Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Oct 20, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 1m
Distance
50.4 mi
81 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$9
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Waterville, ME
Wikimedia Commons
Topsham, ME
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Waterville to Topsham is 50.4 miles and takes about 1 hour and 1 minute via I 95 and I 295, with a fuel budget near $8 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This quick drive keeps you within the Northeast region, specifically moving south through Maine. It's a straightforward trip, mainly on major highways, making it an easy choice for a short, direct journey. You won't need to plan for an overnight stay, and the estimated fuel cost is quite minimal. Consider this route when you need to get from point A to point B efficiently without a lot of fuss.
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 95 | 24.2 mi | 26m |
| I 295 | 21.6 mi | 23m |
| Kennedy Memorial Drive | 1.6 mi | 3m |
| Mallett Drive | 0.8 mi | 2m |
| Silver Street | 0.7 mi | 1m |
| Elm Street | 0.5 mi | 1m |
| Lewiston Road | 0.4 mi | 1m |
| Winter Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 24 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
4 PM
~1,552 veh/hr typical · worst 2,081
Quietest
1 AM
~69 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
22.5×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
Averaged across 103 weeks of 2023 FHWA Travel Monitoring Analysis System data. Weekday hours only (Mon–Fri).
Step-by-step road directions between Waterville, ME and Topsham, ME.
Start on Post Office Square
Turn left onto ME 11; ME 104
Turn slight right onto ME 11; ME 104; ME 137 Business
Continue on ME 11; ME 104; ME 137
Take the ramp
Merge onto I 95
Keep slight right at fork onto I 295
Take the exit
Merge onto ME 196
Turn right onto Mallett Drive
At end of road, turn right onto Winter Street
Arrive at destination
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
25 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.
A short stop after about 11 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
The midpoint is around 25.2 miles from Waterville, 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.
5 decision points cluster between mile 27.3 and 50.4 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
Keep slight right at fork onto I 295 toward I 295 South, ME 9, ME 126: Gardiner, Brunswick
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Take the exit toward ME 196 East: Topsham, Brunswick
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Merge onto ME 196 / Lewiston Road
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Turn right onto Mallett Drive
Lane positioning matters here
At end of road, turn right onto Winter Street
Navigation decision point
Regular Gas
$8.80 one way
$17.59 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.93 | $9.79 | $19.58 |
| premium | $5.30 | $10.52 | $21.04 |
| diesel | $6.18 | $12.26 | $24.52 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$9
Estimated CO2 emission: 17.6 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-10-12.
Driving Electric?
About $5 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 15.1 | 0 | $5.29 | $2.42 |
| Efficient EV | 12.6 | 0 | $4.41 | $2.02 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 20.2 | 0 | $7.06 | $3.23 |
Gas CO2
18 kg
EV CO2
6 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.
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Origin
Night in Waterville on Monday
Local time
10:51 PM
EDT
Current temp
41°F
Partly Cloudy
Destination
Night in Topsham on Monday
Local time
10:51 PM
EDT
Current temp
43°F
Partly Cloudy
Time zone
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
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.
This route is predominantly highway driving, with 91% of it on major interstates. You'll encounter a stretch of 24.2 miles on I 95 before transitioning. The majority of your travel will be on well-maintained interstates, suggesting a smooth and relatively fast pace. Expect frequent exits and merges as you navigate between I 95 and I 295. The final portion of your trip will likely involve a shift from highway speeds to surface roads as you approach Topsham.
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 95 and I 295. You will hit about 7 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 27.3 miles in near I 295.
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 50.4 miles you will encounter 7 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. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 48.8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 49.2 miles (ME 196 / Lewiston Road): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
Mostly flat terrain
Total Climb
442 ft
Total Descent
419 ft
Highest Point
329 ft
~3.6 mi in
Elevation Range
217 ft
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
On the drive from Waterville, ME to Topsham, ME, road signs begin pointing toward Brunswick along the way.
Brunswick
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
Pay a visit to picturesque Brunswick, Maine, and you'll discover something special, something greater than the sum of its parts. It's a classic New England charmer to be sure. Surrounded by pine forests and nestled into a crook of the Androscoggin River, natural beauty is in no short supply. History buffs will appreciate Bowdoin College and her several museums of note; while literature mavens will recognize Brunswick as the setting where Harriet Beecher Stowe penned Uncle Tom's Cabin, a 19th century clarion call for America's abolitionist movement. Today, several talented chefs have chosen to call this town of 22,000 (2020) home. They've taken the areas already burgeoning food scene and iterated on it, serving up some truly extraordinary cuisine. When you combine the gastronomic offerings, retail options, and a proximity to nature—well, it just adds up to package that's hard to beat.
Top landmarks
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 1m. Total distance: 50.4 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 1m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (91%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
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, USGS 3DEP for elevation, NPS for national parks, and FHWA TMAS for hourly traffic volumes. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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