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Trip from SeaTac, WA to Renton, WA

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Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 21, 2026 · Editorial standards

Drive Time

11m

Distance

6.3 mi

10 km

Drive Score

8/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$1

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

4 AM
0h 11m ★
6 AM
0h 12m
8 AM
0h 14m
10 AM
0h 12m
12 PM
0h 12m
3 PM
0h 12m
5 PM
0h 14m
8 PM
0h 11m ★

Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.

city in King County, Washington State, United States

SeaTac, WA

Wikimedia Commons

Trip Overview

Traveling from SeaTac to Renton is a quick 6.3-mile trip that typically takes just 11 minutes of driving time. Because the duration is so brief, this route is perfect for a single-day excursion and requires no overnight stops. You will navigate through the Pacific Coast region, moving between these two Washington hubs with ease. Budgeting for this drive is incredibly simple, as you will likely spend only about $1 on fuel. It is an ideal, straightforward commute for those looking to move efficiently between these locations without any complex planning required.

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
I 405 1.5 mi 1m
WA 518 1.2 mi 1m
Rainier Avenue South 0.9 mi 2m
International Boulevard 0.9 mi 1m
Valley Freeway 0.2 mi <1m
South 170th Street 0.2 mi <1m
32nd Avenue South 0.2 mi <1m
Longest stretch: I 405 — 1.5 mi, about 1m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between SeaTac, WA and Renton, WA.

1

Start on this road

140 ft · 15 sec · this road
2

Turn left

52 ft · 9 sec
3

Turn left onto 32nd Avenue South

0.2 mi · 39 sec · 32nd Avenue South
4

At end of road, turn left onto South 170th Street

0.2 mi · 33 sec · South 170th Street
5

Turn right onto WA 99

0.9 mi · 1 min · International Boulevard
Use the right lane.
6

Take the ramp

0.4 mi · 49 sec
Toward WA 518 East Use the right lane.
7

Merge onto WA 518

0.9 mi · 1 min · WA 518
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8

Keep slight left at fork onto WA 518

0.3 mi · 22 sec · WA 518
Toward I 405 North: Renton Use the slight left lane.
9

Continue on I 405

1.5 mi · 1 min · I 405
10

Take the exit

0.4 mi · 30 sec
Exit 2 Toward WA 167 South: Renton, Auburn Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11

Keep slight left at fork

0.3 mi · 26 sec
Toward Renton, Rainier Avenue South Use the straight lane.
12

Keep slight right at fork

0.2 mi · 42 sec
Toward WA 167 North: Renton, Rainier Avenue South Use the slight right lane.
13

Merge onto WA 167

0.2 mi · 22 sec · Valley Freeway
14

Continue on WA 167

0.9 mi · 2 min · Rainier Avenue South
Use the left lane.
15

Turn right

39 ft · 2 sec
16

Arrive at destination

Heads-up: tricky spots

5 of 12

5 decision points cluster between mile 0.2 and 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 | South 170th Street

At end of road, turn left onto South 170th Street

Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch

7
2.5 mi into trip | ~5m in | WA 518

Keep slight left at fork onto WA 518 toward I 405 North: Renton

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the slight left lane. Toward I 405 North: Renton
8
4.3 mi into trip | ~7m in

Take the exit toward WA 167 South: Renton, Auburn

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. Exit 2 Toward WA 167 South: Renton, Auburn
8
4.7 mi into trip | ~7m in

Keep slight left at fork toward Renton, Rainier Avenue South

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Use the straight lane. Toward Renton, Rainier Avenue South
9
5 mi into trip | ~8m in

Keep slight right at fork toward WA 167 North: Renton, Rainier Avenue South

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Use the slight right lane. Toward WA 167 North: Renton, Rainier Avenue Sou...

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$1.32 one way

$2.64 round trip

$5.32/gal 25.4 MPG avg 2 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $5.58 $1.38 $2.77
premium $5.77 $1.43 $2.86
diesel $5.61 $1.39 $2.78

No toll roads detected on this route.

Drive Cost (one way)

Fuel

$1

Estimated CO2 emission: 2.2 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $1 in charging · 0 stops · 50% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 1.9 0 $0.66 $0.30
Efficient EV 1.6 0 $0.55 $0.25
EV Truck/SUV 2.5 0 $0.88 $0.40

Gas CO2

2 kg

EV CO2

1 kg (50% 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.

Forecast as of Apr 20, 2026

Origin

SeaTac, WA

Late night in SeaTac on Tuesday

Local time

3:36 AM

PDT

Current temp

46°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Renton, WA

Late night in Renton on Tuesday

Local time

3:36 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

21 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

11m 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 mixed driving experience that transitions between highway speeds and local traffic flow. You will spend roughly 45% of your journey on major thoroughfares, including I-405 and WA-518, before transitioning onto Rainier Avenue South. The longest uninterrupted stretch you will encounter is a 1.5-mile segment on I-405, which provides a brief period of steady speed. This route balances the fast pace of interstate travel with the more measured feel of surface streets. You will find that the character of the road changes quickly as you shift from the busier highway environment into the local access roads nearing Renton.

45% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
16 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 1.5 mi on I 405.

How Hard Is This Drive?

10/10

This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. 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 South 170th Street.

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 12 decision points packed into just 6.3 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 11m.

Where does it get tricky?

The main spots that need attention: at 0.2 miles (South 170th Street): Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch; at 2.5 miles (WA 518): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 4.3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.

Elevation Profile

Mostly flat terrain

433 ft 26 ft

Total Climb

41 ft

Total Descent

428 ft

Highest Point

433 ft

Elevation Range

407 ft

Towns Mentioned on Route Signs

Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.

Between SeaTac, WA and Renton, WA, road signs point toward Auburn and Rainier Avenue South.

Auburn

4.3 mi in | ~7m

Rainier Avenue South

4.7 mi in | ~7m

Detours Along the Way

Tagged by where each one fits in your drive — first break, midpoint, final stretch.

Starbucks

Cafe

Near the end, right off the route

12min in 0.2 mi from route ~1 min detour

Renton, WA

Cuisine: coffee_shop

Hours: Mo-Su 06:00-19:00

Visit website

Starbucks

Cafe

Near the end, right off the route

11min in 0.3 mi from route ~1 min detour

Renton, WA

Cuisine: coffee_shop

Hours: Mo-Fr 04:30-18:00; Sa, Su 06:00-17:00

Visit website

Starbucks

Cafe

Near the end, right off the route

11min in 0.3 mi from route ~1 min detour

Renton, WA

Cuisine: coffee_shop

Hours: Mo-Su 06:00-21:00

Visit website

Starbucks

Cafe

Around the midpoint, right off the route

5min in 0.5 mi from route ~1 min detour

Tukwila, WA

Cuisine: coffee_shop

Hours: Mo-Fr 05:00-21:00; Sa-Su 06:00-21:00

Visit website

Starbucks

Cafe

Near the start, right off the route

0.6 mi from route ~2 min detour

SeaTac, WA

Cuisine: coffee_shop

Hours: 04:00-21:00

Visit website

Bean Juice Java

Cafe

Later in the drive, right off the route

8min in 0.1 mi from route

Cuisine: coffee_shop

Domino's

Fast_food

Near the end, right off the route

11min in 0.1 mi from route

Renton, WA

Cuisine: pizza

Hours: Mo-Fr 10:00-24:00; Sa,Su 00:00-01:00,10:...

Visit website

L&L Hawaiian Barbecue

Fast_food

Near the end, right off the route

11min in 0.1 mi from route

Renton, WA

Cuisine: hawaiian

Visit website

Subway

Fast_food

Around the midpoint, right off the route

7min in 0.2 mi from route

Tukwila, WA

Cuisine: sandwich

Hours: Su-Th 07:00-20:00; Fr,Sa 07:00-21:00

Visit website

La Rancherita Mexican Cuisine

Restaurant

Near the end, right off the route

11min in 0.2 mi from route

Renton, WA

Cuisine: mexican

Hours: Mo-Fr 10:00-21:30, Sa,Su 10:00-22:00

Visit website

Subway

Fast_food

Near the end, right off the route

11min in 0.2 mi from route ~1 min detour

Renton, WA

Cuisine: sandwich

Hours: Mo-We 07:00-21:00; Th,Fr 07:00-22:00; Sa...

Visit website

Organic Juice Bar and Gyros

Restaurant

Near the end, right off the route

11min in 0.2 mi from route ~1 min detour

Renton, WA

Cuisine: gyros;smoothie;juice;filipino;mediterranean;american

Hours: Mo-Th 11:00-20:00; Fr-Sa 11:00-21:00

Visit website

Chief Seattle Fountain

Artwork

Near the end, right off the route

12min in 0.7 mi from route ~2 min detour
Visit website

Renton War Memorial

Memorial

Near the end, right off the route

12min in 0.6 mi from route ~2 min detour

cloudsandclunkers

Artwork

Near the start, right off the route

0.7 mi from route ~2 min detour

Homework Comes First

Artwork

Near the end, right off the route

12min in 0.7 mi from route ~2 min detour

Stiltwalker

Artwork

Near the end, right off the route

12min in 0.7 mi from route ~2 min detour

Jimi Hendrix Memorial

Memorial

Near the end, short detour

12min in 2 mi from route ~5 min detour
Visit website

Residence Inn Seattle South/Tukwila

Hotel

Around the midpoint, right off the route

7min in 0.4 mi from route ~1 min detour

Tukwila, WA

Visit website

Knight Inn

Motel

Early in the drive, right off the route

4min in 0.9 mi from route ~2 min detour

Points of interest from OpenStreetMap contributors. Listings may not reflect current hours or availability.

About the Cities

Arriving 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.

City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).

Who Is This Route For?

Weekend Trip

This 6.3-mile drive is an easy same-day round trip, perfect for a quick weekend getaway, taking only about 11 minutes.

Family Friendly

With a 10/10 complexity rating, navigating this 6.3-mile route might be challenging with kids, though the short 11-minute drive is a plus.

Solo Traveler

While the distance is comfortable for a solo traveler at just 6.3 miles, the 10/10 complexity might make it less engaging than desired.

EV Driver

This route is extremely short at 6.3 miles, making it easily manageable on a single charge without needing any EV DC fast chargers.

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (45%). Some complex stretches to watch for.

Scenic Drive

Mixed highway & surface route profile with national parks nearby.

Frequently Asked Questions

The longest stretch is about 1.5 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 Renton, 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 (South 170th Street): Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch; at 2.5 miles (WA 518): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 4.3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.

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 Renton, 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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