How far is Houlton, ME from Portland, ME?

The driving distance from Houlton, ME to Portland, ME is about 247.4 miles (398.1 km), with a travel time of about 03h 45m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 207.6 miles (334.1 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 07h 30m of driving time before adding stops, traffic, or weather delays.
  • A comfortable departure window is usually 6:00 AM to 8:00 AM EDT.
Trip Tools

Reverse, save, or send this route

This drive is better planned with a longer stop or an overnight stay. Copy the route link, send it to another device, or print a clean version before you head out.

Reverse Route
Quick Snapshot
Road
247.37 mi
03h 45m
Flight
207.61 mi
334.12 km direct

This drive is better planned with a longer stop or an overnight stay.

Learn Distance

Choose another destination from Houlton.

Flight Distance

Direct air line
207.61 mi
Kilometers
334.12 km
Flight Time
00h 25m

Driving Distance

Road route
247.37 mi
Kilometers
398.11 km
Drive Time
03h 45m

Gas Cost Calculator

Leave and Arrive Planner

Pick a departure time to see your estimated arrival and same-day return window.

Drive time stays fixed at 03h 45m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in Portland
Sat, May 30, 5:57 AM EDT
Return by in Houlton
Sat, May 30, 9:42 AM EDT
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave Houlton
2026-05-30T02:12
Arrive Portland
Sat, May 30, 5:57 AM EDT
Route Timing
03h 45m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
6:00 AM to 8:00 AM EDT
Leave early for more breathing room
Arrive between
9:45 AM to 11:45 AM EDT

An early departure helps you fit a real stop into the day without turning the return into a late-night drive.

Leave by
9:30 AM EDT
Keeps a same-day return open with about 04h 00m at the destination.
Back in Houlton
9:00 PM EDT
Early departure recommended

You are leaving earlier than the recommended window, which gives you extra margin for breaks and traffic.

Halfway Point

A useful midpoint for breaks, coffee, or meeting in the middle.

Mid-route stop
Hampden
ME

Town in Maine, United States of America

From Houlton
123.6 mi
01h 52m
To Portland
123.8 mi
01h 52m

Route Weather Snapshot

Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.

Origin
Houlton Weather
ME
Live fallback forecast
35°F
Overnight
Using Mars Hill as the closest live forecast in the Aroostook County weather hub.

Mostly Cloudy

Starts
Sat, May 30 12:00 AM EDT
Wind
6 mph NE
Destination
52°F
Saturday

Light Rain

Starts
Sat, May 30 6:00 AM EDT
Wind
15 to 30 mph NE

Driving Route Map

The map below follows the saved road route between Houlton and Portland.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Houlton and Portland.

  1. 1

    Start on the route

    41 m · 12 sec

  2. 2

    Turn right onto Market Square

    68 m · 7 sec · Market Square

  3. 3

    Turn right onto North Street

    1.1 mi · 2 min · North Street

  4. 4

    Turn left

    1631 ft · 40 sec

  5. 5

    Merge slight left

    198.2 mi · 3 hr 27 min

  6. 6

    Keep slight right to continue on I 295 South, ME 9, ME 126: Gardiner, Brunswick

    46.5 mi · 53 min

  7. 7

    Take the exit slight right toward US 1A

    1.2 km · 2 min

  8. 8

    Turn right onto Cumberland Avenue

    1853 ft · 51 sec · Cumberland Avenue

  9. 9

    Turn left onto Preble Street

    555 ft · 19 sec · Preble Street

  10. 10

    Turn left onto Congress Street

    48 m · 5 sec · Congress Street

  11. 11

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec · Congress Street

Car Route Details

A richer read on the saved driving route between Houlton and Portland.

OSRM road route
Drive Character

Straightforward drive

The saved road route has a manageable number of maneuvers and should be easy to follow with normal attention to signs.

Directions
11 steps
6 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
2
1 merges, 1 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
4.4 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
North Street
199 mi · 81%
I 295 South
46.5 mi · 19%
US 1A
0.75 mi
Cumberland Avenue
0.35 mi
Preble Street
0.11 mi
Market Square
0.04 mi
Longest Stretch

North Street

Merge slight left

198 mi · 03h 27m

Route Summary

A quick read on whether this route feels easy, ambitious, or worth planning around.

Trip Read

A longer out-and-back drive

This is still possible in one day, but it becomes a long driving day. Leaving early and planning your stop window matters more here.

Drive Time
03h 45m
Long day trip
Same-Day Return
07h 30m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+39.8 mi
207.6 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
Hampden
01h 52m from Houlton
Leave By
9:30 AM EDT
Early departure recommended
Weather Watch

Mostly Cloudy leaving Houlton and Light Rain near Portland.

Trip Questions

Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.

How long does it take to drive from Houlton to Portland?

The road trip is about 247.4 miles (398.1 km) and usually takes 03h 45m in normal driving conditions.

Is this a same-day trip or an overnight route?

This is still possible in one day, but it becomes a long driving day. Leaving early and planning your stop window matters more here.

What is the halfway point on this route?

Hampden is a useful midpoint, sitting about 123.6 miles from Houlton and 123.8 miles from Portland.

How much longer is the road route than the straight-line distance?

The direct path is about 207.6 miles (334.1 km), while the road route adds roughly 39.8 extra miles because roads do not follow the straight air line.

When is the best time to leave for this route?

A good departure window is usually 6:00 AM to 8:00 AM EDT. If you want a more comfortable same-day return, try to leave by 9:30 AM EDT.

How much will gas cost for this route?

Using about 28.3 MPG, regular gas is estimated at $34.44 one way or $68.88 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 77.6 kg one way.

What should you check before leaving?

Before you leave, expect Mostly Cloudy around Houlton and Light Rain near Portland.

Stop Ideas Near Hampden

Useful break, food, and waypoint ideas within about 15 miles of the route midpoint.

Mid-route Guidance
Local place coverage is thin around Hampden, so nearby transit and meeting points are shown instead.
Reviewed stop coverage is still thin around this midpoint, so practical transit waypoints are shown on the right.

Transit and Meeting Points

Useful pickup, handoff, or rendezvous points close to Hampden.

BUS

Bangor, Maine

8 mi away
1039 Union St.
BUS

Orono (University of Maine), Maine

22 mi away
Squapan Rd and Gym Dr
BUS

Searsport, Maine

32 mi away
161 East Main St.
BUS

Belfast, Maine

39 mi away
Belmont Ave & US Hwy 1

Flight Path Map

This map shows the direct air route between Houlton and Portland. Straight-line distance: 207.61 mi (334.12 km).

Houlton

#1 Houlton

Town in Maine, USA

Population5,766
Coordinates46.1261600, -67.8403000
Altitude110
CountryUnited States
Portland

#2 Portland

The most populous city in Cumberland County, Maine.

Population66,803
Coordinates43.6573700, -70.2589000
Altitude19
CountryUnited States
Start: (-67.840576, 46.126163)
End: Congress Street (-70.259094, 43.657504)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 398 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)08h 14m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)06h 11m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)04h 56m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)04h 07m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)03h 32m
80 mph (129 km/h)03h 05m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
8.73 gal
33.04 L · about $34.44
Round trip
$68.88
17.46 gal · 66.08 L
Estimated CO2
77.6 kg one way
Round trip: 155.2 kg / 342 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $3.95 $34.44 $68.88
Mid-grade $4.46 $38.91 $77.82
Premium $4.86 $42.41 $84.82
Diesel $6.00 $52.35 $104.71

Assumes 8.3 L/100 km (about 28.3 MPG). CO2 is an estimate and varies by vehicle, fuel blend, traffic, and terrain.

Prices in Maine · May 30, 2026

There is no time difference between Houlton and Portland. The current time is 02:12:37.

Distance to Other Cities

Planning a road trip? See the full trip guide on Trip.ovh — stops, fuel costs, weather, and departure timing.

How did we calculate? Place names are translated into coordinates. The Haversine formula calculates straight-line distance; driving distance uses road network data.