Origin
Redmond, WA
Late night in Redmond on Sunday
Local time
3:21 AM
PDT
Current temp
58°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Redmond, 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
44m
Distance
31.7 mi
51 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$7
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 40m
★
6 AM
0h 44m
8 AM
0h 51m
10 AM
0h 47m
12 PM
0h 46m
3 PM
0h 47m
5 PM
0h 51m
8 PM
0h 42m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Redmond, WA
Harrison Reilly
Trip Overview
This 31.7-mile drive from Redmond to Federal Way, Washington, is a straightforward trip that typically takes about 44 minutes. Primarily using I-405, I-5, and WA-520, this route is well-suited for a single day of travel, so no overnight stays are necessary. With a projected fuel cost of around $7, it's an economical option for getting between these two Pacific Coast locations. The journey is predominantly highway-focused, making it a quick and efficient way to cover the distance. You'll find this route offers a practical way to navigate between the Seattle metropolitan area's eastside and its southern suburbs.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 405 | 14.8 mi | 18m |
| I 5 | 7.3 mi | 9m |
| WA 520 | 3.5 mi | 4m |
| Pacific Highway South | 2.5 mi | 4m |
| South 272nd Street | 0.5 mi | 1m |
| Leary Way | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| Northeast 76th Street | 0.1 mi | <1m |
| 164th Avenue Northeast | 0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
I 405
— 14.8 mi, about 18m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Redmond, WA and Federal Way, WA.
1
Start on WA 202
0.1 mi
·
23 sec
·
164th Avenue Northeast
2
Enter roundabout onto Northeast 76th Street
5 ft
·
0 sec
·
Northeast 76th Street
3
Continue on Northeast 76th Street
0.1 mi
·
21 sec
·
Northeast 76th Street
Use the left lane.
4
Turn slight left onto Leary Way
0.3 mi
·
57 sec
·
Leary Way
5
Take the ramp
0.4 mi
·
51 sec
Toward WA 520 West
Use the straight / left lanes.
6
Merge onto WA 520
0.7 mi
·
53 sec
·
WA 520
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
32 sec
Toward Northeast 40th Street
Use the slight right lane.
8
Keep slight left at fork
0.6 mi
·
48 sec
Toward WA 520 West: Seattle
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Merge onto WA 520
2.8 mi
·
3 min
·
WA 520
10
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
35 sec
Toward I 405 South: Renton
Use the straight / right lanes.
11
Merge onto I 405
15 mi
·
18 min
·
I 405
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
48 sec
Toward I 5 South: Portland
Use the straight / right lanes.
13
Merge onto I 5
7.3 mi
·
9 min
·
I 5
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
14
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
54 sec
Exit 147
Toward South 272nd Street
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
15
Turn right onto South 272nd Street
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
South 272nd Street
Use the right lane.
16
Turn left onto WA 99; WA 509
2.5 mi
·
4 min
·
Pacific Highway South
Use the left / straight lanes.
17
Turn left onto South 312th Street
209 ft
·
9 sec
·
South 312th Street
18
Turn right
24 ft
·
1 sec
19
Arrive at destination
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 165 decision points cluster between mile 1.7 and 28.2 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
6
1.7 mi into trip
|
~3m in
Take the exit toward Northeast 40th Street
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Toward Northeast 40th Street
7
2.1 mi into trip
|
~4m in
Keep slight left at fork toward WA 520 West: Seattle
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward WA 520 West: Seattle
6
5.5 mi into trip
|
~8m in
Take the exit toward I 405 South: Renton
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
Toward I 405 South: Renton
6
20.7 mi into trip
|
~27m in
Take the exit toward I 5 South: Portland
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
Toward I 5 South: Portland
7
28.2 mi into trip
|
~37m 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
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$6.63 one way
$13.27 round trip
$5.32/gal
25.4 MPG avg
11 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $5.58 | $6.96 | $13.92 |
| premium | $5.77 | $7.20 | $14.40 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $7.00 | $14.00 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$7
Estimated CO2 emission: 11.1 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 | 9.5 | 0 | $3.33 | $1.52 |
| Efficient EV | 7.9 | 0 | $2.77 | $1.27 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 12.7 | 0 | $4.44 | $2.03 |
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
Federal Way, WA
Late night in Federal Way on Sunday
Local time
3:21 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
11 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
44m 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 highway-focused drive for about 81% of this route, characterized by stretches of consistent speed and efficient travel. The longest uninterrupted segment you'll encounter is 14.8 miles on I-405, allowing for a solid period of cruising. While the primary roads are major interstates, the overall experience is one of connected travel across the Puget Sound region. You'll be on high-speed roadways for the majority of your time behind the wheel, with the landscape largely defined by the infrastructure of the interstate system.
81% 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: 14.8 mi on I 405.
How Hard Is This Drive?
10/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 405 and I 5. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 1.7 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 16 decision points packed into just 31.7 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 44m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 1.7 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 2.1 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 5.5 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
About the Cities
Starting in Redmond, WA
Full guide →Redmond is a city in King County, Washington, on the Eastside of Lake Washington. It is a suburb of Seattle, 15 miles (24 km) away. Redmond is home to Microsoft Corporation, which has a large presence in the area. It is also home to Nintendo of America and numerous other companies. It is the self-proclaimed Bicycle Capital of the Northwest.
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 44m. Total distance: 31.7 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
44m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (81%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 14.8 miles on I 405. 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 1.7 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 2.1 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 5.5 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, 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 Federal Way, WA
More trips to Federal Way, WA
Explore more options from Redmond, WA or browse trips ending in Federal Way, WA.
Looking for more statewide routes? Browse WA road trips.