Origin
Puyallup, WA
Morning in Puyallup on Sunday
Local time
9:22 AM
PDT
Current temp
44°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Puyallup, WA to Tacoma, WA
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
20m
Distance
10.3 mi
17 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$2
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 19m
★
6 AM
0h 20m
8 AM
0h 24m
10 AM
0h 22m
12 PM
0h 21m
3 PM
0h 22m
5 PM
0h 24m
8 PM
0h 19m
★
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Puyallup, WA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Traveling between Puyallup and Tacoma is a quick, straightforward hop across the Pacific Coast region of Washington. Spanning just 10.3 miles, this drive typically takes about 20 minutes to complete, making it an ideal day trip that requires no overnight stops. You will navigate a mix of local streets and a brief interstate segment, keeping your travel costs low with an estimated fuel budget of only $2. Because the route is so efficient, it offers plenty of flexibility for your schedule. Whether you are commuting or heading out for a short excursion, this connection between these two cities is practical and easy to manage.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| River Road | 5.4 mi | 9m |
| I 5 | 0.7 mi | <1m |
| 3rd Street Southeast | 0.4 mi | <1m |
| 4th Street Northwest | 0.4 mi | <1m |
| I 705 | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| East Stewart | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| Bay Street | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| Tacoma Avenue South | 0.3 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
River Road
— 5.4 mi, about 9m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Puyallup, WA and Tacoma, 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
443 ft
·
12 sec
·
2nd Street Northeast
7
Turn left onto East Stewart
0.3 mi
·
41 sec
·
East Stewart
8
Turn slight right
196 ft
·
8 sec
9
Turn straight onto 4th Street Northwest
0.4 mi
·
46 sec
·
4th Street Northwest
10
Turn left onto WA 167
5.4 mi
·
9 min
·
River Road
11
Continue on WA 167
0.3 mi
·
37 sec
·
Bay Street
12
Take the ramp
0.4 mi
·
42 sec
Toward I 5 South: Olympia, Portland
13
Merge onto I 5
0.7 mi
·
55 sec
·
I 5
14
Take the exit
0.1 mi
·
19 sec
Exit 133
Toward WA 7 South, I 705 North: City Center, Tacoma Dome
15
Keep slight right at fork
334 ft
·
8 sec
Toward I 705 North: City Center, Tacoma Dome Station
16
Keep slight left at fork
0.4 mi
·
50 sec
Toward I 705 North: City Center
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
17
Merge onto I 705
0.3 mi
·
22 sec
·
I 705
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
18
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
37 sec
Toward A Street, City Center
Use the slight left lane.
19
Keep slight left at fork
0.2 mi
·
31 sec
Toward South 15 Street, Pacific Avenue
Use the slight left / straight lanes.
20
Continue on South 15th Street
0.3 mi
·
59 sec
·
South 15th Street
Use the straight / left / right lanes.
21
Turn right onto Tacoma Avenue South
0.3 mi
·
49 sec
·
Tacoma Avenue South
22
Turn right onto South 11th Street
43 ft
·
1 sec
·
South 11th Street
23
Arrive at destination
South 11th Street
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 175 decision points cluster between mile 0.2 and 9.5 — 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
7
8.5 mi into trip
|
~16m in
Keep slight right at fork toward I 705 North: City Center, Tacoma Dome Station
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward I 705 North: City Center, Tacoma Dome St...
7
8.6 mi into trip
|
~16m in
Keep slight left at fork toward I 705 North: City Center
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward I 705 North: City Center
8
9.3 mi into trip
|
~17m in
Take the exit toward A Street, City Center
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight left lane.
Toward A Street, City Center
9
9.5 mi into trip
|
~18m in
Keep slight left at fork toward South 15 Street, Pacific Avenue
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight left / straight lanes.
Toward South 15 Street, Pacific Avenue
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$2.16 one way
$4.31 round trip
$5.32/gal
25.4 MPG avg
4 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $5.58 | $2.26 | $4.52 |
| premium | $5.77 | $2.34 | $4.68 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $2.27 | $4.55 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$2
Estimated CO2 emission: 3.6 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $1 in charging · 0 stops · 75% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 3.1 | 0 | $1.08 | $0.49 |
| Efficient EV | 2.6 | 0 | $0.90 | $0.41 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 4.1 | 0 | $1.44 | $0.66 |
Gas CO2
4 kg
EV CO2
1 kg (75% 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
Tacoma, WA
Morning in Tacoma on Sunday
Local time
9:22 AM
PDT
Current temp
59°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
15 degrees warmer at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
20m 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 that keeps you alert as you transition between city environments. The route utilizes River Road, 3rd Street Southeast, and a short portion of I-5 to link the two locations. Only 10% of this journey involves highway driving, so you will spend the vast majority of your time on local roads. Your longest uninterrupted stretch occurs on River Road, which spans 5.4 miles of the total distance. The personality of this drive is defined by frequent turns rather than long, monotonous highway cruising, requiring you to stay focused on the local road layout.
Only 10% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
23 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 5.4 mi on River Road.
How Hard Is This Drive?
9/10
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. 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
9/10
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 17 decision points packed into just 10.3 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 20m.
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 8.5 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 8.6 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Elevation Profile
Mostly flat terrain
250 ft
23 ft
Total Climb
293 ft
Total Descent
87 ft
Highest Point
250 ft
~10.3 mi in
Elevation Range
226 ft
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 Puyallup, WA and Tacoma, WA, road signs point toward Portland, Tacoma Dome, Tacoma Dome Station and City Center.
Portland
7.2 mi in
|
~14m
Tacoma Dome
8.3 mi in
|
~15m
Tacoma Dome Station
8.5 mi in
|
~16m
City Center
9.3 mi in
|
~17m
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 20m. Total distance: 10.3 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
20m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile with national parks nearby.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 5.4 miles on River Road. 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 Tacoma, 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 8.5 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 8.6 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 Tacoma, 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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