Portland International Jetport, which accommodates more than 1.2 million passengers annually, is 10 minutes from the downtown area. The Jetport is served by six major carriers. Intrastate flights are available from several major cities. Airport limousine and bus service is offered to and from Portland and other major cities in Maine.
Interstate highways 95 (Maine Turnpike) and 295 provide direct and convenient access to Portland's employment and population centers. Canadian roads join the Maine Turnpike from the north. Concord Trailways buses stop at Portland enroute between Boston and Bangor; Vermont Transit offers frequent service among Portland, Boston, and Maine's coastal and inland points. Amtrak's new Downeaster route runs four daily round-trips between Portland and Boston, with stops at eight communities in between.
From April to October the Scotia Prince provides passenger and auto ferry service between Portland and Yarmouth, Nova Scotia, Canada. Large oceangoing vessels can dock at the Port of Portland; each year, Portland hosts an average of 40 cruise ships.
Perhaps the best way to explore Portland, a small and interesting city, is on foot. The Chamber of Commerce and Convention and Visitors Bureau provide walking tour brochures. The Metro bus service operates eight daily routes throughout the city. The new Portland Explorer Express Bus Service runs between major downtown locations, the Maine Mall, the bus-rail station, and the airport. Taxi service is available, as well as ferry service to the Casco Bay Islands.