Origin
Burien, WA
Evening in Burien on Friday
Local time
5:45 PM
PDT
Current temp
49°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Burien, WA to Auburn, WA
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
26m
Distance
18.6 mi
30 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$4
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 24m
★
6 AM
0h 27m
8 AM
0h 31m
10 AM
0h 28m
12 PM
0h 28m
3 PM
0h 28m
5 PM
0h 31m
8 PM
0h 25m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Burien, WA
Wikimedia Commons
Auburn, WA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
This straightforward 18.6-mile drive from Burien, WA, to Auburn, WA, is designed for a single day, taking approximately 26 minutes. Primarily utilizing the Valley Freeway, State Route 518, and I-405, it's a highway-focused journey with an estimated fuel cost of around $4. Given its short distance and duration, this route is easily manageable without an overnight stay. You'll be traveling within the Pacific Coast region throughout the trip, experiencing a quick and efficient transit between these Washington locales. It's a practical option for a simple point-to-point trip.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 26m. Total distance: 18.6 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
26m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (81%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Drive Character
Expect a highway-focused experience on this 18.6-mile route, with 81% of the drive taking place on major roadways. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is 10 miles on the Valley Freeway, offering a consistent pace. The character of the drive is largely defined by its efficient, high-speed segments, making it ideal for covering ground quickly. While not designed for scenic exploration, its straightforward nature allows for a focused transit between your origin and destination.
Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 12 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Valley Freeway is the longest continuous segment at about 10 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Valley Freeway and State Route 518. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 4 miles in near WA 518.
Driving Effort
8/10
Focused - busy navigation packed into a short drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 8 decision points packed into just 18.6 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 26m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 4 miles (WA 518): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 5.7 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 6.2 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 8 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
7
4 mi into trip
|
~5m in
|
WA 518
Keep slight left at fork onto WA 518 toward I 405 North: Renton
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left lane.
Toward I 405 North: Renton
8
5.7 mi into trip
|
~7m in
Take the exit toward WA 167 South: Renton, Auburn
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 2
Toward WA 167 South: Renton, Auburn
8
6.2 mi into trip
|
~8m in
Keep slight right at fork toward WA 167 South: Kent, Auburn
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Toward WA 167 South: Kent, Auburn
6
16.5 mi into trip
|
~21m in
Take the exit toward 15th Street Northwest
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward 15th Street Northwest
6
16.8 mi into trip
|
~22m in
|
15th Street Northwest
Turn left onto 15th Street Northwest
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left / straight lanes.
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
On the drive from Burien, WA to Auburn, WA, road signs begin pointing toward 15Th Street Northwest along the way.
15Th Street Northwest
16.5 mi in
|
~21m
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Valley Freeway | 10 mi | 12m |
| State Route 518 | 3.4 mi | 4m |
| I 405 | 1.5 mi | 1m |
| C Street Northwest | 1.1 mi | 2m |
| Southwest 148th Street | 0.6 mi | 1m |
| 15th Street Northwest | 0.5 mi | 1m |
| WA 518 | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| West Main Street | 0.2 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Valley Freeway
— 10 mi, about 12m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Burien, WA and Auburn, WA.
1
Start on Southwest 148th Street
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
Southwest 148th Street
2
Continue on WA 518
3.4 mi
·
4 min
·
State Route 518
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
3
Keep slight left at fork onto WA 518
0.3 mi
·
22 sec
·
WA 518
Toward I 405 North: Renton
Use the slight left lane.
4
Continue on I 405
1.5 mi
·
1 min
·
I 405
5
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
30 sec
Exit 2
Toward WA 167 South: Renton, Auburn
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
Keep slight right at fork
0.4 mi
·
43 sec
Toward WA 167 South: Kent, Auburn
Use the slight right lane.
7
Merge onto WA 167
10 mi
·
12 min
·
Valley Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
43 sec
Toward 15th Street Northwest
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Turn left onto 15th Street Northwest
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
15th Street Northwest
Use the left / straight lanes.
10
Turn right onto C Street Northwest
1.1 mi
·
2 min
·
C Street Northwest
Use the right lane.
11
Turn left onto West Main Street
0.2 mi
·
33 sec
·
West Main Street
12
Arrive at destination
East Main Street
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$3.89 one way
$7.79 round trip
$5.32/gal
25.4 MPG avg
7 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $5.58 | $4.08 | $8.16 |
| premium | $5.77 | $4.22 | $8.45 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $4.11 | $8.21 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$4
Estimated CO2 emission: 6.5 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $2 in charging · 0 stops · 71% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 5.6 | 0 | $1.95 | $0.89 |
| Efficient EV | 4.7 | 0 | $1.63 | $0.74 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 7.4 | 0 | $2.60 | $1.19 |
Gas CO2
7 kg
EV CO2
2 kg (71% 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
Auburn, WA
Evening in Auburn on Friday
Local time
5:45 PM
PDT
Current temp
46°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 cooler at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
26m 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 Burien, WA to Auburn, WA covers 18.6 miles and takes about 26m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Valley Freeway, State Route 518, I 405. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 9.3 miles from Burien, WA. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $3.89 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 8 decision points packed into just 18.6 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 26m.
The main spots that need attention: at 4 miles (WA 518): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 5.7 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 6.2 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
On the drive from Burien, WA to Auburn, WA, road signs begin pointing toward 15Th Street Northwest along the way.
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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