Origin
Renton, WA
Late night in Renton on Tuesday
Local time
4:45 AM
PDT
Current temp
67°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Renton, WA to Auburn, WA
Pin this tripCompiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 21, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
20m
Distance
13.5 mi
22 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$3
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 19m
★
6 AM
0h 21m
8 AM
0h 24m
10 AM
0h 22m
12 PM
0h 22m
3 PM
0h 22m
5 PM
0h 24m
8 PM
0h 20m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Auburn, WA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Spanning just 15 miles, the trip from Renton to Auburn is a straightforward, quick connection within the Pacific Coast region of Washington. You can expect a travel time of approximately 21 minutes, making this an ideal day trip that requires no overnight stay. With a fuel cost estimate of only $3, it is an incredibly economical route for commuters or local explorers. You will navigate primarily via Rainier Avenue South, the Valley Freeway, and 15th Street Northwest. Because the entire journey takes less than half an hour, it offers maximum flexibility for your schedule. Whether you are heading south for business or leisure, this short hop is practical and efficient.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Valley Freeway | 10.4 mi | 13m |
| C Street Northwest | 1.1 mi | 2m |
| Rainier Avenue South | 0.9 mi | 2m |
| 15th Street Northwest | 0.5 mi | 1m |
| West Main Street | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| East Main Street | — | — |
Some road-level metrics are being recalculated.
Longest stretch:
Valley Freeway
— 10.4 mi, about 13m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Renton, WA and Auburn, WA.
1
Start on this road
63 ft
·
5 sec
·
this road
2
Turn left
71 ft
·
8 sec
3
Turn left
98 ft
·
12 sec
4
Turn left onto Rainier Avenue South
0.9 mi
·
2 min
·
Rainier Avenue South
5
Continue on WA 167
10 mi
·
13 min
·
Valley Freeway
Use the left lane.
6
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
43 sec
Toward 15th Street Northwest
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Turn left onto 15th Street Northwest
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
15th Street Northwest
Use the left / straight lanes.
8
Turn right onto C Street Northwest
1.1 mi
·
2 min
·
C Street Northwest
Use the right lane.
9
Turn left onto West Main Street
0.2 mi
·
33 sec
·
West Main Street
10
Arrive at destination
East Main Street
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 75 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 12.2 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
4
0 mi into trip
|
~0m in
Turn left
Navigation decision point
4
0 mi into trip
|
~0m in
Turn left
Navigation decision point
6
11.4 mi into trip
|
~15m in
Take the exit toward 15th Street Northwest
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward 15th Street Northwest
6
11.7 mi into trip
|
~16m in
|
15th Street Northwest
Turn left onto 15th Street Northwest
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left / straight lanes.
5
12.2 mi into trip
|
~17m in
|
C Street Northwest
Turn right onto C Street Northwest
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$2.83 one way
$5.65 round trip
$5.32/gal
25.4 MPG avg
5 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $5.58 | $2.96 | $5.93 |
| premium | $5.77 | $3.07 | $6.13 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $2.98 | $5.96 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$3
Estimated CO2 emission: 4.7 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $1 in charging · 0 stops · 60% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 4.1 | 0 | $1.42 | $0.65 |
| Efficient EV | 3.4 | 0 | $1.18 | $0.54 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 5.4 | 0 | $1.89 | $0.86 |
Gas CO2
5 kg
EV CO2
2 kg (60% 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
Auburn, WA
Late night in Auburn on Tuesday
Local time
4:45 AM
PDT
Current temp
67°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
Very similar conditions
Both ends of the route are sitting at about the same temperature right now.
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 rather than a monotonous highway cruise, as this route features zero highway miles. You will navigate urban and local connectors, requiring your full attention as you transition between Rainier Avenue South and the 15th Street Northwest corridor. Since the journey is short and localized, there are no long, uninterrupted stretches of road to worry about. The character of the drive is strictly functional, prioritizing navigation through local infrastructure over high-speed transit. You should prepare for a series of turns as you progress through the 15-mile distance, keeping you engaged behind the wheel for the duration of the 21-minute trip.
77% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
10 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 10.4 mi on Valley Freeway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
4/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Valley Freeway and C Street Northwest. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive.
Driving Effort
4/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 20m drive. You will face about 7 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: near the start: Navigation decision point; near the start: Navigation decision point; at 11.4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. 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 Renton, WA to Auburn, WA, road signs begin pointing toward 15Th Street Northwest along the way.
15Th Street Northwest
11.4 mi in
|
~15m
About the Cities
Starting in Renton, WA
Full guide →Renton is a city in King County, Washington south of Bellevue and north of Kent. It is a quiet suburb of Seattle at the base of Lake Washington. Renton is primarily known as the site of the Boeing 737 plant, where the popular commercial jetliner is built. Renton is also notable for being the resting place of rock legend Jimi Hendrix. Its relatively inexpensive property prices make it a solid choice of stay while visiting Seattle, and the downtown area has many quiet charms of its own.
Arriving in Auburn, WA
Full guide →Auburn is a city in south King County in the Puget Sound region of Washington.
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 20m. Total distance: 13.5 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.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (77%). Straightforward navigation.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 10.4 miles on Valley Freeway. 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: near the start: Navigation decision point; near the start: Navigation decision point; at 11.4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Auburn, 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, and EIA for fuel prices. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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