Origin
Marysville, WA
Morning in Marysville on Sunday
Local time
8:12 AM
PDT
Current temp
56°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Marysville, 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
1h 12m
Distance
55.4 mi
89 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$12
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 7m
★
6 AM
1h 13m
8 AM
1h 24m
10 AM
1h 17m
12 PM
1h 16m
3 PM
1h 17m
5 PM
1h 24m
8 PM
1h 9m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Marysville, WA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Traveling the 55.4 miles from Marysville to Federal Way is a straightforward commute across the Washington Pacific Coast region. You can expect to spend about 1 hour and 12 minutes on the road, making this a perfect candidate for a single-day trip. With a fuel budget of approximately $12, it is an economical route that requires no overnight stays. The journey primarily utilizes I-5 to connect the northern suburbs to the southern reaches of the Seattle metropolitan area. Because the route is entirely highway-focused, you will find it to be a practical and efficient way to traverse the state. Planning for this drive is simple since no formal stops are required to complete the distance.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 5 | 51.1 mi | 1h 3m |
| Pacific Highway South | 2.5 mi | 4m |
| South 272nd Street | 0.5 mi | 1m |
| State Avenue | 0.5 mi | 1m |
| South 312th Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
| State Route 529 | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
I 5
— 51.1 mi, about 1h 3m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Marysville, WA and Federal Way, WA.
1
Start on WA 529
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
State Avenue
2
Enter roundabout onto State Route 529
70 ft
·
1 sec
·
State Route 529
3
Continue on State Route 529
100 ft
·
1 sec
·
State Route 529
4
Take the ramp
0.3 mi
·
37 sec
Toward I 5
5
Merge onto I 5
51 mi
·
1 hr 3 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
28 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 27.7 miles from Marysville, 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 0.5 and 55.4 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
4
0.5 mi into trip
|
~1m in
|
State Route 529
Enter roundabout onto State Route 529
Roundabout - know your exit number before entering
5
0.9 mi into trip
|
~1m in
|
I 5
Merge onto I 5
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
52 mi into trip
|
~1h 5m 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
52.4 mi into trip
|
~1h 6m in
|
South 272nd Street
Turn right onto South 272nd Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
5
55.4 mi into trip
|
~1h 12m in
Turn right
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$11.59 one way
$23.19 round trip
$5.32/gal
25.4 MPG avg
19 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $5.58 | $12.16 | $24.32 |
| premium | $5.77 | $12.58 | $25.16 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $12.23 | $24.46 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$12
Estimated CO2 emission: 19.4 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 | 16.6 | 0 | $5.82 | $2.66 |
| Efficient EV | 13.9 | 0 | $4.85 | $2.22 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 22.2 | 0 | $7.76 | $3.55 |
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
Federal Way, WA
Morning in Federal Way on Sunday
Local time
8:12 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
9 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 12m 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 interstate experience, as 92% of this trip is spent on major highways. You will spend the vast majority of your time—51.1 miles to be exact—on the I-5 corridor, which serves as the backbone of your journey. As you transition from the northern start point toward Federal Way, the route eventually shifts from the interstate onto Pacific Highway South and South 272nd Street. While the drive is functional rather than scenic, the heavy reliance on I-5 provides a consistent, high-speed pace for most of the trip. Behind the wheel, you should prepare for a steady, focused drive that prioritizes speed and direct connectivity over winding backroads.
92% 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: 51.1 mi on I 5.
How Hard Is This Drive?
4/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 5 and Pacific Highway South. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes around 0.5 miles in near State Route 529.
Driving Effort
4/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 1h 12m drive. You will face about 8 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.5 miles (State Route 529): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering; at 0.9 miles (I 5): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 52 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
Elevation Profile
Mostly flat terrain
465 ft
7 ft
Total Climb
900 ft
Total Descent
457 ft
Highest Point
465 ft
~55.4 mi in
Elevation Range
458 ft
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 1h 12m. Total distance: 55.4 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 12m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (92%). Straightforward navigation.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 51.1 miles on I 5. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
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 0.5 miles (State Route 529): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering; at 0.9 miles (I 5): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 52 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. 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 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, EIA for fuel prices, USGS 3DEP for elevation, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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