Origin
Shoreline, WA
Afternoon in Shoreline on Sunday
Local time
1:21 PM
PDT
Current temp
46°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Shoreline, WA to Kirkland, WA
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
28m
Distance
17.5 mi
28 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$4
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 26m
★
6 AM
0h 29m
8 AM
0h 33m
10 AM
0h 30m
12 PM
0h 30m
3 PM
0h 30m
5 PM
0h 33m
8 PM
0h 27m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Shoreline, WA
Wikimedia Commons
Kirkland, WA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
This straightforward 17.5-mile drive from Shoreline, WA to Kirkland, WA typically takes about 28 minutes, making it an easy day trip. You'll spend a good portion of your time on major highways, with a fuel cost estimated at $4. The route is primarily highway-focused, offering a direct connection between these two points within the Pacific Coast region. Given its short distance and duration, there's no need to split this journey into multiple days; you can easily complete it in one go. This drive is ideal for a quick commute or a short excursion.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 5 | 7.7 mi | 9m |
| WA 520 | 5.4 mi | 7m |
| Lake Washington Boulevard Northeast | 1.7 mi | 3m |
| Lake Street South | 0.6 mi | 1m |
| North 175th Street | 0.6 mi | 1m |
| 1st Street | 0.4 mi | <1m |
| Bellevue Way Northeast | 0.1 mi | <1m |
| Central Way | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
I 5
— 7.7 mi, about 9m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Shoreline, WA and Kirkland, 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
7.7 mi
·
9 min
·
I 5
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
57 sec
Exit 168B
Toward WA 520 East: Montlake, Bellevue, Kirkland
Use the straight / slight left lanes.
7
Continue on WA 520
5.4 mi
·
7 min
·
WA 520
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
35 sec
Toward Lake Washington Boulevard Northeast, Bellevue Way
9
Keep slight left at fork
162 ft
·
12 sec
Toward Lake Washington Boulevard Northeast
Use the left lane.
10
Turn left onto Bellevue Way Northeast
0.1 mi
·
21 sec
·
Bellevue Way Northeast
Use the left lane.
11
Continue on Lake Washington Boulevard Northeast
1.7 mi
·
3 min
·
Lake Washington Boulevard Northeast
12
Continue on Lake Street South
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
Lake Street South
13
At end of road, turn left onto Central Way
312 ft
·
19 sec
·
Central Way
Use the left lane.
14
Turn right onto 1st Street
0.4 mi
·
51 sec
·
1st Street
15
Arrive at destination
1st Street
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 105 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 14.7 — 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
8
8.6 mi into trip
|
~12m in
Take the exit toward WA 520 East: Montlake, Bellevue, Kirkland
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight left lanes.
Exit 168B
Toward WA 520 East: Montlake, Bellevue, Kirklan...
8
14.6 mi into trip
|
~20m in
Keep slight left at fork toward Lake Washington Boulevard Northeast
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
Toward Lake Washington Boulevard Northeast
7
14.7 mi into trip
|
~21m in
|
Bellevue Way Northeast
Turn left onto Bellevue Way Northeast
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$3.66 one way
$7.33 round trip
$5.32/gal
25.4 MPG avg
6 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $5.58 | $3.84 | $7.68 |
| premium | $5.77 | $3.97 | $7.95 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $3.86 | $7.73 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$4
Estimated CO2 emission: 6.1 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $2 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 5.3 | 0 | $1.84 | $0.84 |
| Efficient EV | 4.4 | 0 | $1.53 | $0.70 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 7 | 0 | $2.45 | $1.12 |
Gas CO2
6 kg
EV CO2
2 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
Kirkland, WA
Afternoon in Kirkland on Sunday
Local time
1:21 PM
PDT
Current temp
49°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
3 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
28m 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 drive that is 74% highway, predominantly on I-5 and WA 520. The longest continuous stretch you'll encounter is 7.7 miles on I-5. This means you'll experience mostly faster speeds and less frequent turns for a significant portion of the journey. While the highway focus is clear, be prepared for transitions onto local roads like Lake Washington Boulevard Northeast as you approach your destination. This blend offers a dynamic driving experience, shifting from interstate cruising to more localized travel.
74% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
15 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 7.7 mi on I 5.
How Hard Is This Drive?
7/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 5 and WA 520. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive.
Driving Effort
7/10
Focused - busy navigation packed into a short drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 10 decision points packed into just 17.5 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 28m.
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 8.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
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 Shoreline, WA and Kirkland, WA, road signs point toward Bellevue and Lake Washington Boulevard Northeast.
Bellevue
8.6 mi in
|
~12m
Lake Washington Boulevard Northeast
14.4 mi in
|
~20m
About the Cities
Arriving in Kirkland, WA
Full guide →Kirkland is a charming city of 93,000 (2019) in King County, Washington, across from Seattle on the east side of Lake 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 28m. Total distance: 17.5 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
28m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (74%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 7.7 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 Kirkland, 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: near the start: Navigation decision point; at 0.7 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 8.6 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 Kirkland, 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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