Origin
Lynnwood, WA
Late night in Lynnwood on Sunday
Local time
12:37 AM
PDT
Current temp
57°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Lynnwood, WA to Federal Way, WA
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
52m
Distance
38.6 mi
62 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$8
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 48m
★
6 AM
0h 52m
8 AM
1h 1m
10 AM
0h 55m
12 PM
0h 55m
3 PM
0h 56m
5 PM
1h 1m
8 PM
0h 50m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Lynnwood, WA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Spanning 38.6 miles, this drive between Lynnwood and Federal Way serves as a straightforward connection across the Pacific Coast region of Washington. You can expect to spend about 52 minutes behind the wheel, making this an ideal day trip that doesn't require an overnight stay. With a fuel budget of approximately $8, it remains a highly economical commute or short-haul journey. By utilizing I-5 as your primary artery, you bypass complex navigation in favor of a direct route. Whether you are traveling for business or a quick visit, the simplicity of this trip allows for maximum flexibility in your schedule.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 5 | 33.5 mi | 41m |
| Pacific Highway South | 2.5 mi | 4m |
| 196th Street Southwest | 1.1 mi | 2m |
| South 272nd Street | 0.5 mi | 1m |
| 44th Avenue West | 0.4 mi | <1m |
| South 312th Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
| Pacific Highway | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
I 5
— 33.5 mi, about 41m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Lynnwood, WA and Federal Way, WA.
1
Start on WA 99
71 ft
·
3 sec
·
Pacific Highway
2
Turn right onto 196th Street Southwest
1.1 mi
·
2 min
·
196th Street Southwest
Use the right lane.
3
Turn right onto 44th Avenue West
0.4 mi
·
49 sec
·
44th Avenue West
Use the left lane.
4
Take the ramp
0.2 mi
·
32 sec
Toward I 5 South: Seattle
5
Merge onto I 5
33 mi
·
41 min
·
I 5
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
54 sec
Exit 147
Toward South 272nd Street
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Turn right onto South 272nd Street
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
South 272nd Street
Use the right lane.
8
Turn left onto WA 99; WA 509
2.5 mi
·
4 min
·
Pacific Highway South
Use the left / straight lanes.
9
Turn left onto South 312th Street
209 ft
·
9 sec
·
South 312th Street
10
Turn right
24 ft
·
1 sec
11
Arrive at destination
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
19 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 38.6 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 19.3 miles from Lynnwood, 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 95 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 35.5 — 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
|
196th Street Southwest
Turn right onto 196th Street Southwest
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
5
1.1 mi into trip
|
~2m in
|
44th Avenue West
Turn right onto 44th Avenue West
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
5
1.7 mi into trip
|
~3m in
|
I 5
Merge onto I 5
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
35.1 mi into trip
|
~45m in
Take the exit toward South 272nd Street
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 147
Toward South 272nd Street
6
35.5 mi into trip
|
~46m in
|
South 272nd Street
Turn right onto South 272nd Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$8.08 one way
$16.16 round trip
$5.32/gal
25.4 MPG avg
14 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $5.58 | $8.47 | $16.94 |
| premium | $5.77 | $8.77 | $17.53 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $8.52 | $17.04 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$8
Estimated CO2 emission: 13.5 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $4 in charging · 0 stops · 64% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 11.6 | 0 | $4.05 | $1.85 |
| Efficient EV | 9.7 | 0 | $3.38 | $1.54 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 15.4 | 0 | $5.40 | $2.47 |
Gas CO2
14 kg
EV CO2
5 kg (64% 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
Federal Way, WA
Late night in Federal Way on Sunday
Local time
12:37 AM
PDT
Current temp
47°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
10 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
52m 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 classic highway-focused experience, as 87% of your travel takes place on high-speed thoroughfares. The core of your journey is a significant 33.5-mile stretch along I-5, which provides the bulk of the transit time. You will supplement this with segments of Pacific Highway South and 196th Street Southwest to reach your final destination. Because the route is dominated by major interstate driving, the personality of the road is functional and efficient rather than winding or technical. You should prepare for a consistent, steady pace that prioritizes speed over variety.
87% 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: 33.5 mi on I 5.
How Hard Is This Drive?
6/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 5 and Pacific Highway South. You will hit about 9 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near 196th Street Southwest.
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 38.6 miles you will encounter 9 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 (196th Street Southwest): Lane positioning matters here; at 1.1 miles (44th Avenue West): Lane positioning matters here; at 1.7 miles (I 5): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
About the Cities
Arriving 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 52m. Total distance: 38.6 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
52m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (87%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 33.5 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 Federal Way, 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 (196th Street Southwest): Lane positioning matters here; at 1.1 miles (44th Avenue West): Lane positioning matters here; at 1.7 miles (I 5): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Federal Way, 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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