Origin
Bainbridge Island, WA
Morning in Bainbridge Island on Sunday
Local time
8:57 AM
PDT
Current temp
47°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Bainbridge Island, WA to Seattle, WA
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
46m
Distance
10.5 mi
17 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$2
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 42m
★
6 AM
0h 46m
8 AM
0h 54m
10 AM
0h 49m
12 PM
0h 48m
3 PM
0h 49m
5 PM
0h 53m
8 PM
0h 44m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Bainbridge Island, WA
Wikimedia Commons
Seattle, WA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Crossing from Bainbridge Island to Seattle is a quick, 10.5-mile journey that fits perfectly into a single day. You will spend about 46 minutes completing this trip, which relies heavily on the Seattle–Bainbridge Ferry rather than traditional highways. Because the route stays entirely within the Pacific Coast region, you won't encounter major terrain shifts, but the transition from island life to the city is distinct. With a fuel budget of just $2, this is an incredibly economical way to travel between these two points. It is a straightforward trip that serves as a practical link for commuters or visitors looking to explore both sides of the water without needing an overnight stay.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Seattle–Bainbridge Ferry | 8.5 mi | 37m |
| Alaskan Way South | 0.6 mi | 2m |
| Spring Street | 0.3 mi | 1m |
| Winslow Way East | 0.3 mi | 1m |
| Colman Dock | 0.2 mi | 1m |
| Bainbridge Island Ferry Terminal | 0.2 mi | 1m |
| Olympic Drive Southeast | <0.1 mi | <1m |
| Madison Avenue North | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Seattle–Bainbridge Ferry
— 8.5 mi, about 37m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Bainbridge Island, WA and Seattle, WA.
1
Start on Madison Avenue North
490 ft
·
24 sec
·
Madison Avenue North
2
Turn left onto Winslow Way East
0.3 mi
·
1 min
·
Winslow Way East
Use the left lane.
3
Turn right onto WA 305
526 ft
·
16 sec
·
Olympic Drive Southeast
Use the right lane.
4
Turn slight right onto WA 305
0.2 mi
·
1 min
·
Bainbridge Island Ferry Terminal
5
Continue on WA 305
8.5 mi
·
37 min
·
Seattle–Bainbridge Ferry
6
Continue on WA 305
157 ft
·
9 sec
·
Colman Dock
7
Continue on WA 305
0.2 mi
·
1 min
·
Colman Dock
Use the straight lane.
8
Turn right onto WA 519
0.2 mi
·
42 sec
·
Alaskan Way South
9
Continue on WA 519
0.4 mi
·
1 min
·
Alaskan Way South
10
Turn right onto Spring Street
0.3 mi
·
1 min
·
Spring Street
Use the straight / right lanes.
11
Turn right onto 5th Avenue
309 ft
·
14 sec
·
5th Avenue
Use the right lane.
12
Turn right onto Madison Street
113 ft
·
9 sec
·
Madison Street
13
Turn left
31 ft
·
2 sec
14
Arrive at destination
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 85 decision points cluster between mile 0.1 and 10.4 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
6
0.1 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
Winslow Way East
Turn left onto Winslow Way East
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
5
0.4 mi into trip
|
~1m in
|
WA 305 / Olympic Drive Southeast
Turn right onto WA 305 / Olympic Drive Southeast
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
5
9.4 mi into trip
|
~41m in
|
WA 519 / Alaskan Way South
Turn right onto WA 519 / Alaskan Way South
Navigation decision point
6
10 mi into trip
|
~44m in
|
Spring Street
Turn right onto Spring Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
6
10.4 mi into trip
|
~45m in
|
5th Avenue
Turn right onto 5th Avenue
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$2.20 one way
$4.40 round trip
$5.32/gal
25.4 MPG avg
4 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $5.58 | $2.30 | $4.61 |
| premium | $5.77 | $2.38 | $4.77 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $2.32 | $4.64 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$2
Estimated CO2 emission: 3.7 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $1 in charging · 0 stops · 75% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 3.2 | 0 | $1.10 | $0.50 |
| Efficient EV | 2.6 | 0 | $0.92 | $0.42 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 4.2 | 0 | $1.47 | $0.67 |
Gas CO2
4 kg
EV CO2
1 kg (75% 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
Seattle, WA
Morning in Seattle on Sunday
Local time
8:57 AM
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
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
46m 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?
Expect a turn-heavy local drive that feels vastly different from a typical highway commute. With 0% of this route classified as highway, your journey is defined by the 8.5-mile stretch spent on the water via the Seattle–Bainbridge Ferry. Once you dock, the character shifts immediately to urban navigation through Alaskan Way South and Spring Street. You won't find any long, monotonous stretches here, as the route requires focused maneuvering through local streets once you reach the mainland. It is an engaging, low-speed transit experience that prioritizes nautical travel over asphalt distance.
Only 0% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
14 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 8.5 mi on Seattle–Bainbridge Ferry.
How Hard Is This Drive?
5/10
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. You will hit about 8 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 0.1 miles in near Winslow Way East.
Driving Effort
5/10
Moderate - straightforward overall, but long enough or busy enough to require pacing
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 10.5 miles you will encounter 8 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 0.1 miles (Winslow Way East): Lane positioning matters here; at 0.4 miles (WA 305 / Olympic Drive Southeast): Lane positioning matters here; at 9.4 miles (WA 519 / Alaskan Way South): Navigation decision point.
Elevation Profile
Mostly flat terrain
179 ft
-1 ft
Total Climb
180 ft
Total Descent
96 ft
Highest Point
179 ft
~10.5 mi in
Elevation Range
180 ft
About the Cities
Arriving in Seattle, WA
Full guide →Seattle, Washington sits at one of the most beautiful spots in the United States. Occupying a narrow isthmus between the Puget Sound and Lake Washington, it is the biggest city in the Pacific Northwest, with 780,000 people in Seattle and over four million people in the metro area. Seen from above, carpets of evergreen trees, pristine blue waters, and snowy white mountains surround the downtown's metallic skyscrapers, earning the city its nickname The Emerald City. On the ground, you will find a vibrant and cosmopolitan city. Next to the progressive downtown and the freewheeling feel of Capitol Hill, you can find a laid-back atmosphere in the districts to the north and ethnically diverse neighborhoods to the south.
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 46m. Total distance: 10.5 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
46m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (0%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile with national parks nearby.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 8.5 miles on Seattle–Bainbridge Ferry. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
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 0.1 miles (Winslow Way East): Lane positioning matters here; at 0.4 miles (WA 305 / Olympic Drive Southeast): Lane positioning matters here; at 9.4 miles (WA 519 / Alaskan Way South): Navigation decision point.
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 Seattle, 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, USGS 3DEP for elevation, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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