Origin
South Portland, ME
Morning in South Portland on Tuesday
Local time
6:37 AM
EDT
Current temp
--
Unavailable
Trip from South Portland, ME to Bowdoinham, 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
46m
Distance
36.2 mi
58 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$6
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 42m
★
6 AM
0h 46m
8 AM
0h 54m
10 AM
0h 49m
12 PM
0h 48m
3 PM
0h 49m
5 PM
0h 54m
8 PM
0h 44m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
South Portland, ME
Wikimedia Commons
Bowdoinham, ME
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
South Portland to Bowdoinham is 36.2 miles and takes about 46m via I 295 and Casco Bay Bridge, with a fuel budget near $6 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within Maine, connecting two points in the Northeast region. It's a straightforward, mostly highway drive, making it a convenient option for a short day trip or a quick transit between these two locations. You'll find the route is predominantly on the interstate, so expect a consistent pace for most of the journey.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 295 | 31.3 mi | 36m |
| Casco Bay Bridge | 1.1 mi | 1m |
| Broadway | 1 mi | 1m |
| Main Street | 1 mi | 2m |
| High Street | 0.9 mi | 1m |
| State Route 138 | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| York Street | 0.1 mi | <1m |
| Center Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
I 295
— 31.3 mi, about 36m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between South Portland, ME and Bowdoinham, ME.
1
Start on Pine Street
60 ft
·
9 sec
·
Pine Street
2
Turn sharp left onto Broadway
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
Broadway
3
Continue on ME 77
1.1 mi
·
1 min
·
Casco Bay Bridge
4
Turn straight onto ME 77
0.1 mi
·
18 sec
·
York Street
5
Turn left onto ME 77
0.9 mi
·
1 min
·
High Street
6
Take the ramp
0.3 mi
·
32 sec
Toward I 295 North, US 1 North: Falmouth
7
Merge onto I 295; US 1
31 mi
·
36 min
·
I 295; US 1
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
35 sec
Exit 37
Toward ME 125, ME 138: Bowdoinham, Bowdoin
9
Turn right onto State Route 138
0.2 mi
·
34 sec
·
State Route 138
10
Continue on ME 125
1.0 mi
·
2 min
·
Main Street
11
Turn left onto Center Street
76 ft
·
2 sec
·
Center Street
12
Arrive at destination
Center Street
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
18 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 36 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 18.1 miles from South Portland, 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 75 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 35 — 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
|
Broadway
Turn sharp left onto Broadway
Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach
4
3.1 mi into trip
|
~5m in
Take the ramp toward I 295 North, US 1 North: Falmouth
Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward I 295 North, US 1 North: Falmouth
5
3.4 mi into trip
|
~6m in
|
I 295; US 1
Merge onto I 295; US 1
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
34.7 mi into trip
|
~42m in
Take the exit toward ME 125, ME 138: Bowdoinham, Bowdoin
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Exit 37
Toward ME 125, ME 138: Bowdoinham, Bowdoin
4
35 mi into trip
|
~42m in
|
State Route 138
Turn right onto State Route 138
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$5.83 one way
$11.66 round trip
$4.09/gal
25.4 MPG avg
13 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.50 | $6.41 | $12.82 |
| premium | $4.86 | $6.93 | $13.86 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $7.99 | $15.99 |
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.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$6
Tolls
$7
Total
$13
Estimated CO2 emission: 12.7 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $4 in charging · 0 stops · 69% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 10.9 | 0 | $3.80 | $1.74 |
| Efficient EV | 9.1 | 0 | $3.17 | $1.45 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 14.5 | 0 | $5.07 | $2.32 |
Gas CO2
13 kg
EV CO2
4 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
Bowdoinham, ME
Morning in Bowdoinham on Tuesday
Local time
6:37 AM
EDT
Current temp
40°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
52°F
Yarmouth, ME
18 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.
Road read
46m 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 focused on highway travel, with 87% of the route utilizing major roads like I 295. The majority of your journey will be on I 295, featuring a continuous stretch of 31.3 miles. You'll begin by crossing the Casco Bay Bridge and transitioning onto Broadway before merging onto the interstate. The character of the drive remains largely consistent, offering a direct and efficient path with minimal deviations onto local roads.
87% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
12 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 31.3 mi on I 295.
How Hard Is This Drive?
2/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 295 and Casco Bay Bridge. Navigation is very simple - set it and forget it for most of the drive. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near Broadway.
Driving Effort
2/10
Very easy - short and simple to drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
The drive from South Portland, ME to Bowdoinham, ME is easy. At 46m with 87% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: near the start (Broadway): Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach; at 3.1 miles: Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 3.4 miles (I 295; US 1): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
About the Cities
Starting in South Portland, ME
Full guide →South Portland is a city in Maine.
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 46m. Total distance: 36.2 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
46m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (87%). Straightforward navigation.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 31.3 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: near the start (Broadway): Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach; at 3.1 miles: Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 3.4 miles (I 295; US 1): Merge point - match speed before joining. 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 Bowdoinham, 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, EIA for fuel prices, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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