Origin
Puyallup, WA
Late night in Puyallup on Sunday
Local time
3:01 AM
PDT
Current temp
59°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Puyallup, 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
49m
Distance
32.3 mi
52 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$7
one way
EV Charging
Sparse
1 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 46m
★
6 AM
0h 50m
8 AM
0h 58m
10 AM
0h 53m
12 PM
0h 52m
3 PM
0h 53m
5 PM
0h 57m
8 PM
0h 47m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Puyallup, WA
Wikimedia Commons
Seattle, WA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
If you are planning to travel from Puyallup to Seattle, you are looking at a 36.7-mile journey that typically takes about 43 minutes. This trip is perfectly suited as a quick day outing, requiring no overnight stays. You can expect to spend approximately $8 on fuel for the one-way trek. Since both cities are located within the Pacific Coast region, you will remain in a familiar coastal environment throughout the transit. It is a straightforward connection that works well for those needing to move between these two Washington hubs without the complexity of a multi-day itinerary.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 5 | 23 mi | 28m |
| Meridian Avenue East | 3.4 mi | 7m |
| Enchanted Parkway South | 2.4 mi | 4m |
| North Meridian | 0.9 mi | 1m |
| 2nd Street Northeast | 0.5 mi | 1m |
| 3rd Street Southeast | 0.4 mi | <1m |
| 5th Avenue | 0.1 mi | <1m |
| 7th Avenue Southeast | 0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
I 5
— 23 mi, about 28m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Puyallup, WA and Seattle, WA.
1
Start on this road
54 ft
·
9 sec
·
this road
2
Turn left
0.2 mi
·
1 min
3
At end of road, turn left onto 4th Street Southeast
351 ft
·
17 sec
·
4th Street Southeast
4
Turn left onto 7th Avenue Southeast
0.1 mi
·
23 sec
·
7th Avenue Southeast
5
Turn sharp right onto 3rd Street Southeast
0.4 mi
·
37 sec
·
3rd Street Southeast
6
Continue on 2nd Street Northeast
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
2nd Street Northeast
7
Turn right onto WA 167
0.9 mi
·
1 min
·
North Meridian
Use the right lane.
8
Continue on WA 161
3.4 mi
·
7 min
·
Meridian Avenue East
9
Continue on WA 161
2.4 mi
·
4 min
·
Enchanted Parkway South
10
Turn right onto WA 18
512 ft
·
12 sec
·
State Route 18
11
Take the exit
0.1 mi
·
15 sec
Toward I 5 North, I 5 South: Seattle, Tacoma
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Keep slight left at fork
0.7 mi
·
1 min
Toward I 5 North: Seattle
Use the slight left lane.
13
Merge onto I 5
23 mi
·
28 min
·
I 5
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
14
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
35 sec
Exit 165
Toward Seneca Street
Use the slight left lane.
15
Turn left onto Seneca Street
323 ft
·
18 sec
·
Seneca Street
16
Turn left onto 5th Avenue
0.1 mi
·
27 sec
·
5th Avenue
Use the straight / left lanes.
17
Turn right onto Madison Street
113 ft
·
9 sec
·
Madison Street
18
Turn left
31 ft
·
2 sec
19
Arrive at destination
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
16 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 32 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 16.2 miles from Puyallup, 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 135 decision points cluster between mile 0.2 and 32.2 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
6
0.2 mi into trip
|
~1m in
|
4th Street Southeast
At end of road, turn left onto 4th Street Southeast
Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch
8
8.1 mi into trip
|
~17m in
Take the exit toward I 5 North, I 5 South: Seattle, Tacoma
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.
Toward I 5 North, I 5 South: Seattle, Tacoma
7
8.2 mi into trip
|
~17m in
Keep slight left at fork toward I 5 North: Seattle
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left lane.
Toward I 5 North: Seattle
7
31.9 mi into trip
|
~48m 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
32.2 mi into trip
|
~49m in
|
5th Avenue
Turn left onto 5th Avenue
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / left lanes.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$6.76 one way
$13.52 round trip
$5.32/gal
25.4 MPG avg
11 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $5.58 | $7.09 | $14.18 |
| premium | $5.77 | $7.33 | $14.67 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $7.13 | $14.26 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$7
Estimated CO2 emission: 11.3 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $3 in charging · 0 stops · 64% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 9.7 | 0 | $3.39 | $1.55 |
| Efficient EV | 8.1 | 0 | $2.83 | $1.29 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 12.9 | 0 | $4.52 | $2.07 |
Gas CO2
11 kg
EV CO2
4 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
Seattle, WA
Late night in Seattle on Sunday
Local time
3:01 AM
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
49m 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 turn-heavy local drive rather than a high-speed interstate cruise, as this route features 0% highway travel. You will navigate primarily via 4th Street Southeast, 7th Avenue Southeast, and 3rd Street Southeast to reach your destination. Because this path relies entirely on local roads, it offers a different experience than a typical highway sprint, requiring more attention to local navigation. There are no extended, uninterrupted stretches, so you should be prepared for a drive that demands consistent engagement with your surroundings and traffic patterns.
79% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
19 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 23 mi on I 5.
How Hard Is This Drive?
7/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 5 and Meridian Avenue East. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 0.2 miles in near 4th Street Southeast.
Driving Effort
7/10
Focused - busy navigation packed into a short drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 13 decision points packed into just 32.3 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 49m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.2 miles (4th Street Southeast): Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch; at 8.1 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 8.2 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
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.
On the drive from Puyallup, WA to Seattle, WA, road signs begin pointing toward Tacoma along the way.
Tacoma
8.1 mi in
|
~17m
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 49m. Total distance: 32.3 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
49m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (79%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 23 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 Seattle, 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 0.2 miles (4th Street Southeast): Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch; at 8.1 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 8.2 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. 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.
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