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Trip from Bellingham, WA to Tukwila, WA

Last recalculated Apr 16, 2026

Drive Time

2h 3m

Distance

99.6 mi

160 km

Drive Score

7/10

Good drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$21

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 26 min
4 AM
1h 55m ★
6 AM
2h 4m
8 AM
2h 21m
10 AM
2h 10m
12 PM
2h 8m
3 PM
2h 11m
5 PM
2h 20m
8 PM
1h 58m

Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.

Best Time Drive vs Fly
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city in, and the county seat of, Whatcom County in the State of Washington, United States

Bellingham, WA

Wikimedia Commons

city in King County, Washington, United States

Tukwila, WA

Wikimedia Commons

Trip Overview

The drive from Bellingham, WA to Tukwila, WA covers 99.6 miles and takes about 2h 3m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.

The route leans on I 5, Interurban Avenue South, West Magnolia Street for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is highway-focused drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 96.5 miles on I 5. At current regular gas prices, budget about $20.85 one way before food or hotel costs.

Trip Pace

Same-day drive is realistic

A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.

Midpoint

49.8 miles from Bellingham, WA

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 1h 2m into the drive .

Who Is This Route For?

Weekend Trip

Doable as a same-day drive at 2h 3m. Total distance: 99.6 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

2h 3m drive, comfortable solo distance.

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (97%). Straightforward navigation.

Drive Character

This is a 2h 3m highway drive covering 99.6 miles, with most of the trip on I 5 and Interurban Avenue South. The longest continuous stretch is about 96.5 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 14 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 96.5 miles.

Elevation Profile

Gently rolling terrain

474 ft 1 ft

Total Climb

1,009 ft

Total Descent

942 ft

Highest Point

474 ft

~7.1 mi in

Elevation Range

473 ft

How Hard Is This Drive?

This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 5 and Interurban Avenue South. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes around 0.7 miles in near West Champion Street.

Driving Effort 3/10

Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time

Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.

This is a straightforward 2h 3m drive. You will face about 9 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.

Where does it get tricky?

The main spots that need attention: at 0.7 miles (West Champion Street): Navigation decision point; at 1.4 miles (Lakeway Drive): Navigation decision point; at 1.6 miles: Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch.

Critical Maneuvers

5 of 9 key points

These are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.

5
0.7 mi into trip | ~1m in | West Champion Street

Turn left onto West Champion Street

Navigation decision point

5
1.4 mi into trip | ~3m in | Lakeway Drive

Turn left onto Lakeway Drive

Navigation decision point

6
1.6 mi into trip | ~4m in

Take the ramp toward I 5 South: Seattle

Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch

Toward I 5 South: Seattle
8
98.3 mi into trip | ~2h in

Take the exit toward Tukwila, Interurban Avenue

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. Exit 156 Toward Tukwila, Interurban Avenue
6
98.6 mi into trip | ~2h 1m in | Interurban Avenue South

Turn left onto Interurban Avenue South

Lane positioning matters here

Use the left lane.

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
I 5 96.5 mi 1h 55m
Interurban Avenue South 0.8 mi 1m
West Magnolia Street 0.5 mi 1m
Dupont Street 0.5 mi 1m
Lakeway Drive 0.2 mi <1m
Prospect Street 0.2 mi <1m
58th Avenue South 0.2 mi <1m
Ellis Street 0.1 mi <1m
Longest stretch: I 5 — 96.5 mi, about 1h 55m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Bellingham, WA and Tukwila, WA.

1

Start on Dupont Street

0.5 mi · 1 min · Dupont Street
2

Continue on Prospect Street

0.2 mi · 37 sec · Prospect Street
3

Turn left onto West Champion Street

352 ft · 11 sec · West Champion Street
4

Continue on West Magnolia Street

0.5 mi · 1 min · West Magnolia Street
5

Turn right onto Ellis Street

0.1 mi · 26 sec · Ellis Street
6

Turn left onto Lakeway Drive

0.2 mi · 48 sec · Lakeway Drive
7

Take the ramp

0.3 mi · 32 sec
Toward I 5 South: Seattle
8

Merge onto I 5

96 mi · 1 hr 55 min · I 5
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9

Take the exit

0.3 mi · 41 sec
Exit 156 Toward Tukwila, Interurban Avenue Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10

Turn left onto Interurban Avenue South

0.8 mi · 1 min · Interurban Avenue South
Use the left lane.
11

Turn right onto South 141st Place

445 ft · 12 sec · South 141st Place
12

Continue on 58th Avenue South

0.2 mi · 23 sec · 58th Avenue South
13

Turn right onto South 144th Street

47 ft · 1 sec · South 144th Street
14

Arrive at destination

South 144th Street

Trip Plan

Morning Departure

Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch.

Evening Departure

Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.

You can normally do this drive in one day.
You may only need one short stretch break if traffic stays light.
The halfway point lands around 49.8 miles from Bellingham, WA, or about 1h 2m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 96.5 miles.

This is a comfortable same-day trip.

Departure

Before you leave

Start with fuel, water, and navigation already sorted so the first hour feels easy.

First stop

Around 22 miles or 29m in

Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.

Halfway reset

Around 49.8 miles or 1h 2m in

This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.

Final approach

Final hour starts around 1h 40m

Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Tukwila, WA than in the middle of the route.

Before You Leave

+

Open the route before leaving Bellingham, WA so your first major turns are already loaded.

+

Leave with enough water and a charging cable within reach, not packed away.

+

Check your fuel range against the first long segment, especially if you are starting outside city service areas.

Day 1

Settle into the route from Bellingham, WA

This is one driving day of about 99.6 miles and 2h 3m.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 22 miles from Bellingham, WA.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
The longest stretch is on I 5 for about 96.5 miles.

Where to Stop

Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.

Halfway Point

Midpoint

About 49.8 mi from Bellingham, WA · 1h 2m into the drive

Downtown Eastmont, WA, WA

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Eastmont, WA

50 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

Burlington, WA

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 22 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Martha Lake, WA

Meal break

The midpoint is around 49.8 miles from Bellingham, WA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Before the longest stretch

Fuel check

Top up before I 5 if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 96.5 miles.

Arriving in Tukwila, WA

The final approach into Tukwila, WA usually feels slower than the middle of the drive, so avoid planning your tightest schedule at the very end.

Try to arrive with enough fuel left to skip an immediate station stop unless you already know the area around Tukwila, WA.

These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.

National Parks Near This Route

Worth a detour if your schedule allows.

Klondike Gold Rush - Seattle Unit National Historical Park

Klondike Gold Rush - Seattle Unit National Historical Park

National Historical Park

Seattle flourished during and after the Klondike Gold Rush. Merchants supplied people from around the world passing through this port city on their way to a remarkable adventure in the Yukon Territory...

0 mi from route ~1 min detour Free near mile 89.3
View on nps.gov

Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$20.85 one way

$41.69 round trip

$5.32/gal 25.4 MPG avg 35 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $5.58 $21.86 $43.72
premium $5.77 $22.62 $45.24
diesel $5.61 $21.99 $43.98

No toll roads detected on this route.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$21

Meals

$25–$50

Total

$46–$71

Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.

Estimated CO2 emission: 34.8 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $10 in charging · 0 stops · 66% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 29.9 0 $10.46 $4.78
Efficient EV 24.9 0 $8.71 $3.98
EV Truck/SUV 39.8 0 $13.94 $6.37

Gas CO2

35 kg

EV CO2

12 kg (66% 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.

Forecast as of Apr 13, 2026

Origin

Bellingham, WA

Afternoon in Bellingham on Thursday

Local time

2:21 PM

PDT

Current temp

47°F

Chance Light Rain

S 6 mph 51% chance Live forecast

Winter Storm Watch

Winter Storm Watch issued April 13 at 2:38AM PDT until April 15 at 11:00PM PDT by NWS Seattle WA

Winter Storm Watch

Winter Storm Watch issued April 13 at 12:01AM PDT until April 16 at 5:00AM PDT by NWS Portland OR

Destination

Tukwila, WA

Afternoon in Tukwila on Thursday

Local time

2:21 PM

PDT

Current temp

47°F

Light Rain Likely

SSW 7 mph 64% chance Live forecast

Winter Storm Watch

Winter Storm Watch issued April 13 at 2:38AM PDT until April 15 at 11:00PM PDT by NWS Seattle WA

Winter Storm Watch

Winter Storm Watch issued April 13 at 12:01AM PDT until April 16 at 5:00AM PDT by NWS Portland OR

Seasonal Notes

Summer travel usually means heavier construction, hotter rest stops, and busier weekend traffic around major cities.

Winter travel shortens daylight, so a route that looks manageable on paper can feel much longer after dark.

Holiday weekends tend to make both departure and arrival windows slower than the raw route time suggests.

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

Very similar conditions

Both ends of the route are sitting at about the same temperature right now.

Road read

2h 3m on the road

The weather snapshot is not static. If you are leaving later, give both cities one more quick forecast check before departure.

Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.

Frequently Asked Questions

The drive from Bellingham, WA to Tukwila, WA covers 99.6 miles and takes about 2h 3m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are I 5, Interurban Avenue South, West Magnolia 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 49.8 miles from Bellingham, WA. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $20.85 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 straightforward 2h 3m drive. You will face about 9 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
The main spots that need attention: at 0.7 miles (West Champion Street): Navigation decision point; at 1.4 miles (Lakeway Drive): Navigation decision point; at 1.6 miles: Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch.
The route from Bellingham, WA to Tukwila, WA does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
Gently rolling terrain. The route ranges from 1 ft to 474 ft elevation with about 1,009 ft of total climbing.
Yes. Nearby national parks include Klondike Gold Rush - Seattle Unit National Historical Park.

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Tukwila, WA to Bellingham, WA

Plan the drive back the other way.

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