Origin
Saco, ME
Morning in Saco on Tuesday
Local time
7:42 AM
EDT
Current temp
42°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Saco, ME to Auburn, ME
Pin this tripCompiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 21, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
55m
Distance
46.3 mi
75 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$7
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 51m
★
6 AM
0h 55m
8 AM
1h 4m
10 AM
0h 59m
12 PM
0h 58m
3 PM
0h 59m
5 PM
1h 4m
8 PM
0h 53m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Saco, ME
Wikimedia Commons
Auburn, ME
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Saco to Auburn is 46.3 miles and takes about 55m via Maine Turnpike, with a fuel budget near $7 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip keeps you within Maine, moving from the Northeast region to another part of the Northeast. It's a straightforward, mostly highway drive that’s perfect for a quick hop between these two locations. You'll likely find it efficient and convenient for a same-day trip, requiring minimal planning.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Maine Turnpike | 39.2 mi | 43m |
| Washington Street | 4.2 mi | 6m |
| North Street | 1.4 mi | 2m |
| Minot Avenue | 0.5 mi | <1m |
| Beach Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
| Main Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Maine Turnpike
— 39.2 mi, about 43m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Saco, ME and Auburn, ME.
1
Start on US 1 Alternate
92 ft
·
8 sec
·
Main Street
2
Turn right onto ME 112
162 ft
·
5 sec
·
Beach Street
3
Continue on ME 5; ME 112
1.4 mi
·
2 min
·
North Street
4
Take the ramp
0.6 mi
·
1 min
Toward I 95 North: Portland
5
Merge onto I 95
8.8 mi
·
9 min
·
Maine Turnpike
6
Keep slight left at fork onto I 95
22 mi
·
25 min
·
Maine Turnpike
Toward I 95 North: Lewiston, Augusta
7
Keep slight left at fork onto I 95
8.1 mi
·
8 min
·
Maine Turnpike
8
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
41 sec
Toward US 202, ME 4, ME 100: Auburn
9
At end of road, turn left onto US 202; ME 4
4.2 mi
·
6 min
·
Washington Street
10
Merge onto US 202; ME 4; ME 11; ME 100
0.5 mi
·
35 sec
·
Minot Avenue
11
Arrive at destination
US 202; ME 4; ME 11; ME 100
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
23 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 10 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 23.2 miles from Saco, 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 41.3 — 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 112 / Beach Street
Turn right onto ME 112 / Beach Street
Navigation decision point
4
1.5 mi into trip
|
~2m in
Take the ramp toward I 95 North: Portland
Navigation decision point
Toward I 95 North: Portland
6
10.8 mi into trip
|
~13m in
|
I 95 / Maine Turnpike
Keep slight left at fork onto I 95 / Maine Turnpike toward I 95 North: Lewiston, Augusta
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward I 95 North: Lewiston, Augusta
4
33.2 mi into trip
|
~38m in
|
I 95 / Maine Turnpike
Keep slight left at fork onto I 95 / Maine Turnpike
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
5
41.3 mi into trip
|
~47m in
Take the exit toward US 202, ME 4, ME 100: Auburn
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward US 202, ME 4, ME 100: Auburn
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$7.45 one way
$14.91 round trip
$4.09/gal
25.4 MPG avg
16 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.50 | $8.20 | $16.40 |
| premium | $4.86 | $8.87 | $17.73 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $10.22 | $20.44 |
Estimated Tolls: $2.36
Maine Turnpike
(39.2 mi)
$2.36
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$7
Tolls
$2
Total
$10
Estimated CO2 emission: 16.2 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $5 in charging · 0 stops · 69% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 13.9 | 0 | $4.86 | $2.22 |
| Efficient EV | 11.6 | 0 | $4.05 | $1.85 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 18.5 | 0 | $6.48 | $2.96 |
Gas CO2
16 kg
EV CO2
5 kg (69% 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
Auburn, ME
Morning in Auburn on Tuesday
Local time
7:42 AM
EDT
Current temp
56°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
56°F
Gray, ME
23 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
14 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
55m 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?
This drive is heavily highway-based, with 85% of the 46.3 miles on high-speed roads. You'll experience the longest stretch of continuous highway at 39.2 miles on the Maine Turnpike. Expect to transition from highway cruising to surface streets like Washington Street and North Street as you approach your destination. The prevalence of highway driving means you'll encounter frequent exits and merges as you make your way north.
85% 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: 39.2 mi on Maine Turnpike.
How Hard Is This Drive?
6/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Maine Turnpike and Washington Street. You will hit about 8 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near ME 112 / Beach Street.
Driving Effort
6/10
Moderate - straightforward overall, but long enough or busy enough to require pacing
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 46.3 miles you will encounter 8 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: near the start (ME 112 / Beach Street): Navigation decision point; at 1.5 miles: Navigation decision point; at 10.8 miles (I 95 / Maine Turnpike): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
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 Saco, ME to Auburn, ME, road signs begin pointing toward Augusta along the way.
Augusta
10.8 mi in
|
~13m
|
via I 95
About the Cities
Arriving in Auburn, ME
Full guide →Lewiston-Auburn is a city in Androscoggin County, in the central Maine region of Maine. The Androscoggin River divides the city into two separate municipalities: the east bank is Lewiston, with a population of about 39,000 (2016), and the west bank is Auburn, with about 23,000 people (2016). They are known locally as the "Twin Cities" or "L–A".
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 55m. Total distance: 46.3 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
55m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (85%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 39.2 miles on Maine Turnpike. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Expect about $2.36 in tolls one way, starting with Maine Turnpike. 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 — we found about 3 rest areas or service plazas within a short detour of the route (from OpenStreetMap). See the Rest Stops tab under Nearby Places for locations and mile markers. Plan to stretch, use the bathroom, and top off fluids every 2–3 hours on longer drives.
It helps. This route has a higher-than-average number of complex decision points, which get harder in the dark. If the last hour of the trip is on surface roads or mountain grades, aim to arrive at Auburn, ME before sunset when you can. Check the Trip Plan for departure windows that land you in daylight.
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 112 / Beach Street): Navigation decision point; at 1.5 miles: Navigation decision point; at 10.8 miles (I 95 / Maine Turnpike): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Auburn, 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, and EIA for fuel prices. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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