Origin
Shoreline, WA
Morning in Shoreline on Sunday
Local time
9:13 AM
PDT
Current temp
46°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Shoreline, 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
45m
Distance
33.1 mi
53 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 46m
8 AM
0h 53m
10 AM
0h 48m
12 PM
0h 48m
3 PM
0h 49m
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.
Shoreline, WA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
This straightforward 33.1-mile drive from Shoreline, WA, to Federal Way, WA, is designed for a single day, taking approximately 45 minutes to complete. The journey is primarily highway-focused, with 87% of the route utilizing major roadways like I-5 and Pacific Highway South. With an estimated fuel cost of $7, this trip is an economical option for a quick transit between two points within the Pacific Coast region. You'll find no designated overnight stops necessary, making it a convenient point-to-point excursion perfect for those seeking efficiency.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 5 | 28.8 mi | 36m |
| Pacific Highway South | 2.5 mi | 4m |
| North 175th Street | 0.6 mi | 1m |
| South 272nd Street | 0.5 mi | 1m |
| South 312th Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
I 5
— 28.8 mi, about 36m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Shoreline, WA and Federal Way, WA.
1
Start on this road
111 ft
·
10 sec
·
this road
2
Turn right
448 ft
·
35 sec
3
Turn right onto North 175th Street
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
North 175th Street
4
Take the ramp
0.2 mi
·
24 sec
Toward I 5 South
Use the straight / right lanes.
5
Merge onto I 5
29 mi
·
36 min
·
I 5
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
54 sec
Exit 147
Toward South 272nd Street
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Turn right onto South 272nd Street
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
South 272nd Street
Use the right lane.
8
Turn left onto WA 99; WA 509
2.5 mi
·
4 min
·
Pacific Highway South
Use the left / straight lanes.
9
Turn left onto South 312th Street
209 ft
·
9 sec
·
South 312th Street
10
Turn right
24 ft
·
1 sec
11
Arrive at destination
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 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 16.6 miles from Shoreline, 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 95 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 30 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
0 mi into trip
|
~0m in
Turn right
Navigation decision point
7
0.7 mi into trip
|
~2m in
Take the ramp toward I 5 South
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
Toward I 5 South
5
0.9 mi into trip
|
~2m in
|
I 5
Merge onto I 5
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
29.7 mi into trip
|
~38m 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
6
30 mi into trip
|
~39m in
|
South 272nd Street
Turn right onto South 272nd Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$6.93 one way
$13.86 round trip
$5.32/gal
25.4 MPG avg
12 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $5.58 | $7.27 | $14.53 |
| premium | $5.77 | $7.52 | $15.03 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $7.31 | $14.62 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$7
Estimated CO2 emission: 11.6 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $3 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 9.9 | 0 | $3.48 | $1.59 |
| Efficient EV | 8.3 | 0 | $2.90 | $1.32 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 13.2 | 0 | $4.63 | $2.12 |
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
Federal Way, WA
Morning in Federal Way on Sunday
Local time
9:13 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
1 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
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?
Expect a highway-centric experience for the majority of this 33.1-mile trip, as 87% of the route is on major thoroughfares. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is 28.8 miles on I-5, offering a consistent pace. While primarily a highway drive, you will transition onto roads like Pacific Highway South and North 175th Street, which may offer a slight change in scenery and traffic patterns. The overall profile suggests a focus on getting you from point A to point B efficiently, rather than a winding, scenic exploration.
87% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
11 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 28.8 mi on I 5.
How Hard Is This Drive?
5/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 5 and Pacific Highway South. You will hit about 9 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive.
Driving Effort
5/10
Moderate - straightforward overall, but long enough or busy enough to require pacing
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 33.1 miles you will encounter 9 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: near the start: Navigation decision point; at 0.7 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 0.9 miles (I 5): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
About the Cities
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 45m. Total distance: 33.1 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 (87%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 28.8 miles on I 5. 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; at 0.7 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 0.9 miles (I 5): Merge point - match speed before joining. 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.
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