How far is Portland, ME from Cape Elizabeth, ME?

The driving distance from Portland, ME to Cape Elizabeth, ME is about 8.3 miles (13.4 km), with a travel time of about 00h 19m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 7.1 miles (11.4 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 00h 39m of driving time before adding stops, traffic, or weather delays.
  • A comfortable departure window is usually 7:00 AM to 7:00 PM EDT.
Trip Tools

Reverse, save, or send this route

This is an easy same-day return drive. Copy the route link, send it to another device, or print a clean version before you head out.

Reverse Route
Quick Snapshot
Road
8.35 mi
00h 19m
Flight
7.11 mi
11.44 km direct

This is an easy same-day return drive.

Learn Distance

Choose another destination from Portland.

Flight Distance

Direct air line
7.11 mi
Kilometers
11.44 km
Flight Time

Driving Distance

Road route
8.35 mi
Kilometers
13.43 km
Drive Time
00h 19m

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 00h 19m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in Cape Elizabeth
Mon, Jun 1, 2:13 PM EDT
Return by in Portland
Mon, Jun 1, 2:33 PM EDT
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave Portland
2026-06-01T13:54
Arrive Cape Elizabeth
Mon, Jun 1, 2:13 PM EDT
Route Timing
00h 19m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
7:00 AM to 7:00 PM EDT
Leave when it suits your day
Arrive between
7:20 AM to 7:20 PM EDT

This is a short drive, so your comfort window is wide. Traffic and current weather matter more than the clock.

Leave by
7:50 PM EDT
Keeps a same-day return open with about 01h 30m at the destination.
Back in Portland
10:00 PM EDT
Flexible departure

This departure sits inside the recommended comfort window for the route.

Halfway Point

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

Mid-route stop
South Portland
ME

City in Cumberland County, Maine, USA

From Portland
4.2 mi
00h 09m
To Cape Elizabeth
4.2 mi
00h 09m

Route Weather Snapshot

Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.

Origin
55°F
Monday

Chance Rain Showers

Starts
Mon, Jun 1 6:00 AM EDT
Wind
10 mph E
Destination
Cape Elizabeth Weather
ME
Live fallback forecast
58°F
Monday
Using Scarborough as the closest live forecast in the Cumberland County weather hub.

Rain Showers Likely

Starts
Mon, Jun 1 6:00 AM EDT
Wind
5 to 10 mph E

Driving Route Map

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

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Portland and Cape Elizabeth.

  1. 1

    Start on Congress Street

    151 m · 23 sec · Congress Street

  2. 2

    Turn left onto Brown Street

    100 m · 19 sec · Brown Street

  3. 3

    Turn left onto Free Street

    78 m · 15 sec · Free Street

  4. 4

    Turn right onto Center Street

    692 ft · 30 sec · Center Street

  5. 5

    Turn slight right onto Fore Street

    63 m · 8 sec · Fore Street

  6. 6

    Continue on York Street

    1996 ft · 51 sec · York Street

  7. 7

    Turn left onto Casco Bay Bridge

    1.1 mi · 2 min · Casco Bay Bridge

  8. 8

    Continue on Broadway

    1007 ft · 20 sec · Broadway

  9. 9

    Turn right onto Ocean House Street

    1037 ft · 26 sec · Ocean House Street

  10. 10

    Continue on Ocean Street

    2519 ft · 52 sec · Ocean Street

  11. 11

    Continue on Ocean House Street

    1055 ft · 21 sec · Ocean House Street

  12. 12

    Continue on Ocean House Road

    3.7 mi · 7 min · Ocean House Road

  13. 13

    Turn slight left onto Two Lights Road

    530 ft · 23 sec · Two Lights Road

  14. 14

    Keep slight left to continue on Two Lights Road

    1.5 km · 4 min · Two Lights Road

  15. 15

    Continue on Two Lights Road

    3131 ft · 2 min · Two Lights Road

  16. 16

    Turn right

    55 m · 13 sec

  17. 17

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec

Car Route Details

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

OSRM road route
Drive Character

Turn-heavy local drive

The route has frequent decision points for its length, so lane choice and turn timing will matter more than cruising speed.

Directions
17 steps
8 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
0
0 merges, 0 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
204.8 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
Ocean House Road
3.72 mi · 45%
Two Lights Road
1.63 mi · 20%
Casco Bay Bridge
1.14 mi · 14%
Ocean Street
0.48 mi · 6%
Ocean House Street
0.4 mi · 5%
York Street
0.38 mi · 5%
Longest Stretch

Ocean House Road

Continue on Ocean House Road

3.72 mi · 00h 07m

Route Summary

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

Trip Read

A short regional drive

This route is short enough to handle as a quick errand, commute, or easy same-day return without much planning overhead.

Drive Time
00h 19m
Quick drive
Same-Day Return
00h 40m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+1.2 mi
7.1 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
South Portland
00h 09m from Portland
Leave By
7:50 PM EDT
Flexible departure
Weather Watch

Chance Rain Showers leaving Portland and Rain Showers Likely near Cape Elizabeth.

Trip Questions

Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.

How long does it take to drive from Portland to Cape Elizabeth?

The road trip is about 8.3 miles (13.4 km) and usually takes 00h 19m in normal driving conditions.

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

This route is short enough to handle as a quick errand, commute, or easy same-day return without much planning overhead.

What is the halfway point on this route?

South Portland is a useful midpoint, sitting about 4.2 miles from Portland and 4.2 miles from Cape Elizabeth.

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

The direct path is about 7.1 miles (11.4 km), while the road route adds roughly 1.2 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 7:00 AM to 7:00 PM EDT. If you want a more comfortable same-day return, try to leave by 7:50 PM EDT.

How much will gas cost for this route?

Using about 28.3 MPG, regular gas is estimated at $1.14 one way or $2.29 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 2.6 kg one way.

What should you check before leaving?

Before you leave, expect Chance Rain Showers around Portland and Rain Showers Likely near Cape Elizabeth.

Stop Ideas Near South Portland

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

Mid-route Guidance
Local place coverage is thin around South Portland, 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 South Portland.

RAIL

Portland Transportation Center

4 mi away
100 Thompson's Point Road
RAIL

Old Orchard Beach

18 mi away
11 First Street
RAIL

Saco Transportation Center

23 mi away
130 Main Street
RAIL

Freeport

26 mi away
36 Depot Street

Flight Path Map

This map shows the direct air route between Portland and Cape Elizabeth. Straight-line distance: 7.11 mi (11.44 km).

Portland

#1 Portland

The most populous city in Cumberland County, Maine.

Population66,803
Coordinates43.6573700, -70.2589000
Altitude19
CountryUnited States
Cape Elizabeth

#2 Cape Elizabeth

Town in Cumberland County, Maine, USA

Population9,322
Coordinates43.5637000, -70.2000500
Altitude6
CountryUnited States
Start: Portland (-70.2589, 43.65737)
End: Cape Elizabeth (-70.20005, 43.5637)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 13 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)00h 16m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)00h 12m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)00h 10m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)00h 08m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)00h 07m
80 mph (129 km/h)00h 06m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
0.29 gal
1.11 L · about $1.14
Round trip
$2.29
0.58 gal · 2.22 L
Estimated CO2
2.6 kg one way
Round trip: 5.2 kg / 11 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $3.95 $1.14 $2.29
Mid-grade $4.46 $1.29 $2.59
Premium $4.86 $1.41 $2.82
Diesel $6.00 $1.74 $3.48

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 · Jun 01, 2026

There is no time difference between Portland and Cape Elizabeth. The current time is 13:54:10.

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.