Origin
Burien, WA
Late night in Burien on Tuesday
Local time
1:12 AM
PDT
Current temp
48°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Burien, WA to Auburn, WA
Pin this tripCompiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 21, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
26m
Distance
18.6 mi
30 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$4
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 24m
★
6 AM
0h 27m
8 AM
0h 31m
10 AM
0h 28m
12 PM
0h 28m
3 PM
0h 28m
5 PM
0h 31m
8 PM
0h 25m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Burien, WA
Wikimedia Commons
Auburn, WA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
This straightforward 18.6-mile drive from Burien, WA, to Auburn, WA, is designed for a single day, taking approximately 26 minutes. Primarily utilizing the Valley Freeway, State Route 518, and I-405, it's a highway-focused journey with an estimated fuel cost of around $4. Given its short distance and duration, this route is easily manageable without an overnight stay. You'll be traveling within the Pacific Coast region throughout the trip, experiencing a quick and efficient transit between these Washington locales. It's a practical option for a simple point-to-point trip.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Valley Freeway | 10 mi | 12m |
| State Route 518 | 3.4 mi | 4m |
| I 405 | 1.5 mi | 1m |
| C Street Northwest | 1.1 mi | 2m |
| Southwest 148th Street | 0.6 mi | 1m |
| 15th Street Northwest | 0.5 mi | 1m |
| WA 518 | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| West Main Street | 0.2 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Valley Freeway
— 10 mi, about 12m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Burien, WA and Auburn, WA.
1
Start on Southwest 148th Street
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
Southwest 148th Street
2
Continue on WA 518
3.4 mi
·
4 min
·
State Route 518
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
3
Keep slight left at fork onto WA 518
0.3 mi
·
22 sec
·
WA 518
Toward I 405 North: Renton
Use the slight left lane.
4
Continue on I 405
1.5 mi
·
1 min
·
I 405
5
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
30 sec
Exit 2
Toward WA 167 South: Renton, Auburn
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
Keep slight right at fork
0.4 mi
·
43 sec
Toward WA 167 South: Kent, Auburn
Use the slight right lane.
7
Merge onto WA 167
10 mi
·
12 min
·
Valley Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
43 sec
Toward 15th Street Northwest
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Turn left onto 15th Street Northwest
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
15th Street Northwest
Use the left / straight lanes.
10
Turn right onto C Street Northwest
1.1 mi
·
2 min
·
C Street Northwest
Use the right lane.
11
Turn left onto West Main Street
0.2 mi
·
33 sec
·
West Main Street
12
Arrive at destination
East Main Street
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 85 decision points cluster between mile 4 and 16.8 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
7
4 mi into trip
|
~5m in
|
WA 518
Keep slight left at fork onto WA 518 toward I 405 North: Renton
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left lane.
Toward I 405 North: Renton
8
5.7 mi into trip
|
~7m in
Take the exit toward WA 167 South: Renton, Auburn
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.
Exit 2
Toward WA 167 South: Renton, Auburn
8
6.2 mi into trip
|
~8m in
Keep slight right at fork toward WA 167 South: Kent, Auburn
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Toward WA 167 South: Kent, Auburn
6
16.5 mi into trip
|
~21m in
Take the exit toward 15th Street Northwest
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward 15th Street Northwest
6
16.8 mi into trip
|
~22m in
|
15th Street Northwest
Turn left onto 15th Street Northwest
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left / straight lanes.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$3.89 one way
$7.79 round trip
$5.32/gal
25.4 MPG avg
7 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $5.58 | $4.08 | $8.16 |
| premium | $5.77 | $4.22 | $8.45 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $4.11 | $8.21 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$4
Estimated CO2 emission: 6.5 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $2 in charging · 0 stops · 71% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 5.6 | 0 | $1.95 | $0.89 |
| Efficient EV | 4.7 | 0 | $1.63 | $0.74 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 7.4 | 0 | $2.60 | $1.19 |
Gas CO2
7 kg
EV CO2
2 kg (71% 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
Auburn, WA
Late night in Auburn on Tuesday
Local time
1:12 AM
PDT
Current temp
67°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
19 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
26m 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 highway-focused experience on this 18.6-mile route, with 81% of the drive taking place on major roadways. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is 10 miles on the Valley Freeway, offering a consistent pace. The character of the drive is largely defined by its efficient, high-speed segments, making it ideal for covering ground quickly. While not designed for scenic exploration, its straightforward nature allows for a focused transit between your origin and destination.
81% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
12 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 10 mi on Valley Freeway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
8/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Valley Freeway and State Route 518. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 4 miles in near WA 518.
Driving Effort
8/10
Focused - busy navigation packed into a short drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 8 decision points packed into just 18.6 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 26m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 4 miles (WA 518): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 5.7 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 6.2 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.
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
On the drive from Burien, WA to Auburn, WA, road signs begin pointing toward 15Th Street Northwest along the way.
15Th Street Northwest
16.5 mi in
|
~21m
About the Cities
Arriving in Auburn, WA
Full guide →Auburn is a city in south King County in the Puget Sound region of Washington.
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 26m. Total distance: 18.6 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
26m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (81%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 10 miles on Valley Freeway. 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 Auburn, 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 4 miles (WA 518): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 5.7 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 6.2 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 Auburn, 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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