Guides › Maine › Portland, Maine
City guide

Portland, Maine

S. state of Maine.

Type CityPopulation 68,408Metro Area Population 550,000

Why go

  • Most populous city in Maine, United States.
  • Served by Portland International Jetport (PWM).

History

Portland is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Maine. Its population was 68,408 at the 2020 census and the Greater Portland metropolitan area has a population of approximately 550,000 people, the most populous metropolitan area in Maine. It is the county seat of Cumberland County. Historically tied to commercial shipping, the marine economy, and light industry, Portland's economy in the 21st century relies mostly on the service sector. The Port of Portland is the second-largest tonnage seaport in the New England area as of 2019.

Airports

Portland International Jetport (PWM) 2.5 mi to the centre
Portland, ME, US — You board from the indoor waiting area — no need to plan for the weather. ✈ 2 airlines (AirTran Airways, JetBlue Airways) · direct flights to 2 destinations incl. Baltimore, New York (OpenFlights route data).
✈ Airlines & flight paths — 2 airlines, 2 direct destinations
  • AirTran Airways FL (737-700) · 1 route: Baltimore*
  • JetBlue Airways B6 (Embraer 190) · 1 route: New York

Routes and aircraft from OpenFlights (open data; a point-in-time snapshot). * = codeshare. Linked destinations open their own guidebook. Flight numbers are not in the open data — they come from the airline or a paid schedule feed.

Indoor
Brunswick Executive Airport (NHZ) 23 mi to the centre
Brunswick, ME, US — Indoor waiting areas, but some gates board by bus or on foot across the apron — plan for the weather on the day.
Indoor | Outdoor
Scottow Bog Flightpark Ultralightport 5.8 mi to the centre
Scarborough, ME, US
Outdoor
Eric's Field Airport 6.3 mi to the centre
Falmouth, ME, US
Outdoor

Getting there by ferry

Casco Bay Lines Ferry Terminal
Ferry terminal · 0.9 mi from the centre · Casco Bay Lines
Outdoor
Casco Bay Lines
Ferry terminal · 0.9 mi from the centre · Casco Bay Lines
Outdoor
Little Diamond Island Landing
Ferry terminal · 2.8 mi from the centre · Casco Bay Lines
Outdoor
Peaks Island Wharf
Ferry terminal · 3.3 mi from the centre · Casco Bay Lines
Outdoor
Jones Wharf
Ferry terminal · 3.3 mi from the centre · Casco Bay Lines
Outdoor
Great Diamond Island Landing
Ferry terminal · 3.4 mi from the centre · Casco Bay Lines
Outdoor
Portland - Little Diamond
Ferry route · Casco Bay Lines
Outdoor
Portland - Peaks Island
Ferry route · Casco Bay Lines
Outdoor
Cushing's Island Ferry
Ferry route
Outdoor
Inner Bay Islands
Ferry route · Casco Bay Lines
Outdoor
Little Diamond - Great Diamond
Ferry route · Casco Bay Lines
Outdoor
Great Diamond - Diamond Cove
Ferry route · Casco Bay Lines
Outdoor
Diamond Cove - Long Island
Ferry route · Casco Bay Lines
Outdoor
Down Bay Islands
Ferry route · Casco Bay Lines
Outdoor

Where things are

Full geo-intelligence in Better Mapping →
Local search powered by Geoverts and geo-intelligence by Better Mapping base map © OSM

Photographs

Portland, Maine
Portland, Maine
credit: Wikipedia / Wikimedia Commons · See source page

When to go

Tourist season
May – September

The warmer, longer-day half of the year is the safest bet for a first visit.

Shoulder season
April, October

Cooler and quieter, with fewer visitors and better value.

Worth avoiding
Deep winter

Short days and the coldest weather — check local conditions before travelling.

Getting there & around

Getting there. The nearest airport on record is Portland International Jetport (PWM); 6 other airports serve the wider area. Check rail and road links from the tourism sources below. By air: PWM has direct flights to 2 destinations on 2 airlines (incl. Baltimore, New York). By water: 6 ferry terminals within 12 mi (nearest: Casco Bay Lines Ferry Terminal, 0.9 mi); routes include Portland - Little Diamond, Portland - Peaks Island, Cushing's Island Ferry.

Getting around. Use the map above to orient yourself; nearby hotels, attractions and places to eat are listed from the live Ultimate data for Portland, Maine. Local transit details will be added as the guide is expanded.

Local transit

Greater Portland Metro Bus
Bus, Metro · Portland, Maine · Schedules & GTFS data (official feed)
Lakes Region Explorer
Public transit · Schedules & GTFS data
South Portland
Public transit · Schedules & GTFS data

Trains & rail

Amtrak
National rail

Coaches & shuttles

Greyhound
Intercity coach
Jefferson Lines
Intercity coach
MegaBus
Intercity coach
Trailways
Intercity coach

Private aviation

On-demand charter, jet cards and the semi-private scheduled carriers that serve this city.

Jet Linx
Jet card, management · Managed fleet across US bases · Locally based jet card and aircraft management with private terminals in ~20 US cities.
Blade
Helicopter, by-the-seat · Helicopters, seaplanes, jets via partners · By-the-seat helicopters Manhattan–JFK/Newark and the Hamptons; jet charter through partners.
Wheels Up
Membership charter · King Air 350i, Citation, Hawker, Global · US membership and on-demand charter; Delta Air Lines is a major shareholder.
Aero
Semi-private scheduled · Embraer 135 (16 seats) · First-class-only scheduled flights from Van Nuys to Aspen, Sun Valley, Cabo and Europe in summer.
Clay Lacy Aviation
Charter, management, FBO · Managed fleet, light to ultra-long-range · Charter, management and FBOs at Van Nuys and Orange County; the original Hollywood jet operator.

Tours & experiences

Quack N' Cruise Portland Maine (Maine Duck Tours)
Boat Tour