortable with fast highway navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: near the start (US 1 / Main Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 239.1 miles (I 295): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 309.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Mostly flat terrain
Total Climb
302 ft
Total Descent
683 ft
Highest Point
506 ft
~67 mi in
Elevation Range
433 ft
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
On the drive from Presque Isle, ME to Kennebunk, ME, road signs begin pointing toward Brunswick along the way.
Brunswick
Founded 1859
Presque Isle is a city in the Aroostook region of Maine.
Founded 1621
Kennebunk is a town in southern Maine. Kennebunk is home to several beaches, the Rachel Carson National Wildlife Refuge, the 1799 Kennebunk Inn, many historic shipbuilders' homes, the Brick Store Museum and the Nature Conservancy Kennebunk Plains (known locally as the Blueberry Plains), with 1,500 acres (6 km²) of nature trails and blueberry fields.
Top landmarks
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 6h. Total distance: 312.7 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
6h drive, plan rest stops for pacing.
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, and FHWA TMAS for hourly traffic volumes. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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