Origin
Federal Way, WA
Night in Federal Way on Saturday
Local time
9:44 PM
PDT
Current temp
47°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Federal Way, WA to Machias, 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 18m
Distance
54.1 mi
87 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$11
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 12m
★
6 AM
1h 18m
8 AM
1h 30m
10 AM
1h 22m
12 PM
1h 21m
3 PM
1h 23m
5 PM
1h 30m
8 PM
1h 14m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Machias, WA
Jan van der Wolf
Trip Overview
This 54.1-mile drive from Federal Way, WA, to Machias, WA, is a straightforward journey that can easily be completed in about 1 hour and 18 minutes. It's a perfect candidate for a day trip, so you won't need to worry about overnight stays. The route primarily utilizes I-405 and State Route 9, with some time spent on I-5. With an estimated fuel cost of $11, this trip is quite economical. The overall feel is a practical, highway-focused drive through the Pacific Coast region of Washington.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 405 | 22.3 mi | 27m |
| State Route 9 | 13.9 mi | 21m |
| I 5 | 6.9 mi | 8m |
| Pacific Highway South | 2.5 mi | 4m |
| WA 522 | 2.4 mi | 2m |
| 20th Street Southeast | 1.1 mi | 1m |
| South 272nd Street | 0.7 mi | 1m |
| South Lake Stevens Road | 0.6 mi | 1m |
Longest stretch:
I 405
— 22.3 mi, about 27m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Federal Way, WA and Machias, WA.
1
Start on this road
24 ft
·
7 sec
·
this road
2
Turn left onto South 312th Street
158 ft
·
7 sec
·
South 312th Street
3
Turn right onto WA 99
2.5 mi
·
4 min
·
Pacific Highway South
4
Turn right onto South 272nd Street
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
South 272nd Street
Use the right lane.
5
Take the ramp
0.4 mi
·
54 sec
Toward I-5 North: Seattle
Use the left lane.
6
Merge onto I 5
6.9 mi
·
8 min
·
I 5
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Take the exit
448 ft
·
10 sec
Exit 154A-B
Toward WA 518 West, I 405 North: Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, Bellevue
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Keep slight right at fork
0.4 mi
·
50 sec
Exit 154B
Toward I 405 North: Renton, Bellevue
Use the slight right lane.
9
Merge onto I 405
19 mi
·
24 min
·
I 405
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Keep slight right at fork onto I 405
3.0 mi
·
3 min
·
I 405
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Take the exit
1.0 mi
·
1 min
Exit 23
Toward WA 522: Bothell, Woodinville
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Keep slight right at fork
0.3 mi
·
25 sec
Toward WA 522 East: Woodinville
13
Merge onto WA 522
2.4 mi
·
2 min
·
WA 522
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
14
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
42 sec
Toward WA 9 North: Snohomish, Arlington
Use the slight right lane.
15
Turn left onto WA 9
5.7 mi
·
9 min
·
State Route 9
Use the left lane.
16
Continue on WA 9
5.3 mi
·
7 min
·
State Route 9
17
Enter roundabout onto WA 9
83 ft
·
1 sec
·
State Route 9
18
Continue on WA 9
2.8 mi
·
4 min
·
State Route 9
Use the straight lane.
19
Enter roundabout onto South Lake Stevens Road
39 ft
·
0 sec
·
South Lake Stevens Road
20
Continue on South Lake Stevens Road
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
South Lake Stevens Road
21
Turn right onto 20th Street Southeast
1.1 mi
·
1 min
·
20th Street Southeast
22
Continue on Williams Road
0.5 mi
·
49 sec
·
Williams Road
23
At end of road, turn right onto Machias Cutoff
0.2 mi
·
36 sec
·
Machias Cutoff
24
Turn left onto South Machias Road
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
South Machias Road
25
Turn left onto Division Street
299 ft
·
13 sec
·
Division Street
26
Arrive at destination
Division Street
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
27 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 12 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 27.1 miles from Federal Way, 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 215 decision points cluster between mile 3.2 and 37 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
7
3.2 mi into trip
|
~6m in
Take the ramp toward I-5 North: Seattle
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
Toward I-5 North: Seattle
8
10.5 mi into trip
|
~15m in
Take the exit toward WA 518 West, I 405 North: Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, Bellevue
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 154A-B
Toward WA 518 West, I 405 North: Seattle-Tacoma...
9
10.6 mi into trip
|
~16m in
Keep slight right at fork toward I 405 North: Renton, Bellevue
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 154B
Toward I 405 North: Renton, Bellevue
8
33.3 mi into trip
|
~44m in
Take the exit toward WA 522: Bothell, Woodinville
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 23
Toward WA 522: Bothell, Woodinville
7
37 mi into trip
|
~49m in
Take the exit toward WA 9 North: Snohomish, Arlington
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Toward WA 9 North: Snohomish, Arlington
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$11.32 one way
$22.65 round trip
$5.32/gal
25.4 MPG avg
19 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $5.58 | $11.87 | $23.75 |
| premium | $5.77 | $12.29 | $24.57 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $11.94 | $23.89 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$11
Estimated CO2 emission: 18.9 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $6 in charging · 0 stops · 68% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 16.2 | 0 | $5.68 | $2.60 |
| Efficient EV | 13.5 | 0 | $4.73 | $2.16 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 21.6 | 0 | $7.57 | $3.46 |
Gas CO2
19 kg
EV CO2
6 kg (68% 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
Machias, WA
Night in Machias on Saturday
Local time
9:44 PM
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
18 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
1h 18m 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, with 84% of this route utilizing major roadways. You'll encounter a significant stretch of 22.3 miles on I-405, offering consistent speeds. The transition to State Route 9 will likely introduce a different driving dynamic, potentially with more local traffic and varied speed limits as you move away from the interstate. This route is designed for efficient travel rather than winding scenic byways.
84% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
26 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 22.3 mi on I 405.
How Hard Is This Drive?
10/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 405 and State Route 9. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 3.2 miles in.
Driving Effort
10/10
Demanding - stay alert through the decision-heavy sections
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 54.1 miles you will encounter 21 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 3.2 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 10.5 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 10.6 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.
Between Federal Way, WA and Machias, WA, road signs point toward Bellevue, Woodinville and Arlington.
Bellevue
10.5 mi in
|
~15m
Woodinville
33.3 mi in
|
~44m
Arlington
37 mi in
|
~49m
About the Cities
Starting in Federal Way, WA
Full guide →Federal Way is a city in King County on the Puget Sound of Washington State. It is the home of the Pacific Bonsai Museum and Rhododendron Species Botanical Gardens. With a population of 96,000 (2016), Federal Way is one of Seattle's largest suburbs.
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 18m. Total distance: 54.1 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 18m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (84%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 22.3 miles on I 405. 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 Machias, 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 3.2 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 10.5 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 10.6 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 Machias, 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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