Origin
Alderton, WA
Morning in Alderton on Friday
Local time
11:49 AM
PDT
Current temp
40°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Alderton, WA to Seattle, WA
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 17, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
48m
Distance
35.4 mi
57 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 44m
★
6 AM
0h 48m
8 AM
0h 56m
10 AM
0h 51m
12 PM
0h 50m
3 PM
0h 52m
5 PM
0h 56m
8 PM
0h 46m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Alderton, WA
Michael
Seattle, WA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
The drive from Alderton, WA to Seattle, WA covers 35.4 miles and takes about 48m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on I 5, Valley Freeway, South Kent Des Moines Road for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is highway-focused drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 15.8 miles on I 5. At current regular gas prices, budget about $7.41 one way before food or hotel costs.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 48m. Total distance: 35.4 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
48m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (85%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Drive Character
This is a 48m highway drive covering 35.4 miles, with most of the trip on I 5 and Valley Freeway. The longest continuous stretch is about 15.8 miles on I 5.
Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 18 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
I 5 is the longest continuous segment at about 15.8 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 5 and Valley Freeway. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 1.6 miles in.
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 13 decision points packed into just 35.4 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 48m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 1.6 miles: Navigation decision point; at 3 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 15.4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 13 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
5
1.6 mi into trip
|
~3m in
Take the ramp toward WA 410 West: Tacoma
Navigation decision point
Toward WA 410 West: Tacoma
7
3 mi into trip
|
~5m in
Keep slight right at fork toward WA 167 North: Seattle
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Toward WA 167 North: Seattle
7
15.4 mi into trip
|
~20m in
Take the exit toward WA 516: Des Moines, Willis Street
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.
Toward WA 516: Des Moines, Willis Street
7
34.9 mi into trip
|
~46m in
Take the exit toward Seneca Street
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left lane.
Exit 165
Toward Seneca Street
7
35.2 mi into trip
|
~47m in
|
5th Avenue
Turn left onto 5th Avenue
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / left lanes.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 5 | 15.8 mi | 19m |
| Valley Freeway | 12.1 mi | 15m |
| South Kent Des Moines Road | 2.6 mi | 3m |
| State Route 162 | 1.1 mi | 1m |
| WA 410 | 1.1 mi | 1m |
| Orting Highway East | 0.5 mi | 1m |
| West Willis Street | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| 5th Avenue | 0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
I 5
— 15.8 mi, about 19m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Alderton, WA and Seattle, WA.
1
Start on WA 162
1.1 mi
·
1 min
·
State Route 162
2
Continue on Orting Highway East
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
Orting Highway East
3
Take the ramp
0.3 mi
·
23 sec
Toward WA 410 West: Tacoma
4
Merge onto WA 410
1.1 mi
·
1 min
·
WA 410
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
5
Keep slight right at fork
0.3 mi
·
43 sec
Toward WA 167 North: Seattle
Use the slight right lane.
6
Merge onto WA 167
12 mi
·
15 min
·
Valley Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
43 sec
Toward WA 516: Des Moines, Willis Street
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Turn left onto WA 516
0.2 mi
·
34 sec
·
West Willis Street
Use the left / straight / right lanes.
9
Continue on WA 516
2.6 mi
·
3 min
·
South Kent Des Moines Road
Use the left / straight lanes.
10
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
18 sec
11
Continue on this road
0.4 mi
·
49 sec
·
this road
12
Merge onto I 5
16 mi
·
19 min
·
I 5
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
35 sec
Exit 165
Toward Seneca Street
Use the slight left lane.
14
Turn left onto Seneca Street
323 ft
·
18 sec
·
Seneca Street
15
Turn left onto 5th Avenue
0.1 mi
·
27 sec
·
5th Avenue
Use the straight / left lanes.
16
Turn right onto Madison Street
113 ft
·
9 sec
·
Madison Street
17
Turn left
31 ft
·
2 sec
18
Arrive at destination
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 17.7 mi from Alderton, WA · 24m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
18 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 35 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 17.7 miles from Alderton, WA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Seattle, WA
Allow a few extra minutes for the final approach into Seattle, WA if you are unfamiliar with the area.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$7.41 one way
$14.82 round trip
$5.32/gal
25.4 MPG avg
12 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $5.58 | $7.77 | $15.54 |
| premium | $5.77 | $8.04 | $16.08 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $7.82 | $15.63 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$7
Estimated CO2 emission: 12.4 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 | 10.6 | 0 | $3.72 | $1.70 |
| Efficient EV | 8.9 | 0 | $3.10 | $1.42 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 14.2 | 0 | $4.96 | $2.27 |
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
Seattle, WA
Morning in Seattle on Friday
Local time
11:49 AM
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
9 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
48m 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.
Frequently Asked Questions
The drive from Alderton, WA to Seattle, WA covers 35.4 miles and takes about 48m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are I 5, Valley Freeway, South Kent Des Moines Road. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 17.7 miles from Alderton, WA. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $7.41 one way. This estimate uses 25.4 MPG — your actual cost will vary with your vehicle's fuel efficiency and current gas prices.
Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch. Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.
This is a short but busy drive. With 13 decision points packed into just 35.4 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 48m.
The main spots that need attention: at 1.6 miles: Navigation decision point; at 3 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 15.4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
The route from Alderton, WA to Seattle, WA does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
Yes. Nearby national parks include Klondike Gold Rush - Seattle Unit National Historical Park.
How this page is built
Compiled by the Trip.ovh 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.
Was this helpful?
Thanks for your feedback!
Your tip has been submitted. Thanks!
/500
Recent Tips
·
Explore More
Continue From Seattle, WA
More trips to Seattle, WA
Explore more options from Alderton, WA or browse trips ending in Seattle, WA.
Looking for more statewide routes? Browse WA road trips.