Sanford, ME to New Sharon, ME is 110.6 miles and takes about 2h 21m via Maine Turnpike and Auburn Road, with a fuel budget near $19 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within Maine, moving from the Northeast region to another part of the Northeast. The drive mixes highway speeds with more local road cruising, making it a straightforward option for a day trip. It’s a relatively short distance, so you won’t be spending your entire day on the road.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Midpoint
55.3 miles from Sanford, ME
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 1h 6m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
Maine Turnpike
42.7 mi
47m
Auburn Road
12.7 mi
14m
Federal Road
9.5 mi
10m
Alfred Road
8.2 mi
9m
Franklin Road
7.1 mi
12m
Washington Street
4.4 mi
6m
Farmington Falls Road
3.9 mi
4m
Center Street
2.9 mi
3m
Longest stretch:
Maine Turnpike
— 42.7 mi, about 47m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Sanford, ME and New Sharon, ME.
1
Start on this road
89 ft·8 sec·this road
2
Turn right onto Washington Street
0.1 mi·23 sec·Washington Street
3
Continue on River Street
0.2 mi·26 sec·River Street
4
Turn right onto US 202; ME 4A
1.2 mi·3 min·Cottage Street
5
Continue on US 202; ME 4A
2.4 mi·3 min·Sanford Road
6
Continue on ME 111
1.8 mi·2 min·Biddeford Road
Use the left / straight / right lanes.
7
Continue on ME 111
8.2 mi·9 min·Alfred Road
8
Continue on ME 111
1.4 mi·1 min·Alfred Street
9
Take the ramp
0.1 mi·1 min
Use the straight / left lanes.
10
Keep slight right at fork
0.2 mi·33 sec
Toward I 95 North Toll: Portland, Augusta
11
Merge onto I 95
12 mi·13 min·Maine Turnpike
12
Keep slight left at fork onto I 95
22 mi·25 min·Maine Turnpike
Toward I 95 North: Lewiston, Augusta
13
Keep slight left at fork onto I 95
8.1 mi·8 min·Maine Turnpike
14
Take the exit
0.3 mi·41 sec
Toward US 202, ME 4, ME 100: Auburn
15
At end of road, turn left onto US 202; ME 4
4.2 mi·6 min·Washington Street
16
Merge onto US 202; ME 4; ME 11; ME 100
0.5 mi·38 sec·Minot Avenue
17
Continue on ME 4
0.4 mi·30 sec·Union Street Bypass
Use the straight / right lanes.
18
Merge onto ME 4
2.9 mi·3 min·Center Street
Use the straight lane.
19
Continue on ME 4
2.9 mi·3 min·Turner Road
20
Continue on ME 4
13 mi·14 min·Auburn Road
21
Continue on ME 4
9.5 mi·10 min·Federal Road
22
Continue on ME 4
510 ft·9 sec·Bridge Street
23
At end of road, turn right onto ME 17
198 ft·3 sec·Main Street
24
Turn left onto Church Street
0.2 mi·26 sec·Church Street
25
Continue on ME 133
0.3 mi·33 sec·Pleasant Street
26
Continue on Franklin Road
7.1 mi·12 min·Franklin Road
27
Turn right onto ME 156
1.5 mi·2 min·Chesterville Road
28
Continue on ME 156
0.5 mi·55 sec·Wilton Road
29
Continue on ME 156
0.7 mi·1 min·Route 156
30
Continue on ME 156
0.9 mi·1 min·North Chesterville Road
31
Continue on ME 156
0.3 mi·35 sec·Wilton Road
32
Turn left onto Chesterville Road
0.2 mi·17 sec·Chesterville Road
33
Turn right onto ME 156
2.7 mi·4 min·Lucy Knowles Road
34
Turn left onto ME 41
0.1 mi·15 sec·Vienna Road
35
Turn right onto Philbrick Street
0.2 mi·42 sec·Philbrick Street
36
At end of road, turn right onto US 2; ME 27
3.9 mi·4 min·Farmington Falls Road
37
Arrive at destination
US 2; ME 27
Trip Plan
Given the 2h 21m estimated drive time, you can easily complete this trip in a single day. Aim to leave Sanford in the morning to maximize daylight and allow for an unhurried arrival in New Sharon. With only 110.6 miles and a $19 fuel cost, you have flexibility in your departure time. Consider stopping for gas before you leave Sanford, as the longest stretch on the highway is over 40 miles, and you'll want to be prepared for the shift to surface roads later in the drive.
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 55.3 miles from Sanford, ME, or about 1h 6m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 42.7 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 24 miles or 31m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 55.3 miles or 1h 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 1h 49m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near New Sharon, ME than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Sanford, 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 Sanford, ME
This is one driving day of about 110.6 miles and 2h 21m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 24 miles from Sanford, ME.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
The longest stretch is on Maine Turnpike for about 42.7 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 18
5 decision points cluster between mile 15.5 and 92 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
7
15.5 mi into trip|~22m in
Keep slight right at fork toward I 95 North Toll: Portland, Augusta
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward I 95 North Toll: Portland, Augusta
6
28 mi into trip|~35m 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
5
58.5 mi into trip|~1h 10m 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
5
63.9 mi into trip|~1h 18m in|ME 4 / Center Street
Merge onto ME 4 / Center Street
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight lane.
6
92 mi into trip|~1h 50m in|ME 17 / Main Street
At end of road, turn right onto ME 17 / Main Street
Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$19.30 one way
$38.61 round trip
$4.43/gal25.4 MPG avg39 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.93
$21.48
$42.97
premium
$5.30
$23.08
$46.16
diesel
$6.18
$26.91
$53.81
Estimated Tolls: $2.56
Maine Turnpike
(42.7 mi)$2.56
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
$19
Tolls
$3
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$47–$72
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 38.7 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-10-12.
Driving Electric?
About $12 in charging
· 0 stops
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
33.2
0
$11.61
$5.31
Efficient EV
27.7
0
$9.68
$4.42
EV Truck/SUV
44.2
0
$15.48
$7.08
Gas CO2
39 kg
EV CO2
13 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 Oct 16, 2026
Origin
Sanford, ME
Morning
in Sanford on Saturday
Local time
10:31 AM
EDT
Current temp
63°F
Rain
S 5 to 10 mph92% chanceLive forecast
Destination
New Sharon, ME
Morning
in New Sharon on Saturday
Local time
10:31 AM
EDT
Current temp
53°F
Rain
SE 5 to 10 mph97% chanceLive forecast
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
2h 21m on the road
The weather snapshot is not static. If you are leaving later, give both cities one more quick forecast check before departure.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
This route is about 39% highway, meaning you'll experience a good mix of driving speeds. Your longest continuous stretch on the highway will be 42.7 miles along the Maine Turnpike. After that, expect to transition to surface roads like Auburn Road and Federal Road. The highway portion offers efficiency, while the latter half involves more local traffic and intersections.
39% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
37 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 42.7 mi on Maine Turnpike.
How Hard Is This Drive?
8/10
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 15.5 miles in.
Driving Effort8/10
Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a demanding drive. With 18 significant decision points across 110.6 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: at 15.5 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 28 miles (I 95 / Maine Turnpike): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 58.5 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Elevation Profile
Mostly flat terrain
631 ft81 ft
Total Climb
663 ft
Total Descent
603 ft
Highest Point
631 ft
~94.8 mi in
Elevation Range
550 ft
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 Sanford, ME to New Sharon, ME, road signs begin pointing toward Augusta along the way.
Doable as a same-day drive at 2h 21m. Total distance: 110.6 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
2h 21m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (39%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Scenic Drive
Mixed highway & surface route profile.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 42.7 miles on Maine Turnpike. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Expect about $2.56 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.
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 New Sharon, ME before sunset when you can. Check the Trip Plan for departure windows that land you in daylight.
Only with planning. This is a long drive for kids — consider splitting it into two days rather than pushing through. Dedicated rest areas are limited, so plan gas or food stops as your bathroom breaks.
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 15.5 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 28 miles (I 95 / Maine Turnpike): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 58.5 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at New Sharon, ME before heading back.
