Origin
Olympia, WA
Night in Olympia on Saturday
Local time
9:21 PM
PDT
Current temp
59°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Olympia, WA to Seattle, 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
61 mi
98 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$13
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 13m
★
6 AM
1h 19m
8 AM
1h 31m
10 AM
1h 23m
12 PM
1h 22m
3 PM
1h 24m
5 PM
1h 30m
8 PM
1h 15m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Olympia, WA
Wikimedia Commons
Seattle, WA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Connecting Olympia and Seattle, this 61-mile journey is an efficient trip that typically takes about 1 hour and 18 minutes. Because of the short distance, it is perfectly suited for a single-day outing, meaning you can easily skip an overnight stay. You should budget roughly $13 for fuel to complete the transit between these two Pacific Coast locations. The route relies heavily on major thoroughfares, making it a straightforward experience rather than a winding backroads excursion. Whether you are commuting or heading out for a quick city visit, the simplicity of this drive makes it a highly practical choice for your schedule.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 5 | 59.2 mi | 1h 14m |
| Union Avenue Southeast | 0.4 mi | 1m |
| Plum Street Southeast | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| 5th Avenue | 0.1 mi | <1m |
| Capitol Way South | <0.1 mi | <1m |
| Seneca Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
| Madison Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
I 5
— 59.2 mi, about 1h 14m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Olympia, WA and Seattle, WA.
1
Start on Capitol Way South
396 ft
·
12 sec
·
Capitol Way South
2
Turn right onto Union Avenue Southeast
0.4 mi
·
1 min
·
Union Avenue Southeast
3
Turn right onto Plum Street Southeast
0.2 mi
·
18 sec
·
Plum Street Southeast
4
Take the ramp
0.7 mi
·
1 min
5
Merge onto I 5
27 mi
·
34 min
·
I 5
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
Keep slight right at fork onto I 5
32 mi
·
39 min
·
I 5
Use the slight right lane.
7
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
35 sec
Exit 165
Toward Seneca Street
Use the slight left lane.
8
Turn left onto Seneca Street
323 ft
·
18 sec
·
Seneca Street
9
Turn left onto 5th Avenue
0.1 mi
·
27 sec
·
5th Avenue
Use the straight / left lanes.
10
Turn right onto Madison Street
113 ft
·
9 sec
·
Madison Street
11
Turn left
31 ft
·
2 sec
12
Arrive at destination
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
31 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 13 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 30.5 miles from Olympia, 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 1.4 and 61 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
1.4 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.
6
28.6 mi into trip
|
~37m in
|
I 5
Keep slight right at fork onto I 5
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
7
60.6 mi into trip
|
~1h 17m 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
60.9 mi into trip
|
~1h 18m in
|
5th Avenue
Turn left onto 5th Avenue
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / left lanes.
5
61 mi into trip
|
~1h 18m in
|
Madison Street
Turn right onto Madison Street
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$12.77 one way
$25.53 round trip
$5.32/gal
25.4 MPG avg
21 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $5.58 | $13.39 | $26.78 |
| premium | $5.77 | $13.85 | $27.70 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $13.47 | $26.94 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$13
Estimated CO2 emission: 21.3 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $6 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 18.3 | 0 | $6.41 | $2.93 |
| Efficient EV | 15.3 | 0 | $5.34 | $2.44 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 24.4 | 0 | $8.54 | $3.90 |
Gas CO2
21 kg
EV CO2
7 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
Night in Seattle on Saturday
Local time
9:21 PM
PDT
Current temp
49°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
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 focused highway experience, as 97% of this route consists of high-speed transit. You will spend the vast majority of your time on I-5, which accounts for a 59.2-mile stretch of the trip. The journey begins with short local segments on Union Avenue Southeast and Plum Street Southeast before merging onto the interstate. Because it is a highway-heavy drive, the pace remains consistent from start to finish. You won't encounter significant technical road challenges, allowing you to settle into a steady rhythm behind the wheel.
97% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
12 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 59.2 mi on I 5.
How Hard Is This Drive?
5/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 5 and Union Avenue Southeast. You will hit about 9 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 1.4 miles in near I 5.
Driving Effort
5/10
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 61 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: at 1.4 miles (I 5): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 28.6 miles (I 5): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 60.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 18m. Total distance: 61 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 (97%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 59.2 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 1.4 miles (I 5): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 28.6 miles (I 5): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 60.6 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 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 Olympia, WA or browse trips ending in Seattle, WA.
Looking for more statewide routes? Browse WA road trips.