Origin
South Portland, ME
Morning in South Portland on Sunday
Local time
10:56 AM
EDT
Current temp
--
Unavailable
Trip from South Portland, ME to Sanford, ME
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
47m
Distance
34.7 mi
56 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$6
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 43m
★
6 AM
0h 47m
8 AM
0h 55m
10 AM
0h 50m
12 PM
0h 49m
3 PM
0h 50m
5 PM
0h 55m
8 PM
0h 45m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
South Portland, ME
Wikimedia Commons
Sanford, ME
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
If you are looking for a straightforward trip within the Northeast, the 34.7-mile drive from South Portland to Sanford is a quick and efficient transition. You can easily complete this journey in about 47 minutes, making it a perfect candidate for a single-day excursion. Budgeting roughly $6 for fuel is sufficient for the trip, which relies on a combination of the Maine Turnpike, Alfred Road, and Broadway. Because the transit is so brief, there is no need to worry about overnight lodging or splitting the drive into multiple days. This route functions best as a direct point-to-point connection, allowing you to spend your time at your destination rather than behind the wheel.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Maine Turnpike | 12.3 mi | 13m |
| Alfred Road | 8.2 mi | 9m |
| Broadway | 4.5 mi | 7m |
| Sanford Road | 2.4 mi | 3m |
| Biddeford Road | 1.8 mi | 2m |
| Alfred Street | 1.4 mi | 1m |
| Cottage Street | 1.2 mi | 3m |
| Samantha Smith Way | 1 mi | 1m |
Longest stretch:
Maine Turnpike
— 12.3 mi, about 13m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between South Portland, ME and Sanford, 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
Turn left onto Broadway
3.6 mi
·
5 min
·
Broadway
Use the straight / right lanes.
4
Take the ramp
0.2 mi
·
29 sec
Toward Maine Mall Road
5
Merge onto Samantha Smith Way
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
Samantha Smith Way
6
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
54 sec
7
Merge onto I 95
12 mi
·
13 min
·
Maine Turnpike
8
Take the exit
0.7 mi
·
1 min
Exit 32
Toward ME 111: Biddeford
9
Turn right onto ME 111
1.4 mi
·
1 min
·
Alfred Street
10
Continue on ME 111
8.2 mi
·
9 min
·
Alfred Road
11
Continue on ME 111
1.8 mi
·
2 min
·
Biddeford Road
12
Continue on US 202; ME 4A
2.4 mi
·
3 min
·
Sanford Road
Use the left / straight / right lanes.
13
Continue on US 202; ME 4A
1.2 mi
·
3 min
·
Cottage Street
14
Turn left onto River Street
0.2 mi
·
26 sec
·
River Street
15
Continue on Washington Street
0.1 mi
·
25 sec
·
Washington Street
16
Turn left
89 ft
·
6 sec
17
Arrive at destination
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
17 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 34.7 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 17.3 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 105 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 19.3 — 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
|
Broadway
Turn sharp left onto Broadway
Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach
4
1 mi into trip
|
~2m in
|
Broadway
Turn left onto Broadway
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
4
5.8 mi into trip
|
~10m in
Take the exit
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early
5
18.5 mi into trip
|
~24m in
Take the exit toward ME 111: Biddeford
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early
Exit 32
Toward ME 111: Biddeford
4
19.3 mi into trip
|
~26m in
|
ME 111 / Alfred Street
Turn right onto ME 111 / Alfred Street
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$5.59 one way
$11.17 round trip
$4.09/gal
25.4 MPG avg
12 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.50 | $6.15 | $12.29 |
| premium | $4.86 | $6.64 | $13.29 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $7.66 | $15.32 |
Estimated Tolls: $0.74
Maine Turnpike
(12.3 mi)
$0.74
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$6
Tolls
$1
Total
$6
Estimated CO2 emission: 12.1 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $4 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 10.4 | 0 | $3.64 | $1.67 |
| Efficient EV | 8.7 | 0 | $3.04 | $1.39 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 13.9 | 0 | $4.86 | $2.22 |
Gas CO2
12 kg
EV CO2
4 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.
Destination
Sanford, ME
Morning in Sanford on Sunday
Local time
10:56 AM
EDT
Current temp
51°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
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
47m 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 trip offers a mixed driving profile, transitioning from higher-speed highway travel to more localized roads. You will spend about 36% of your total time on the highway, with your longest uninterrupted stretch covering 12.3 miles on the Maine Turnpike. As you move away from the turnpike, the character of the road shifts toward the regional flow of Alfred Road and Broadway. Expect a shift in pace as you exit the primary interstate corridors and navigate toward your destination in Sanford. It is a functional, balanced drive that moves you efficiently through the Maine landscape without requiring long, monotonous hours on the road.
36% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
17 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 12.3 mi on Maine Turnpike.
How Hard Is This Drive?
5/10
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. You will hit about 10 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near Broadway.
Driving Effort
5/10
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 34.7 miles you will encounter 10 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 (Broadway): Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach; at 1 miles (Broadway): Lane positioning matters here; at 5.8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early.
About the Cities
Arriving in Sanford, ME
Full guide →Sanford is a small town is southern Maine. It includes the village of Springvale.
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 47m. Total distance: 34.7 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
47m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (36%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Scenic Drive
Mixed highway & surface route profile.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 12.3 miles on Maine Turnpike. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Expect about $0.74 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. 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 1 miles (Broadway): Lane positioning matters here; at 5.8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Sanford, 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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