Origin
Centralia, WA
Night in Centralia on Saturday
Local time
9:19 PM
PDT
Current temp
60°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Centralia, WA to Auburn, WA
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 21m
Distance
64.8 mi
104 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$14
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 15m
★
6 AM
1h 22m
8 AM
1h 34m
10 AM
1h 26m
12 PM
1h 25m
3 PM
1h 27m
5 PM
1h 34m
8 PM
1h 18m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Centralia, WA
Wikimedia Commons
Auburn, WA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
This straightforward 64.8-mile drive from Centralia, WA, to Auburn, WA, is easily manageable as a single-day trip, taking approximately 1 hour and 21 minutes. With 95% of the journey on highways, it's a primarily road-focused experience. Expect a fuel cost of around $14 for this relatively short hop within the Pacific Coast region. This route offers a practical and efficient way to travel between these two Washington communities, making it ideal for a quick transit or a day excursion.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 5 | 58.4 mi | 1h 9m |
| State Route 18 | 3.2 mi | 4m |
| Harrison Avenue | 0.7 mi | 1m |
| East Main Street | 0.6 mi | 1m |
| C Street Southwest | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| West Main Street | 0.2 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
I 5
— 58.4 mi, about 1h 9m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Centralia, WA and Auburn, WA.
1
Start on East Main Street
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
East Main Street
2
Continue on Harrison Avenue
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
Harrison Avenue
3
Take the ramp
0.4 mi
·
56 sec
Toward I 5 North
4
Merge onto I 5; US 12
50 mi
·
59 min
·
I 5; US 12
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
5
Keep slight right at fork onto I 5
8.2 mi
·
10 min
·
I 5
Use the slight right lane.
6
Take the exit
0.5 mi
·
1 min
Exit 142A
Toward WA 18 East: Auburn, Muckleshoot Reservation
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Merge onto WA 18
3.2 mi
·
4 min
·
State Route 18
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
43 sec
Toward C Street Southwest
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
At end of road, turn left onto C Street Southwest
0.3 mi
·
48 sec
·
C Street Southwest
Use the left lane.
10
Turn right onto West Main Street
0.2 mi
·
33 sec
·
West Main Street
Use the right lane.
11
Arrive at destination
East Main Street
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
32 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.
Pacing Suggestions
Fuel and coffee
A short stop after about 14 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 32.4 miles from Centralia, 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.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 85 decision points cluster between mile 1.3 and 64.6 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
1.3 mi into trip
|
~3m in
Take the ramp toward I 5 North
Navigation decision point
Toward I 5 North
6
52 mi into trip
|
~1h 4m in
|
I 5
Keep slight right at fork onto I 5
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
8
60.2 mi into trip
|
~1h 14m in
Take the exit toward WA 18 East: Auburn, Muckleshoot Reservation
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 142A
Toward WA 18 East: Auburn, Muckleshoot Reservat...
6
64 mi into trip
|
~1h 19m in
Take the exit toward C Street Southwest
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward C Street Southwest
6
64.6 mi into trip
|
~1h 21m in
|
West Main Street
Turn right onto West Main Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$13.56 one way
$27.12 round trip
$5.32/gal
25.4 MPG avg
23 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $5.58 | $14.22 | $28.45 |
| premium | $5.77 | $14.72 | $29.43 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $14.31 | $28.61 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$14
Estimated CO2 emission: 22.7 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $7 in charging · 0 stops · 65% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 19.4 | 0 | $6.80 | $3.11 |
| Efficient EV | 16.2 | 0 | $5.67 | $2.59 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 25.9 | 0 | $9.07 | $4.15 |
Gas CO2
23 kg
EV CO2
8 kg (65% 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
Night in Auburn on Saturday
Local time
9:19 PM
PDT
Current temp
46°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
46°F
Lakewood, WA
32 mi in
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
14 degrees cooler at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
1h 21m 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?
Primarily a highway-focused drive, this route leans heavily on the efficiency of I-5 and State Route 18, making up 95% of the total mileage. You'll experience a long, uninterrupted stretch of 58.4 miles on I-5, which provides a consistent pace. The inclusion of Harrison Avenue offers a brief shift from the interstate feel as you approach your destination. Overall, expect a driving experience characterized by smooth, open highway conditions for the majority of your travel time.
95% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
11 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 58.4 mi on I 5.
How Hard Is This Drive?
7/10
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 1.3 miles in.
Driving Effort
7/10
Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 64.8 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 1.3 miles: Navigation decision point; at 52 miles (I 5): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 60.2 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. 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 Centralia, WA to Auburn, WA, road signs begin pointing toward Muckleshoot Reservation along the way.
Muckleshoot Reservation
60.2 mi in
|
~1h 14m
About the Cities
Starting in Centralia, WA
Full guide →Centralia is a city in southwestern Washington State. It is a great place to stop for food and supplies when traveling between Seattle and Portland, as it is almost exactly halfway between the two. It is a twin city with Chehalis 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 1h 21m. Total distance: 64.8 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 21m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (95%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 58.4 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 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 1.3 miles: Navigation decision point; at 52 miles (I 5): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 60.2 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
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, and EIA for fuel prices. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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