Origin
North Bend, WA
Morning in North Bend on Sunday
Local time
6:41 AM
PDT
Current temp
51°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from North Bend, 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
48m
Distance
34.6 mi
56 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$7
one way
EV Charging
Sparse
1 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 44m
★
6 AM
0h 48m
8 AM
0h 56m
10 AM
0h 51m
12 PM
0h 50m
3 PM
0h 51m
5 PM
0h 56m
8 PM
0h 46m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
North Bend, WA
Ken Cheatham
Trip Overview
North Bend, WA to Federal Way, WA is 34.6 miles and takes about 48 minutes via State Route 18 and I-90, with a fuel budget near $7 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This drive primarily follows major highways, making it a straightforward connection between the Pacific Coast regions of Washington. Expect a functional, efficient journey rather than a scenic tour. It's a quick trip perfect for a short excursion or a practical commute between these two areas.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| State Route 18 | 24.2 mi | 31m |
| I 90 | 4.2 mi | 4m |
| South Peasley Canyon Road | 1.8 mi | 3m |
| South 320th Street | 1.4 mi | 3m |
| Bendigo Boulevard North | 0.6 mi | 1m |
| Pacific Highway South | 0.5 mi | <1m |
| Snoqualmie Parkway | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| West Valley Highway North | 0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
State Route 18
— 24.2 mi, about 31m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between North Bend, WA and Federal Way, WA.
1
Start on WA 202
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
Bendigo Boulevard North
2
Continue on WA 202
369 ft
·
9 sec
·
Bendigo Boulevard South
3
Take the ramp
0.5 mi
·
58 sec
Toward I 90 West: Seattle
Use the right lane.
4
Merge onto I 90
4.2 mi
·
4 min
·
I 90
5
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
30 sec
Exit 25
Toward WA 18 West: Auburn
Use the slight right lane.
6
Keep slight left at fork
448 ft
·
13 sec
Toward SR 18 west, Snoqualmie Parkway: Auburn, Tacoma
Use the straight / left / right lanes.
7
Merge onto WA 18
0.3 mi
·
25 sec
·
Snoqualmie Parkway
8
Continue on WA 18
24 mi
·
31 min
·
State Route 18
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
19 sec
Toward WA 167: Renton, Puyallup
Use the slight right lane.
10
Keep slight left at fork
0.3 mi
·
26 sec
Toward WA 167 South: Puyallup, West Valley Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Keep slight left at fork
0.1 mi
·
24 sec
Toward West Valley Highway
Use the straight / right lanes.
12
At end of road, turn left onto West Valley Highway North
0.1 mi
·
20 sec
·
West Valley Highway North
Use the straight lane.
13
Turn right onto South Peasley Canyon Road
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
South Peasley Canyon Road
Use the straight / right lanes.
14
Enter roundabout onto South Peasley Canyon Road
67 ft
·
1 sec
·
South Peasley Canyon Road
15
Continue on South Peasley Canyon Road
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
South Peasley Canyon Road
Use the left lane.
16
Continue on South 320th Street
1.4 mi
·
3 min
·
South 320th Street
17
Turn right onto WA 99
0.5 mi
·
55 sec
·
Pacific Highway South
18
Turn right onto South 312th Street
158 ft
·
5 sec
·
South 312th Street
Use the right lane.
19
Turn right
24 ft
·
1 sec
20
Arrive at destination
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
17 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 34.6 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 17.3 miles from North Bend, 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 155 decision points cluster between mile 5.3 and 30.6 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
7
5.3 mi into trip
|
~7m in
Take the exit toward WA 18 West: Auburn
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 25
Toward WA 18 West: Auburn
9
5.5 mi into trip
|
~7m in
Keep slight left at fork toward SR 18 west, Snoqualmie Parkway: Auburn, Tacoma
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / left / right lanes.
Toward SR 18 west, Snoqualmie Parkway: Auburn,...
7
30.1 mi into trip
|
~39m in
Take the exit toward WA 167: Renton, Puyallup
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 167: Renton, Puyallup
9
30.3 mi into trip
|
~39m in
Keep slight left at fork toward WA 167 South: Puyallup, West Valley Highway
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward WA 167 South: Puyallup, West Valley High...
8
30.6 mi into trip
|
~40m in
Keep slight left at fork toward West Valley Highway
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
Toward West Valley Highway
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$7.24 one way
$14.48 round trip
$5.32/gal
25.4 MPG avg
12 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $5.58 | $7.59 | $15.19 |
| premium | $5.77 | $7.86 | $15.71 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $7.64 | $15.28 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$7
Estimated CO2 emission: 12.1 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $4 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 10.4 | 0 | $3.63 | $1.66 |
| Efficient EV | 8.7 | 0 | $3.03 | $1.38 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 13.8 | 0 | $4.84 | $2.21 |
Gas CO2
12 kg
EV CO2
4 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
Federal Way, WA
Morning in Federal Way on Sunday
Local time
6:41 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
4 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
48m 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 is largely a highway-focused drive, with 83% of the route utilizing major roadways. You'll experience long stretches of efficient travel, including a significant 24.2-mile segment on State Route 18. The journey transitions between the broader network of I-90 and the more direct path of State Route 18, offering a consistent pace for most of the trip. Expect straightforward driving conditions typical of well-maintained state highways and interstates.
83% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
20 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 24.2 mi on State Route 18.
How Hard Is This Drive?
10/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on State Route 18 and I 90. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 5.3 miles in.
Driving Effort
10/10
Focused - lots of decisions in a short distance, but it is over quickly
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 15 decision points packed into just 34.6 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 48m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 5.3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 5.5 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 30.1 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. 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 North Bend, WA and Federal Way, WA, road signs point toward Snoqualmie Parkway: Auburn, Tacoma, Puyallup and Valley Highway.
Snoqualmie Parkway: Auburn
5.5 mi in
|
~7m
Tacoma
5.5 mi in
|
~7m
Puyallup
30.1 mi in
|
~39m
Valley Highway
30.3 mi in
|
~39m
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 48m. Total distance: 34.6 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
48m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (83%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 24.2 miles on State Route 18. 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: at 5.3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 5.5 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 30.1 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. 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 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, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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