Origin
Des Moines, WA
Late night in Des Moines on Tuesday
Local time
2:29 AM
PDT
Current temp
68°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Des Moines, WA to Seattle, 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
25m
Distance
17.7 mi
29 km
Drive Score
7/10
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 26m
8 AM
0h 30m
10 AM
0h 27m
12 PM
0h 27m
3 PM
0h 28m
5 PM
0h 30m
8 PM
0h 25m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Des Moines, WA
JOHN CALLERY
Seattle, WA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Des Moines to Seattle is 17.7 miles and takes about 25m via I 5, with a fuel budget near $4 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This quick trip stays within Washington, connecting two points in the Pacific Coast region. Given its short length and highway focus, this route is ideal for a straightforward transfer or a quick errand. Expect minimal travel time, making it easy to fit into a busy schedule without needing an overnight stay.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 5 | 14.2 mi | 17m |
| South 216th Street | 1.6 mi | 3m |
| Military Road South | 0.7 mi | 1m |
| Marine View Drive South | 0.4 mi | 1m |
| 5th Avenue | 0.1 mi | <1m |
| 7th Place South | <0.1 mi | <1m |
| Seneca Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
| Madison Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
I 5
— 14.2 mi, about 17m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Des Moines, WA and Seattle, WA.
1
Start on this road
43 ft
·
8 sec
·
this road
2
Turn left onto South 223rd Street
70 ft
·
6 sec
·
South 223rd Street
3
Turn right onto WA 509
0.4 mi
·
1 min
·
Marine View Drive South
4
Turn right onto 7th Place South
366 ft
·
7 sec
·
7th Place South
Use the right lane.
5
Continue on South 216th Street
1.6 mi
·
3 min
·
South 216th Street
Use the left lane.
6
Turn left onto Military Road South
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
Military Road South
Use the left lane.
7
Take the ramp
0.3 mi
·
36 sec
Toward I 5 North: Seattle
Use the left lane.
8
Merge onto I 5
14 mi
·
17 min
·
I 5
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
35 sec
Exit 165
Toward Seneca Street
Use the slight left lane.
10
Turn left onto Seneca Street
323 ft
·
18 sec
·
Seneca Street
11
Turn left onto 5th Avenue
0.1 mi
·
27 sec
·
5th Avenue
Use the straight / left lanes.
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 115 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 17.6 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
0 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
South 223rd Street
Turn left onto South 223rd Street
Navigation decision point
5
0.4 mi into trip
|
~1m in
|
7th Place South
Turn right onto 7th Place South
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
6
2.8 mi into trip
|
~5m in
Take the ramp toward I 5 North: Seattle
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
Toward I 5 North: Seattle
7
17.2 mi into trip
|
~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
17.6 mi into trip
|
~25m in
|
5th Avenue
Turn left onto 5th Avenue
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / left lanes.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$3.70 one way
$7.41 round trip
$5.32/gal
25.4 MPG avg
6 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $5.58 | $3.88 | $7.77 |
| premium | $5.77 | $4.02 | $8.04 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $3.91 | $7.82 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$4
Estimated CO2 emission: 6.2 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $2 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 5.3 | 0 | $1.86 | $0.85 |
| Efficient EV | 4.4 | 0 | $1.55 | $0.71 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 7.1 | 0 | $2.48 | $1.13 |
Gas CO2
6 kg
EV CO2
2 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.
Destination
Seattle, WA
Late night in Seattle on Tuesday
Local time
2:29 AM
PDT
Current temp
65°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
3 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
25m 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?
This drive is mostly highway, with 80% of the 17.7 miles on I 5. You'll experience a long stretch of 14.2 miles on I 5 before transitioning to surface streets. The primary transition will be from the interstate to South 216th Street and then Military Road South, indicating a shift from high-speed cruising to more local traffic patterns with frequent intersections.
80% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
14 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 14.2 mi on I 5.
How Hard Is This Drive?
6/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 5 and South 216th Street. You will hit about 11 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near South 223rd Street.
Driving Effort
6/10
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 17.7 miles you will encounter 11 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: near the start (South 223rd Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.4 miles (7th Place South): Lane positioning matters here; at 2.8 miles: 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 25m. Total distance: 17.7 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
25m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (80%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 14.2 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 Seattle, 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: near the start (South 223rd Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.4 miles (7th Place South): Lane positioning matters here; at 2.8 miles: Lane positioning matters here.
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, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
Was this helpful?
Thanks for your feedback!
Your tip has been submitted. Thanks!
/500
Recent Tips
·
Explore More
Continue From Seattle, WA
More trips to Seattle, WA
Explore more options from Des Moines, WA or browse trips ending in Seattle, WA.
Looking for more statewide routes? Browse WA road trips.