Skip to main content

Trip from Cosmopolis, 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

2h 26m

Distance

110.8 mi

178 km

Drive Score

8/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$23

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 30 min
4 AM
2h 16m ★
6 AM
2h 26m
8 AM
2h 46m
10 AM
2h 33m
12 PM
2h 31m
3 PM
2h 34m
5 PM
2h 45m
8 PM
2h 20m

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

Downtown Cosmopolis, WA, WA

Cosmopolis, WA

Boris Hamer

city in and county seat of King County, State of Washington, United States

Seattle, WA

Wikimedia Commons

Trip Overview

This 110.8-mile drive from Cosmopolis, WA to Seattle, WA is a manageable one-day trip, taking approximately 2 hours and 26 minutes. Primarily utilizing I-5 and WA 8, with a portion on Olympic Highway, this route offers a highway-focused experience. With an estimated fuel cost of $23, it's an economical option for a quick journey. The drive efficiently connects you from the Pacific Coast region to another coastal area, making it a straightforward transition. Given its relatively short duration and highway nature, it’s well-suited for a single day of travel without needing an overnight stop.

Trip Pace

Same-day drive is realistic

A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.

Midpoint

55.4 miles from Cosmopolis, WA

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 1h 16m into the drive .

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
I 5 60.8 mi 1h 15m
WA 8 21.1 mi 26m
Olympic Highway 10.1 mi 12m
State Route 107 7 mi 12m
US 101 5.4 mi 7m
1st Street 4.1 mi 6m
South Main Street 0.8 mi 1m
F Street 0.1 mi <1m
Longest stretch: I 5 — 60.8 mi, about 1h 15m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Cosmopolis, WA and Seattle, WA.

1

Start on 3rd Street

21 ft · 2 sec · 3rd Street
2

Turn right onto F Street

0.1 mi · 27 sec · F Street
3

Turn right onto US 101

4.1 mi · 6 min · 1st Street
Use the left lane.
4

Turn left onto WA 107

7.0 mi · 12 min · State Route 107
Use the left lane.
5

Continue on WA 107

0.8 mi · 1 min · South Main Street
6

Take the ramp

0.4 mi · 52 sec
7

Merge onto US 12

10 mi · 12 min · Olympic Highway
8

Continue on WA 8

21 mi · 26 min · WA 8
9

Merge onto US 101

5.4 mi · 7 min · US 101
10

Keep slight left at fork

0.5 mi · 52 sec
11

Merge onto I 5

29 mi · 36 min · I 5
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12

Keep slight right at fork onto I 5

32 mi · 39 min · I 5
Use the slight right lane.
13

Take the exit

0.3 mi · 35 sec
Exit 165 Toward Seneca Street Use the slight left lane.
14

Turn left onto Seneca Street

323 ft · 18 sec · Seneca Street
15

Turn left onto 5th Avenue

0.1 mi · 27 sec · 5th Avenue
Use the straight / left lanes.
16

Turn right onto Madison Street

113 ft · 9 sec · Madison Street
17

Turn left

31 ft · 2 sec
18

Arrive at destination

Trip Plan

For this 2 hour and 26 minute drive, consider an early morning departure from Cosmopolis to maximize your time in Seattle and potentially avoid some traffic. The 110.8-mile distance doesn't necessitate many stops, but there are ample opportunities along I-5 for fuel and rest if needed. Keep an eye on your fuel gauge, especially before beginning the 60.8-mile stretch on I-5, as services can be more spread out on the interstate. This short trip offers flexibility, allowing you to easily adjust your schedule based on your needs.

Morning Departure

Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch.

Evening Departure

Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.

You can normally do this drive in one day.
You may only need one short stretch break if traffic stays light.
The halfway point lands around 55.4 miles from Cosmopolis, WA, or about 1h 16m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 60.8 miles.

This is a comfortable same-day trip.

Departure

Before you leave

Start with fuel, water, and navigation already sorted so the first hour feels easy.

First stop

Around 24 miles or 36m in

Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.

Halfway reset

Around 55.4 miles or 1h 16m in

This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.

Final approach

Final hour starts around 2h

Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Seattle, WA than in the middle of the route.

Before You Leave

+

Open the route before leaving Cosmopolis, WA so your first major turns are already loaded.

+

Leave with enough water and a charging cable within reach, not packed away.

+

Check your fuel range against the first long segment, especially if you are starting outside city service areas.

Day 1

Settle into the route from Cosmopolis, WA

This is one driving day of about 110.8 miles and 2h 26m.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 24 miles from Cosmopolis, WA.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
The longest stretch is on I 5 for about 60.8 miles.

Where to Stop

Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.

Downtown Tumwater, WA, WA

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Tumwater, WA

55 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.

Popular next leg

Tumwater, WA to Seattle, WA

62.8 mi · 1h 21m

Pacing Suggestions

Elma, WA

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 24 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Olympia, WA

Meal break

The midpoint is around 55.4 miles from Cosmopolis, WA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Before the longest stretch

Fuel check

Top up before I 5 if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 60.8 miles.

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 14

5 decision points cluster between mile 0.1 and 110.6 — 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 | US 101 / 1st Street

Turn right onto US 101 / 1st Street

Lane positioning matters here

Use the left lane.
6
4.2 mi into trip | ~7m in | WA 107 / State Route 107

Turn left onto WA 107 / State Route 107

Lane positioning matters here

Use the left lane.
6
78.3 mi into trip | ~1h 44m 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.
7
110.3 mi into trip | ~2h 24m in

Take the exit toward Seneca Street

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here

Use the slight left lane. Exit 165 Toward Seneca Street
7
110.6 mi into trip | ~2h 25m in | 5th Avenue

Turn left onto 5th Avenue

Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / left lanes.

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$23.19 one way

$46.38 round trip

$5.32/gal 25.4 MPG avg 39 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $5.58 $24.32 $48.64
premium $5.77 $25.16 $50.32
diesel $5.61 $24.46 $48.93

No toll roads detected on this route.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$23

Meals

$25–$50

Total

$48–$73

Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.

Estimated CO2 emission: 38.8 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $12 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 33.2 0 $11.63 $5.32
Efficient EV 27.7 0 $9.69 $4.43
EV Truck/SUV 44.3 0 $15.51 $7.09

Gas CO2

39 kg

EV CO2

13 kg (67% 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 15, 2026

Origin

Cosmopolis, WA

Morning in Cosmopolis on Sunday

Local time

7:17 AM

PDT

Current temp

46°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Seattle, WA

Morning in Seattle on Sunday

Local time

7:17 AM

PDT

Current temp

49°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Seasonal Notes

Summer travel usually means heavier construction, hotter rest stops, and busier weekend traffic around major cities.

Winter travel shortens daylight, so a route that looks manageable on paper can feel much longer after dark.

Holiday weekends tend to make both departure and arrival windows slower than the raw route time suggests.

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

3 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

2h 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 drive that is predominantly highway, with 85% of the journey on faster roads. You'll encounter an 60.8-mile stretch on I-5, which forms the longest uninterrupted segment. The route transitions from WA 8 to Olympic Highway before merging onto I-5, offering a mix of state routes and the main interstate. While largely focused on efficient travel, the initial sections may offer glimpses of the surrounding landscape before the interstate dominates.

85% 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: 60.8 mi on I 5.

How Hard Is This Drive?

8/10

This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 5 and WA 8. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 0.1 miles in near US 101 / 1st Street.

Driving Effort 8/10

Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers

Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.

This is a demanding drive. With 14 significant decision points across 110.8 miles, you will need to stay alert - especially through interchange areas and urban stretches. Consider splitting it into segments if you are not comfortable with fast highway navigation.

Where does it get tricky?

The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (US 101 / 1st Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 4.2 miles (WA 107 / State Route 107): Lane positioning matters here; at 78.3 miles (I 5): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.

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 2h 26m. Total distance: 110.8 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

2h 26m drive, comfortable solo distance.

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (85%). Some complex stretches to watch for.

Frequently Asked Questions

The longest stretch is about 60.8 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 Seattle, WA before sunset when you can. Check the Trip Plan for departure windows that land you in daylight.

Only with planning. This is a long drive for kids — consider splitting it into two days rather than pushing through. Dedicated rest areas are limited, so plan gas or food stops as your bathroom breaks.

The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (US 101 / 1st Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 4.2 miles (WA 107 / State Route 107): Lane positioning matters here; at 78.3 miles (I 5): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.

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, and EIA for fuel prices. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.

Was this helpful?

Thanks for your feedback!

Your tip has been submitted. Thanks!

/500

Explore More

Explore more options from Cosmopolis, WA or browse trips ending in Seattle, WA.

Looking for more statewide routes? Browse WA road trips.