Waterville to Berwick is 119.8 miles and takes about 2 hours 28 minutes via I-295 and I-95, with a fuel budget near $19 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays entirely within Maine, connecting two points in the Northeast region. Given its relatively short duration and predominantly highway profile, it’s a straightforward drive. You'll be on major interstates for most of the way, making it a practical option for a single-day excursion.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Midpoint
59.9 miles from Waterville, ME
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 1h 11m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
I 295
53.2 mi
1h 2m
I 95
24.2 mi
26m
Maine Turnpike
23.8 mi
25m
North Berwick Road
5.2 mi
7m
School Street
4.4 mi
7m
Somersworth Road
2.6 mi
4m
Kennedy Memorial Drive
1.6 mi
3m
Wells Street
1.5 mi
3m
Longest stretch:
I 295
— 53.2 mi, about 1h 2m
Traffic on I-295
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
12a6anoon6p11p
Averaged across 105 weeks of 2023 FHWA Travel Monitoring Analysis System data. Weekday hours only (Mon–Fri).
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Waterville, ME and Berwick, ME.
1
Start on Post Office Square
42 ft·7 sec·Post Office Square
2
Turn left onto ME 11; ME 104
0.5 mi·1 min·Elm Street
3
Turn slight right onto ME 11; ME 104; ME 137 Business
0.7 mi·1 min·Silver Street
4
Continue on ME 11; ME 104; ME 137
1.6 mi·3 min·Kennedy Memorial Drive
5
Take the ramp
0.3 mi·36 sec
6
Merge onto I 95
24 mi·26 min·I 95
7
Keep slight right at fork onto I 295
51 mi·58 min·I 295
Exit 103Toward I 295 South, ME 9, ME 126: Gardiner, BrunswickUse the straight lane.
8
Keep slight left at fork onto I 295
2.6 mi·3 min·I 295
9
Merge onto I 95
24 mi·25 min·Maine Turnpike
10
Take the exit
0.5 mi·1 min
Exit 19Toward ME 9, ME 109: Wells, Sanford
11
Turn right onto ME 109; ME 9
0.6 mi·1 min·Sanford Road
12
Turn left onto North Berwick Road
5.2 mi·7 min·North Berwick Road
13
Continue on ME 9
1.5 mi·3 min·Wells Street
14
At end of road, turn left onto ME 9; ME 4
0.5 mi·1 min·Elm Street
15
Turn right onto ME 9
2.2 mi·3 min·Somersworth Road
16
Continue on ME 9
3.9 mi·6 min·School Street
17
Continue on ME 9
0.3 mi·43 sec·Somersworth Road
18
Continue on ME 9
0.6 mi·1 min·School Street
19
Turn right onto Wilson Street
0.2 mi·30 sec·Wilson Street
20
Turn left onto Sullivan Street
0.1 mi·33 sec·Sullivan Street
21
At end of road, turn left onto Rochester Street
474 ft·18 sec·Rochester Street
22
Arrive at destination
Rochester Street
Trip Plan
This is a drive you can easily complete in one day, so you have flexibility with your departure time. Leaving mid-morning should allow you to avoid the earliest rush hour traffic while still giving you plenty of daylight. The longest stretch without a major exit is 53.2 miles on I-295, so consider fueling up before you embark or planning a brief stop just before that segment. With a fuel cost estimated at $19, it's an economical trip. Given the relatively short duration, you can afford to be spontaneous with stops if needed.
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 59.9 miles from Waterville, ME, or about 1h 11m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 53.2 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 26 miles or 31m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 59.9 miles or 1h 11m 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 54m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Berwick, ME than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Waterville, 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 Waterville, ME
This is one driving day of about 119.8 miles and 2h 28m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 26 miles from Waterville, ME.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
The longest stretch is on I 295 for about 53.2 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 13
5 decision points cluster between mile 27.3 and 119.7 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
9
27.3 mi into trip|~33m in|I 295
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
Use the straight lane.
Exit 103
Toward I 295 South, ME 9, ME 126: Gardiner, Bru...
4
77.8 mi into trip|~1h 31m in|I 295
Keep slight left at fork onto I 295
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
6
104.2 mi into trip|~2h in
Take the exit toward ME 9, ME 109: Wells, Sanford
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Exit 19
Toward ME 9, ME 109: Wells, Sanford
5
119.6 mi into trip|~2h 28m in|Sullivan Street
Turn left onto Sullivan Street
Navigation decision point
6
119.7 mi into trip|~2h 28m in|Rochester Street
At end of road, turn left onto Rochester Street
Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$20.91 one way
$41.82 round trip
$4.43/gal25.4 MPG avg42 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.93
$23.27
$46.54
premium
$5.30
$25.00
$50.00
diesel
$6.18
$29.14
$58.29
Estimated Tolls: $1.43
Maine Turnpike
(23.8 mi)$1.43
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
$21
Tolls
$1
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$47–$72
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 41.9 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-10-12.
Driving Electric?
About $13 in charging
· 0 stops
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
35.9
0
$12.58
$5.75
Efficient EV
30
0
$10.48
$4.79
EV Truck/SUV
47.9
0
$16.77
$7.67
Gas CO2
42 kg
EV CO2
14 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 18, 2026
Origin
Waterville, ME
Morning
in Waterville on Monday
Local time
10:24 AM
EDT
Current temp
54°F
Sunny
SW 0 to 5 mph0% chanceLive forecast
Destination
Berwick, ME
Morning
in Berwick on Monday
Local time
10:24 AM
EDT
Current temp
54°F
Sunny
SW 0 to 5 mph0% chanceLive forecast
55°F
Portland, ME
60 mi in
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
Very similar conditions
Both ends of the route are sitting at about the same temperature right now.
Road read
2h 28m 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.
National Parks Near This Route
Worth a detour if your schedule allows.
Frances Perkins National Monument
National Monument
Known as the first woman to hold a presidential cabinet position and the “Woman behind the New Deal,” Frances Perkins championed many labor rights that Americans enjoy today, including safety standard...
17 mi from route
~42 min detour
Free
near mile 37.2
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
You'll spend a significant portion of your time on the interstate, with 84% of the 119.8 miles on highways like I-295 and I-95. Expect a longest stretch of 53.2 miles on I-295, offering a good opportunity for steady cruising. As you get closer to Berwick, the character will likely shift from pure highway to more surface streets as exits become more frequent, especially as you approach your destination.
84% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
22 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 53.2 mi on I 295.
How Hard Is This Drive?
6/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 295 and I 95. You will hit about 13 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 27.3 miles in near I 295.
Driving Effort6/10
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 119.8 miles you will encounter 13 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: at 27.3 miles (I 295): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 77.8 miles (I 295): Highway fork - watch signs carefully; at 104.2 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Elevation Profile
Mostly flat terrain
252 ft31 ft
Total Climb
294 ft
Total Descent
230 ft
Highest Point
252 ft
~17.1 mi in
Elevation Range
221 ft
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Waterville, ME and Berwick, ME, road signs point toward Brunswick and Sanford.
Waterville is a small city (16,000 in 2020) on the Kennebec River, home to Colby College. Because of its location along a former migration corridor between Quebec and New England (now the Kennebec-Chaudière International Corridor), Franco-American culture is evident here.
Top landmarks
•Lockwood Mill Historic District — mill complex in Waterville, Maine, United States
•Professional Building — historic commercial building in Waterville, Maine
•Waterville Opera House and City Hall — theater and former town hall in Waterville, Maine, United States
Doable as a same-day drive at 2h 28m. Total distance: 119.8 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
2h 28m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (84%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 53.2 miles on I 295. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Expect about $1.43 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 4 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 Berwick, 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. There are 4 rest areas along the route for bathroom stops.
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 27.3 miles (I 295): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 77.8 miles (I 295): Highway fork - watch signs carefully; at 104.2 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
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 Berwick, ME before heading back.
