How far is Saco, ME from Portland, ME?

The driving distance from Saco, ME to Portland, ME is about 17.1 miles (27.6 km), with a travel time of about 00h 22m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 14.2 miles (22.9 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 00h 44m 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
17.13 mi
00h 22m
Flight
14.2 mi
22.85 km direct

This is an easy same-day return drive.

Learn Distance

Choose another destination from Saco.

Flight Distance

Direct air line
14.2 mi
Kilometers
22.85 km
Flight Time
00h 01m

Driving Distance

Road route
17.13 mi
Kilometers
27.57 km
Drive Time
00h 22m

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 22m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in Portland
Mon, May 4, 11:31 PM EDT
Return by in Saco
Mon, May 4, 11:53 PM EDT
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave Saco
2026-05-04T23:08
Arrive Portland
Mon, May 4, 11:31 PM EDT
Route Timing
00h 22m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
7:00 AM to 7:00 PM EDT
Leave when it suits your day
Arrive between
7:22 AM to 7:22 PM EDT

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

Leave by
7:46 PM EDT
Keeps a same-day return open with about 01h 30m at the destination.
Back in Saco
10:00 PM EDT
Flexible departure

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
West Scarborough
ME

City in United States of America

From Saco
8.5 mi
00h 11m
To Portland
8.7 mi
00h 11m

Route Weather Snapshot

Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.

Origin
Saco Weather
ME
Live fallback forecast
62°F
Monday
Using Biddeford as the closest live forecast in the York County weather hub.

Mostly Sunny

Starts
Mon, May 4 6:00 AM EDT
Wind
5 to 15 mph SW
Destination
58°F
Monday

Mostly Sunny

Starts
Mon, May 4 6:00 AM EDT
Wind
10 to 20 mph SW

Driving Route Map

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

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

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

  1. 1

    Start on Main Street

    28 m · 9 sec · Main Street

  2. 2

    Turn right onto Beach Street

    49 m · 5 sec · Beach Street

  3. 3

    Continue on North Street

    1.4 mi · 3 min · North Street

  4. 4

    Take the ramp left toward I 95 North: Portland

    3039 ft · 1 min

  5. 5

    Merge slight left onto Maine Turnpike

    8.8 mi · 9 min · Maine Turnpike

  6. 6

    Keep slight right to continue on Downtown Portland

    5.2 mi · 7 min

  7. 7

    Take the exit slight right toward ME 100 South

    1367 ft · 40 sec

  8. 8

    Keep slight left

    47 m · 8 sec

  9. 9

    Continue on Forest Avenue

    1078 ft · 34 sec · Forest Avenue

  10. 10

    Turn left onto Portland Street

    1301 ft · 36 sec · Portland Street

  11. 11

    At the end of the road, turn right onto Preble Street

    720 ft · 29 sec · Preble Street

  12. 12

    At the end of the road, turn left onto Congress Street

    48 m · 5 sec · Congress Street

  13. 13

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec · Congress Street

Car Route Details

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

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
13 steps
5 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
3
1 merges, 2 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
76 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
Maine Turnpike
8.75 mi · 51%
Downtown Portland
5.2 mi · 30%
North Street
1.41 mi · 8%
I 95 North
0.58 mi · 3%
ME 100 South
0.29 mi · 2%
Portland Street
0.25 mi · 1%
Longest Stretch

Maine Turnpike

Merge slight left onto Maine Turnpike

8.75 mi · 00h 09m

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 22m
Quick drive
Same-Day Return
00h 44m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+2.9 mi
14.2 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
West Scarborough
00h 11m from Saco
Leave By
7:46 PM EDT
Flexible departure
Weather Watch

Mostly Sunny leaving Saco and Mostly Sunny near Portland.

Trip Questions

Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.

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

The road trip is about 17.1 miles (27.6 km) and usually takes 00h 22m 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?

West Scarborough is a useful midpoint, sitting about 8.5 miles from Saco and 8.7 miles from Portland.

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

The direct path is about 14.2 miles (22.9 km), while the road route adds roughly 2.9 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 7:46 PM EDT.

How much will gas cost for this route?

Using about 28.3 MPG, regular gas is estimated at $2.37 one way or $4.73 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 5.3 kg one way.

What should you check before leaving?

Before you leave, expect Mostly Sunny around Saco and Mostly Sunny near Portland.

Stop Ideas Near West Scarborough

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

Mid-route Guidance
Local place coverage is thin around West Scarborough, 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 West Scarborough.

RAIL

Old Orchard Beach

6 mi away
11 First Street
RAIL

Saco Transportation Center

10 mi away
130 Main Street
RAIL

Portland Transportation Center

12 mi away
100 Thompson's Point Road
RAIL

Wells Regional Transportation Center

33 mi away
696 Sanford Road

Flight Path Map

This map shows the direct air route between Saco and Portland. Straight-line distance: 14.2 mi (22.85 km).

Saco

#1 Saco

City in York County, Maine

Population20,121
Coordinates43.5009200, -70.4428300
Altitude20
CountryUnited States
Portland

#2 Portland

The most populous city in Cumberland County, Maine.

Population66,803
Coordinates43.6573700, -70.2589000
Altitude19
CountryUnited States
Start: Main Street (-70.442839, 43.500924)
End: Congress Street (-70.259094, 43.657504)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 28 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)00h 34m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)00h 25m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)00h 20m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)00h 17m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)00h 14m
80 mph (129 km/h)00h 12m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
0.6 gal
2.29 L · about $2.37
Round trip
$4.73
1.2 gal · 4.58 L
Estimated CO2
5.3 kg one way
Round trip: 10.7 kg / 24 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $3.95 $2.37 $4.73
Mid-grade $4.46 $2.67 $5.35
Premium $4.86 $2.91 $5.83
Diesel $6.00 $3.60 $7.20

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 05, 2026

There is no time difference between Saco and Portland. The current time is 23:08:59.

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.