Origin
Seattle, WA
Late night in Seattle on Tuesday
Local time
5:23 AM
PDT
Current temp
65°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Seattle, WA to Tacoma, 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
45m
Distance
33.6 mi
54 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 42m
★
6 AM
0h 45m
8 AM
0h 53m
10 AM
0h 48m
12 PM
0h 47m
3 PM
0h 48m
5 PM
0h 53m
8 PM
0h 43m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Seattle, WA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Connecting Seattle to Tacoma, this 33.6-mile journey is a quick Pacific Coast trip that typically takes about 45 minutes to complete. Because of the short distance, you can easily handle this as a one-day excursion without needing an overnight stay. Expect to spend roughly $7 on fuel for the entire drive. The route primarily utilizes I-5 to link these two major Washington hubs. It is a straightforward, practical transition between cities that keeps travel simple and efficient for your schedule.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 5 | 31.2 mi | 39m |
| I 705 | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| Tacoma Avenue South | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| South 15th Street | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| Spring Street | 0.1 mi | <1m |
| 4th Avenue | <0.1 mi | <1m |
| Madison Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
| South 11th Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
I 5
— 31.2 mi, about 39m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Seattle, WA and Tacoma, WA.
1
Start on this road
31 ft
·
7 sec
·
this road
2
Turn left onto Madison Street
204 ft
·
11 sec
·
Madison Street
3
Turn right onto 4th Avenue
308 ft
·
14 sec
·
4th Avenue
4
Turn right onto Spring Street
0.1 mi
·
26 sec
·
Spring Street
Use the right lane.
5
Take the ramp
0.2 mi
·
28 sec
Toward I 5 South: Portland
6
Continue on I 5
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
I 5
Use the left lane.
7
Keep slight left at fork onto I 5
147 ft
·
2 sec
·
I 5
Toward I 90 East, I 5 South: Bellevue, Portland
8
Keep slight right at fork onto I 5
0.1 mi
·
8 sec
·
I 5
Toward I 5 South: Tacoma, Portland
9
Keep slight left at fork onto I 5
305 ft
·
4 sec
·
I 5
Toward Airport Way
10
Keep slight left at fork onto I 5
30 mi
·
38 min
·
I 5
Toward I 5 South: Sea-Tac Airport
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Take the exit
0.1 mi
·
19 sec
Exit 133
Toward WA 7 South, I 705 North: City Center, Tacoma Dome
12
Keep slight right at fork
334 ft
·
8 sec
Toward I 705 North: City Center, Tacoma Dome Station
13
Keep slight left at fork
0.4 mi
·
50 sec
Toward I 705 North: City Center
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
14
Merge onto I 705
0.3 mi
·
22 sec
·
I 705
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
15
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
37 sec
Toward A Street, City Center
Use the slight left lane.
16
Keep slight left at fork
0.2 mi
·
31 sec
Toward South 15 Street, Pacific Avenue
Use the slight left / straight lanes.
17
Continue on South 15th Street
0.3 mi
·
59 sec
·
South 15th Street
Use the straight / left / right lanes.
18
Turn right onto Tacoma Avenue South
0.3 mi
·
49 sec
·
Tacoma Avenue South
19
Turn right onto South 11th Street
43 ft
·
1 sec
·
South 11th Street
20
Arrive at destination
South 11th Street
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
17 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 33.6 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 16.8 miles from Seattle, 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 175 decision points cluster between mile 0.1 and 32.9 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
7
0.1 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
Spring Street
Turn right onto Spring Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
7
1.1 mi into trip
|
~2m in
|
I 5
Keep slight right at fork onto I 5 toward I 5 South: Tacoma, Portland
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward I 5 South: Tacoma, Portland
7
1.2 mi into trip
|
~2m in
|
I 5
Keep slight left at fork onto I 5 toward I 5 South: Sea-Tac Airport
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward I 5 South: Sea-Tac Airport
8
32.6 mi into trip
|
~42m 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
32.9 mi into trip
|
~43m 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
$7.03 one way
$14.06 round trip
$5.32/gal
25.4 MPG avg
12 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $5.58 | $7.37 | $14.75 |
| premium | $5.77 | $7.63 | $15.26 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $7.42 | $14.84 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$7
Estimated CO2 emission: 11.8 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $4 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 10.1 | 0 | $3.53 | $1.61 |
| Efficient EV | 8.4 | 0 | $2.94 | $1.34 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 13.4 | 0 | $4.70 | $2.15 |
Gas CO2
12 kg
EV CO2
4 kg (67% 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
Late night in Tacoma on Tuesday
Local time
5:23 AM
PDT
Current temp
45°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
20 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
45m 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?
This highway-focused drive is dominated by I-5, which accounts for 94% of your travel time. You will spend the vast majority of your journey—31.2 miles—on this single interstate stretch before transitioning onto I-705 and Tacoma Avenue South. While the drive is efficient, anticipate a very consistent interstate experience rather than a winding backroad journey. The route feels like a standard metropolitan commute, maintaining a steady pace as you move south through the region.
94% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
20 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 31.2 mi on I 5.
How Hard Is This Drive?
9/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 5 and I 705. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 0.1 miles in near Spring Street.
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 33.6 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 45m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (Spring Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 1.1 miles (I 5): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 1.2 miles (I 5): 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.
Between Seattle, WA and Tacoma, WA, road signs point toward Tacoma Dome and Tacoma Dome Station.
Tacoma Dome
31.7 mi in
|
~40m
Tacoma Dome Station
31.8 mi in
|
~41m
About the Cities
Starting in Seattle, WA
Full guide →Seattle, Washington sits at one of the most beautiful spots in the United States. Occupying a narrow isthmus between the Puget Sound and Lake Washington, it is the biggest city in the Pacific Northwest, with 780,000 people in Seattle and over four million people in the metro area. Seen from above, carpets of evergreen trees, pristine blue waters, and snowy white mountains surround the downtown's metallic skyscrapers, earning the city its nickname The Emerald City. On the ground, you will find a vibrant and cosmopolitan city. Next to the progressive downtown and the freewheeling feel of Capitol Hill, you can find a laid-back atmosphere in the districts to the north and ethnically diverse neighborhoods to the south.
Arriving in Tacoma, WA
Full guide →Tacoma, a major port on the Puget Sound, is the third-largest city in Washington State, with about 220,000 residents. It has a dynamic art scene and a great ballet.
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 45m. Total distance: 33.6 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
45m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (94%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 31.2 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 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 0.1 miles (Spring Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 1.1 miles (I 5): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 1.2 miles (I 5): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
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, and EIA for fuel prices. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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