Origin
Auburn, WA
Night in Auburn on Saturday
Local time
9:25 PM
PDT
Current temp
46°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Auburn, WA to Kirkland, WA
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
41m
Distance
30.3 mi
49 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$6
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 38m
★
6 AM
0h 42m
8 AM
0h 48m
10 AM
0h 44m
12 PM
0h 43m
3 PM
0h 44m
5 PM
0h 48m
8 PM
0h 39m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Auburn, WA
Wikimedia Commons
Kirkland, WA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
This 30.3-mile drive from Auburn, WA to Kirkland, WA takes approximately 41 minutes, making it a perfect one-day trip. You'll spend most of your time on major freeways, with an 86% highway share, so expect a straightforward journey. The estimated fuel cost for this route is around $6. Since it's a relatively short and efficient drive, you won't need to worry about overnight stays. Both destinations are within the Pacific Coast region, so you'll be staying within familiar territory throughout your travels.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 405 | 14.8 mi | 18m |
| Valley Freeway | 11.1 mi | 13m |
| Northeast 85th Street | 0.7 mi | 1m |
| 7th Avenue | 0.5 mi | 1m |
| East Main Street | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| C Street Southwest | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| State Route 18 | 0.1 mi | <1m |
| 6th Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
I 405
— 14.8 mi, about 18m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Auburn, WA and Kirkland, WA.
1
Start on East Main Street
0.2 mi
·
41 sec
·
East Main Street
2
Turn left onto C Street Southwest
0.2 mi
·
21 sec
·
C Street Southwest
Use the left lane.
3
Take the ramp
0.3 mi
·
44 sec
Toward WA 18 West
Use the right lane.
4
Merge onto WA 18
0.1 mi
·
11 sec
·
State Route 18
5
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
19 sec
Toward WA 167: Renton, Puyallup
Use the slight right lane.
6
Keep slight right at fork
0.6 mi
·
54 sec
Toward WA 167 North: Kent, Renton
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Merge onto WA 167
11 mi
·
13 min
·
Valley Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Take the exit
0.8 mi
·
1 min
Toward I 405 North: Bellevue
Use the slight right lane.
9
Merge onto I 405
15 mi
·
18 min
·
I 405
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
50 sec
Exit 18
Toward Northeast 85th Street, Kirkland
Use the slight right lane.
11
Keep slight left at fork
182 ft
·
6 sec
12
Turn straight onto Northeast 85th Street
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
Northeast 85th Street
Use the straight / right lanes.
13
Turn right onto 6th Street
449 ft
·
17 sec
·
6th Street
14
Turn left onto 7th Avenue
0.1 mi
·
15 sec
·
7th Avenue
15
Continue on 7th Avenue
0.3 mi
·
50 sec
·
7th Avenue
16
Continue on 7th Avenue
0.1 mi
·
18 sec
·
7th Avenue
17
Turn right onto 1st Street
399 ft
·
11 sec
·
1st Street
18
Arrive at destination
1st Street
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 165 decision points cluster between mile 0.2 and 28.5 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
7
0.2 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
C Street Southwest
Turn left onto C Street Southwest
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
6
0.4 mi into trip
|
~1m in
Take the ramp toward WA 18 West
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
Toward WA 18 West
8
0.9 mi into trip
|
~1m in
Take the exit toward WA 167: Renton, Puyallup
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Toward WA 167: Renton, Puyallup
8
1.1 mi into trip
|
~2m in
Keep slight right at fork toward WA 167 North: Kent, Renton
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward WA 167 North: Kent, Renton
8
28.5 mi into trip
|
~37m in
Take the exit toward Northeast 85th Street, Kirkland
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 18
Toward Northeast 85th Street, Kirkland
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$6.34 one way
$12.68 round trip
$5.32/gal
25.4 MPG avg
11 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $5.58 | $6.65 | $13.30 |
| premium | $5.77 | $6.88 | $13.76 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $6.69 | $13.38 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$6
Estimated CO2 emission: 10.6 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $3 in charging · 0 stops · 64% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 9.1 | 0 | $3.18 | $1.45 |
| Efficient EV | 7.6 | 0 | $2.65 | $1.21 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 12.1 | 0 | $4.24 | $1.94 |
Gas CO2
11 kg
EV CO2
4 kg (64% less)
This trip is well within single-charge range for most EVs. No charging stops needed if you start fully charged.
DC fast charging avg $0.35/kWh. Home charging avg $0.16/kWh. US grid CO2: 0.39 kg/kWh.
Travel Intel
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Destination
Kirkland, WA
Night in Kirkland on Saturday
Local time
9:25 PM
PDT
Current temp
49°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Time zone
Same local time
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
3 degrees warmer at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
41m on the road
Use the two city cards together: check the sky where you start, then compare it with the local time and temperature at arrival.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
What kind of drive is this?
This route is predominantly a highway-focused drive, with 86% of the journey taking place on major roads like I-405 and the Valley Freeway. You'll experience a long, uninterrupted stretch of 14.8 miles on I-405, offering a consistent pace. While primarily a freeway experience, Northeast 85th Street will likely introduce some city driving towards the end. Overall, anticipate a smooth, high-speed experience for the majority of your travel time.
86% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
18 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 14.8 mi on I 405.
How Hard Is This Drive?
10/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 405 and Valley Freeway. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 0.2 miles in near C Street Southwest.
Driving Effort
10/10
Focused - lots of decisions in a short distance, but it is over quickly
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 16 decision points packed into just 30.3 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 41m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.2 miles (C Street Southwest): Lane positioning matters here; at 0.4 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 0.9 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 41m. Total distance: 30.3 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
41m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (86%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 14.8 miles on I 405. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
It helps. This route has a higher-than-average number of complex decision points, which get harder in the dark. If the last hour of the trip is on surface roads or mountain grades, aim to arrive at Kirkland, WA before sunset when you can. Check the Trip Plan for departure windows that land you in daylight.
Yes. At under 2 hours behind the wheel, this works well for families — plan one quick stop if you have younger kids.
The main spots that need attention: at 0.2 miles (C Street Southwest): Lane positioning matters here; at 0.4 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 0.9 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Yes — Klondike Gold Rush - Seattle Unit National Historical Park. See the National Parks section for detour distances and tips on detours.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Kirkland, WA before heading back.
How this page is built
Compiled by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy from open government datasets — OSRM over OpenStreetMap for geometry, EIA for fuel prices, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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