How far is South Portland, ME from Saco, ME?

The driving distance from South Portland, ME to Saco, ME is about 18.7 miles (30.1 km), with a travel time of about 00h 26m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 14 miles (22.6 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 00h 52m 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
18.69 mi
00h 26m
Flight
14.02 mi
22.56 km direct

This is an easy same-day return drive.

Learn Distance

Choose another destination from South Portland.

Flight Distance

Direct air line
14.02 mi
Kilometers
22.56 km
Flight Time
00h 01m

Driving Distance

Road route
18.69 mi
Kilometers
30.08 km
Drive Time
00h 26m

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 26m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in Saco
Sat, Apr 18, 7:07 PM EDT
Return by in South Portland
Sat, Apr 18, 7:34 PM EDT
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave South Portland
2026-04-18T18:41
Arrive Saco
Sat, Apr 18, 7:07 PM EDT
Route Timing
00h 26m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
7:00 AM to 7:00 PM EDT
Leave when it suits your day
Arrive between
7:26 AM to 7:26 PM EDT

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

Leave by
7:38 PM EDT
Keeps a same-day return open with about 01h 30m at the destination.
Back in South 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
West Scarborough
ME

City in United States of America

From South Portland
8.5 mi
00h 13m
To Saco
10.2 mi
00h 13m

Route Weather Snapshot

Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.

Origin
South Portland Weather
ME
Live fallback forecast
48°F
Saturday
Using Portland as the closest live forecast in the Cumberland County weather hub.

Mostly Cloudy

Starts
Sat, Apr 18 6:00 AM EDT
Wind
5 to 10 mph E
Destination
Saco Weather
ME
Live fallback forecast
49°F
Saturday
Using Biddeford as the closest live forecast in the York County weather hub.

Mostly Cloudy

Starts
Sat, Apr 18 6:00 AM EDT
Wind
5 mph E

Driving Route Map

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

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

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

  1. 1

    Start on Pine Street

    18 m · 10 sec · Pine Street

  2. 2

    Turn sharp left onto Broadway

    1.6 km · 2 min · Broadway

  3. 3

    Turn left onto Broadway

    3.6 mi · 6 min · Broadway

  4. 4

    Take the ramp slight right toward Maine Mall Road

    1214 ft · 30 sec

  5. 5

    Merge slight left onto Samantha Smith Way

    1 mi · 2 min · Samantha Smith Way

  6. 6

    Take the exit left

    2178 ft · 54 sec

  7. 7

    Merge slight left onto Maine Turnpike

    8 mi · 9 min · Maine Turnpike

  8. 8

    Take the exit slight right toward I 195 East: Saco, Old Orchard Beach

    965 ft · 27 sec

  9. 9

    Keep slight left to continue on RT-112 Buxton Rd: Saco, Buxton

    2800 ft · 1 min

  10. 10

    Continue on RT-112 Buxton Rd: Saco, Buxton

    769 ft · 19 sec

  11. 11

    Keep slight right to continue on RT-112 Buxton Rd: Saco, Buxton

    965 ft · 30 sec

  12. 12

    Turn left onto Buxton Road

    65 m · 4 sec · Buxton Road

  13. 13

    Continue on North Street

    1.7 mi · 3 min · North Street

  14. 14

    Turn left onto Main Street

    28 m · 3 sec · Main Street

  15. 15

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec · Main Street

Car Route Details

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

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
15 steps
5 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
5
2 merges, 3 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
80.2 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
Maine Turnpike
7.99 mi · 43%
Broadway
4.53 mi · 24%
North Street
1.73 mi · 9%
Samantha Smith Way
1.44 mi · 8%
RT-112 Buxton Rd
0.86 mi · 5%
Maine Mall Road
0.23 mi · 1%
Longest Stretch

Maine Turnpike

Merge slight left onto Maine Turnpike

7.99 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 26m
Quick drive
Same-Day Return
00h 52m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+4.7 mi
14 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
West Scarborough
00h 13m from South Portland
Leave By
7:38 PM EDT
Flexible departure
Weather Watch

Mostly Cloudy leaving South Portland and Mostly Cloudy near Saco.

Trip Questions

Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.

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

The road trip is about 18.7 miles (30.1 km) and usually takes 00h 26m 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 South Portland and 10.2 miles from Saco.

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

The direct path is about 14 miles (22.6 km), while the road route adds roughly 4.7 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 7:38 PM EDT.

How much will gas cost for this route?

Using about 28.3 MPG, regular gas is estimated at $2.60 one way or $5.21 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 5.9 kg one way.

What should you check before leaving?

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

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 South Portland and Saco. Straight-line distance: 14.02 mi (22.56 km).

South Portland

#1 South Portland

City in Cumberland County, Maine, USA

Population25,950
Coordinates43.6414700, -70.2408800
Altitude7
CountryUnited States
Saco

#2 Saco

City in York County, Maine

Population20,121
Coordinates43.5009200, -70.4428300
Altitude20
CountryUnited States
Start: Pine Street (-70.240981, 43.641461)
End: Main Street (-70.442839, 43.500924)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 30 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)00h 37m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)00h 28m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)00h 22m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)00h 18m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)00h 16m
80 mph (129 km/h)00h 13m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
0.66 gal
2.5 L · about $2.60
Round trip
$5.21
1.32 gal · 5 L
Estimated CO2
5.9 kg one way
Round trip: 11.7 kg / 26 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $3.95 $2.60 $5.21
Mid-grade $4.46 $2.94 $5.88
Premium $4.86 $3.21 $6.41
Diesel $6.00 $3.96 $7.92

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 · Apr 18, 2026

There is no time difference between South Portland and Saco. The current time is 18:41:46.

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.