Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Sep 8, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 20m
Distance
55.1 mi
89 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$12
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Auburn, WA
Wikimedia Commons
Lake Stevens, WA
JOHN CALLERY
Auburn to Lake Stevens is 55.1 miles and takes about 1 hour 20 minutes via I 405 and State Route 9, with a fuel budget near $12 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within Washington's Pacific Coast region, offering a straightforward drive. You'll primarily be on highways, making it a quick transit rather than an extended exploration. Consider this route if you need an efficient way to get from one point to another without significant detours.
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 405 | 19.7 mi | 24m |
| State Route 9 | 13.9 mi | 21m |
| Valley Freeway | 11.1 mi | 13m |
| South Lake Stevens Road | 2.9 mi | 7m |
| WA 522 | 2.4 mi | 2m |
| East Lakeshore Drive | 0.8 mi | 2m |
| Main Street | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| East Main Street | 0.2 mi | <1m |
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 88 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
2 PM
~5,551 veh/hr typical
Quietest
2 AM
~437 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
12.7×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
Averaged across 105 weeks of 2023 FHWA Travel Monitoring Analysis System data. Weekday hours only (Mon–Fri).
Step-by-step road directions between Auburn, WA and Lake Stevens, WA.
Start on East Main Street
Turn left onto C Street Southwest
Take the ramp
Merge onto WA 18
Take the exit
Keep slight right at fork
Merge onto WA 167
Take the exit
Merge onto I 405
Keep slight right at fork onto I 405
Take the exit
Keep slight right at fork
Merge onto WA 522
Take the exit
Turn left onto WA 9
Continue on WA 9
Enter roundabout onto WA 9
Continue on WA 9
Enter roundabout onto South Lake Stevens Road
Continue on South Lake Stevens Road
Continue on South Lake Stevens Road
Continue on East Lakeshore Drive
Turn left onto Main Street
Arrive at destination
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
28 mi into the route
Best for: Lunch, fuel, and a longer reset
This sits close to the middle of the route, so it works well for the longest stop of the day.
A short stop after about 12 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
The midpoint is around 27.5 miles from Auburn, WA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
5 decision points cluster between mile 0.2 and 37 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
Turn left onto C Street Southwest
Lane positioning matters here
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
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
Take the exit toward WA 522: Bothell, Woodinville
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Take the exit toward WA 9 North: Snohomish, Arlington
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Regular Gas
$11.60 one way
$23.20 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $5.56 | $12.05 | $24.11 |
| premium | $5.76 | $12.49 | $24.97 |
| diesel | $5.60 | $12.15 | $24.29 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$12
Estimated CO2 emission: 19.3 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-08-31.
Driving Electric?
About $6 in charging · 0 stops · 68% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 16.5 | 0 | $5.79 | $2.64 |
| Efficient EV | 13.8 | 0 | $4.82 | $2.20 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 22 | 0 | $7.71 | $3.53 |
Gas CO2
19 kg
EV CO2
6 kg (68% 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.
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Origin
Evening in Auburn on Monday
Local time
6:31 PM
PDT
Current temp
73°F
Partly Sunny
Destination
Evening in Lake Stevens on Monday
Local time
6:31 PM
PDT
Current temp
71°F
Mostly Cloudy
Time zone
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
The weather snapshot is not static. If you are leaving later, give both cities one more quick forecast check before departure.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
This drive is mostly highway, with 86% of the 55.1 miles on high-speed roads. You'll experience a longest stretch of 19.7 miles on I 405 before transitioning to surface roads. Expect frequent exits and merging traffic as you navigate the freeway system. The Valley Freeway also contributes to the highway feel before you transition to State Route 9.
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 405 and State Route 9. 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.
Demanding - stay alert through the decision-heavy sections
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 55.1 miles you will encounter 18 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.2 miles (C Street Southwest): 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; at 1.1 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Mostly flat terrain
Total Climb
949 ft
Total Descent
815 ft
Highest Point
415 ft
~27.5 mi in
Elevation Range
386 ft
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Auburn, WA and Lake Stevens, WA, road signs point toward Woodinville and Arlington.
Woodinville
Arlington
Founded 1891
Auburn is a city in south King County in the Puget Sound region of Washington.
Top landmarks
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 20m. Total distance: 55.1 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 20m 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.
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, USGS 3DEP for elevation, NPS for national parks, and FHWA TMAS for hourly traffic volumes. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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