Origin
Auburn, WA
Morning in Auburn on Saturday
Local time
9:53 AM
PDT
Current temp
46°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Auburn, WA to Kirkland, WA
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
41m
Distance
30.3 mi
49 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$6
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 38m
★
6 AM
0h 42m
8 AM
0h 48m
10 AM
0h 44m
12 PM
0h 43m
3 PM
0h 44m
5 PM
0h 48m
8 PM
0h 39m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Auburn, WA
Wikimedia Commons
Kirkland, WA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
This 30.3-mile drive from Auburn, WA to Kirkland, WA takes approximately 41 minutes, making it a perfect one-day trip. You'll spend most of your time on major freeways, with an 86% highway share, so expect a straightforward journey. The estimated fuel cost for this route is around $6. Since it's a relatively short and efficient drive, you won't need to worry about overnight stays. Both destinations are within the Pacific Coast region, so you'll be staying within familiar territory throughout your travels.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 41m. Total distance: 30.3 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
41m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (86%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Drive Character
This route is predominantly a highway-focused drive, with 86% of the journey taking place on major roads like I-405 and the Valley Freeway. You'll experience a long, uninterrupted stretch of 14.8 miles on I-405, offering a consistent pace. While primarily a freeway experience, Northeast 85th Street will likely introduce some city driving towards the end. Overall, anticipate a smooth, high-speed experience for the majority of your travel time.
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 405 is the longest continuous segment at about 14.8 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 405 and Valley Freeway. 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 C Street Southwest.
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 16 decision points packed into just 30.3 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 41m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.2 miles (C Street Southwest): Lane positioning matters here; at 0.4 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 0.9 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 16 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
7
0.2 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
C Street Southwest
Turn left onto C Street Southwest
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
6
0.4 mi into trip
|
~1m in
Take the ramp toward WA 18 West
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
Toward WA 18 West
8
0.9 mi into trip
|
~1m in
Take the exit toward WA 167: Renton, Puyallup
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Toward WA 167: Renton, Puyallup
8
1.1 mi into trip
|
~2m in
Keep slight right at fork toward WA 167 North: Kent, Renton
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward WA 167 North: Kent, Renton
8
28.5 mi into trip
|
~37m in
Take the exit toward Northeast 85th Street, Kirkland
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 18
Toward Northeast 85th Street, Kirkland
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 405 | 14.8 mi | 18m |
| Valley Freeway | 11.1 mi | 13m |
| Northeast 85th Street | 0.7 mi | 1m |
| 7th Avenue | 0.5 mi | 1m |
| East Main Street | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| C Street Southwest | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| State Route 18 | 0.1 mi | <1m |
| 6th Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
I 405
— 14.8 mi, about 18m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Auburn, WA and Kirkland, WA.
1
Start on East Main Street
0.2 mi
·
41 sec
·
East Main Street
2
Turn left onto C Street Southwest
0.2 mi
·
21 sec
·
C Street Southwest
Use the left lane.
3
Take the ramp
0.3 mi
·
44 sec
Toward WA 18 West
Use the right lane.
4
Merge onto WA 18
0.1 mi
·
11 sec
·
State Route 18
5
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
19 sec
Toward WA 167: Renton, Puyallup
Use the slight right lane.
6
Keep slight right at fork
0.6 mi
·
54 sec
Toward WA 167 North: Kent, Renton
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Merge onto WA 167
11 mi
·
13 min
·
Valley Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Take the exit
0.8 mi
·
1 min
Toward I 405 North: Bellevue
Use the slight right lane.
9
Merge onto I 405
15 mi
·
18 min
·
I 405
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
50 sec
Exit 18
Toward Northeast 85th Street, Kirkland
Use the slight right lane.
11
Keep slight left at fork
182 ft
·
6 sec
12
Turn straight onto Northeast 85th Street
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
Northeast 85th Street
Use the straight / right lanes.
13
Turn right onto 6th Street
449 ft
·
17 sec
·
6th Street
14
Turn left onto 7th Avenue
0.1 mi
·
15 sec
·
7th Avenue
15
Continue on 7th Avenue
0.3 mi
·
50 sec
·
7th Avenue
16
Continue on 7th Avenue
0.1 mi
·
18 sec
·
7th Avenue
17
Turn right onto 1st Street
399 ft
·
11 sec
·
1st Street
18
Arrive at destination
1st Street
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$6.34 one way
$12.68 round trip
$5.32/gal
25.4 MPG avg
11 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $5.58 | $6.65 | $13.30 |
| premium | $5.77 | $6.88 | $13.76 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $6.69 | $13.38 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$6
Estimated CO2 emission: 10.6 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $3 in charging · 0 stops · 64% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 9.1 | 0 | $3.18 | $1.45 |
| Efficient EV | 7.6 | 0 | $2.65 | $1.21 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 12.1 | 0 | $4.24 | $1.94 |
Gas CO2
11 kg
EV CO2
4 kg (64% 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
Morning in Kirkland on Saturday
Local time
9:53 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
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
41m 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 Auburn, WA to Kirkland, WA covers 30.3 miles and takes about 41m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are I 405, Valley Freeway, Northeast 85th Street. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 15.1 miles from Auburn, WA. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $6.34 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 16 decision points packed into just 30.3 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 41m.
The main spots that need attention: at 0.2 miles (C Street Southwest): Lane positioning matters here; at 0.4 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 0.9 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
The route from Auburn, WA to Kirkland, 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.
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