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Trip from Auburn, WA to Tacoma, WA

Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards

Drive Time

21m

Distance

14 mi

22 km

Drive Score

7/10

Good drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$3

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 6 min
4 AM
0h 20m ★
6 AM
0h 22m
8 AM
0h 26m
10 AM
0h 23m
12 PM
0h 23m
3 PM
0h 23m
5 PM
0h 25m
8 PM
0h 21m

Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.

Best Time Drive vs Fly
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city in King County, Washington, United States of America

Auburn, WA

Wikimedia Commons

Trip Overview

This short 14-mile drive from Auburn to Tacoma, Washington, will take you about 19 minutes to complete. It's a local road trip, perfect for a single day of exploration within the Pacific Coast region. With a projected fuel cost of just $3, this is an economical option for getting between these two Washington cities. The route is characterized by frequent turns, making it a more engaging, hands-on driving experience rather than a straightforward highway cruise. You won't need an overnight stay for this journey, and its brevity allows for plenty of flexibility in your schedule.

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
I 5 7.2 mi 9m
State Route 18 2.7 mi 3m
I 705 0.3 mi <1m
Tacoma Avenue South 0.3 mi <1m
South 15th Street 0.3 mi <1m
East Main Street 0.2 mi <1m
C Street Southwest 0.2 mi <1m
South 11th Street <0.1 mi <1m
Longest stretch: I 5 — 7.2 mi, about 9m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Auburn, WA and Tacoma, 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

2.7 mi · 3 min · State Route 18
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
5

Take the exit

0.6 mi · 1 min
Toward I 5: Seattle, Tacoma Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6

Keep slight left at fork

0.6 mi · 1 min
Toward I 5 South, WA 161: Enchanted Parkway South, Tacoma Use the straight lane.
7

Keep slight left at fork

0.2 mi · 31 sec
Toward I 5 South: Tacoma
8

Merge onto I 5

7.2 mi · 9 min · I 5
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9

Take the exit

0.1 mi · 19 sec
Exit 133 Toward WA 7 South, I 705 North: City Center, Tacoma Dome
10

Keep slight right at fork

334 ft · 8 sec
Toward I 705 North: City Center, Tacoma Dome Station
11

Keep slight left at fork

0.4 mi · 50 sec
Toward I 705 North: City Center Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12

Merge onto I 705

0.3 mi · 22 sec · I 705
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13

Take the exit

0.3 mi · 37 sec
Toward A Street, City Center Use the slight left lane.
14

Keep slight left at fork

0.2 mi · 31 sec
Toward South 15 Street, Pacific Avenue Use the slight left / straight lanes.
15

Continue on South 15th Street

0.3 mi · 59 sec · South 15th Street
Use the straight / left / right lanes.
16

Turn right onto Tacoma Avenue South

0.3 mi · 49 sec · Tacoma Avenue South
17

Turn right onto South 11th Street

43 ft · 1 sec · South 11th Street
18

Arrive at destination

South 11th Street

Heads-up: tricky spots

5 of 16

5 decision points cluster between mile 0.2 and 13.2 — 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.
7
3.4 mi into trip | ~5m in

Take the exit toward I 5: Seattle, Tacoma

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Use the straight / slight right lanes. Toward I 5: Seattle, Tacoma
8
4 mi into trip | ~6m in

Keep slight left at fork toward I 5 South, WA 161: Enchanted Parkway South, Tacoma

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Use the straight lane. Toward I 5 South, WA 161: Enchanted Parkway Sou...
8
12.9 mi into trip | ~18m in

Take the exit toward A Street, City Center

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Use the slight left lane. Toward A Street, City Center
9
13.2 mi into trip | ~19m in

Keep slight left at fork toward South 15 Street, Pacific Avenue

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Use the slight left / straight lanes. Toward South 15 Street, Pacific Avenue

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$2.93 one way

$5.86 round trip

$5.32/gal 25.4 MPG avg 5 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $5.58 $3.07 $6.15
premium $5.77 $3.18 $6.36
diesel $5.61 $3.09 $6.18

No toll roads detected on this route.

Drive Cost (one way)

Fuel

$3

Estimated CO2 emission: 4.9 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $1 in charging · 0 stops · 60% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 4.2 0 $1.47 $0.67
Efficient EV 3.5 0 $1.22 $0.56
EV Truck/SUV 5.6 0 $1.96 $0.90

Gas CO2

5 kg

EV CO2

2 kg (60% 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.

Forecast as of Apr 16, 2026

Origin

Auburn, WA

Late night in Auburn on Sunday

Local time

1:49 AM

PDT

Current temp

57°F

Patchy Frost then Sunny

SSW 5 mph 3% chance Live forecast

Freeze Warning

Freeze Warning issued April 16 at 6:46AM PDT until April 17 at 9:00AM PDT by NWS Pendleton OR

Freeze Warning

Freeze Warning issued April 16 at 6:46AM PDT until April 17 at 9:00AM PDT by NWS Pendleton OR

Destination

Tacoma, WA

Late night in Tacoma on Sunday

Local time

1:49 AM

PDT

Current temp

59°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

2 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

21m on the road

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.

What kind of drive is this?

Expect a 'turn-heavy local drive' on this route, with no highway percentage to speak of. This means you'll be navigating city streets and local roads for the entire 14 miles, primarily using C Street Southwest and WA 18 West. There isn't a 'longest stretch' here in the traditional sense, as the journey is broken up by frequent intersections and turns. The road's personality is that of a typical urban and suburban transit, requiring your attention for constant adjustments. You'll likely experience a mix of traffic conditions as you make your way across town.

73% 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: 7.2 mi on I 5.

How Hard Is This Drive?

10/10

This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 5 and State Route 18. 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 14 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 21m.

Where does it get tricky?

The main spots that need attention: at 0.2 miles (C Street Southwest): Lane positioning matters here; at 3.4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 4 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.

Towns Mentioned on Route Signs

Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.

Between Auburn, WA and Tacoma, WA, road signs point toward Tacoma Dome, Tacoma Dome Station and City Center.

Tacoma Dome

12 mi in | ~17m

Tacoma Dome Station

12.1 mi in | ~17m

City Center

12.9 mi in | ~18m

Who Is This Route For?

Weekend Trip

Doable as a same-day drive at 21m. Total distance: 14 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

21m drive, comfortable solo distance.

EV Driver

0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (73%). Some complex stretches to watch for.

Frequently Asked Questions

The longest stretch is about 7.2 miles on I 5. 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 Tacoma, 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 3.4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 4 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. 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 Tacoma, 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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