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Trip from Port Townsend, WA to Vancouver, WA

Drive Time

4h 11m

Distance

199.6 mi

321 km

Drive Score

9/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$42

one way

EV Charging

None

0 DC fast

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 39 min
4 AM
3h 59m ★
6 AM
4h 12m
8 AM
4h 38m
10 AM
4h 21m
12 PM
4h 18m
3 PM
4h 22m
5 PM
4h 37m
8 PM
4h 4m

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 county seat of Jefferson County, Washington, United States

Port Townsend, WA

Wikimedia Commons

Trip Overview

The drive from Port Townsend, WA to Vancouver, WA covers 199.6 miles and takes about 4h 11m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.

The route leans on I 5, Olympic Highway, State Route 20 for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is mixed drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 102 miles on I 5. At current regular gas prices, budget about $41.89 one way before food or hotel costs.

Trip Pace

Same-day drive is realistic

A same-day return is possible, but it will make for a full day on the road.

Break Rhythm

1 planned break

Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.

Midpoint

99.8 miles from Port Townsend, WA

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 2h 21m into the drive .

Drive Character

The drive from Port Townsend, WA to Vancouver, WA covers 199.6 miles and takes about 4h 11m, using a mix of highways and local roads.

Expect a mix of faster highway mileage and slower local approaches near the beginning or end.
There are about 21 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 102 miles.

How Hard Is This Drive?

This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 96.5 miles in.

Route Complexity 7/10

Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers

This is a demanding drive. With 13 significant decision points across 199.6 miles, you will need to stay alert — especially through interchange areas and urban stretches. Consider splitting it into segments if you are not comfortable with fast highway navigation.

Where does it get tricky?

The main spots that need attention: at 96.5 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 193 miles (I 5): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 199.2 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.

Critical Maneuvers

5 of 13 key points

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

6
96.5 mi into trip | ~2h 16m in

Keep slight right at fork toward I 5 South: Tumwater, Portland

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Toward I 5 South: Tumwater, Portland
6
193 mi into trip | ~4h 2m in | I 5

Keep slight left at fork onto I 5

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
199.2 mi into trip | ~4h 10m in

Take the exit toward 4th Plain Boulevard

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / slight right lanes. Exit 1D Toward 4th Plain Boulevard
8
199.4 mi into trip | ~4h 11m in

Keep slight left at fork toward 4th Plain Boulevard East

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the left lane. Toward 4th Plain Boulevard East
6
199.4 mi into trip | ~4h 11m in | East Fourth Plain Boulevard

Turn left onto East Fourth Plain Boulevard

Lane positioning matters here

Use the left lane.

Towns Along This Route

On the drive from Port Townsend, WA to Vancouver, WA, road signs begin pointing toward Portland along the way.

Portland

96.5 mi in | ~2h 16m

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
I 5 102 mi 1h 52m
Olympic Highway 83.6 mi 1h 53m
State Route 20 9.7 mi 15m
East Sims Way 1.5 mi 3m
West Sims Way 0.7 mi 1m
Lawrence Street 0.7 mi 1m
Kearney Street 0.2 mi <1m
East Fourth Plain Boulevard 0.2 mi <1m
Longest stretch: I 5 — 102 mi, about 1h 52m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Port Townsend, WA and Vancouver, WA.

1

Start on Tyler Street

144 ft · 11 sec · Tyler Street
2

Turn left onto Lawrence Street

0.7 mi · 1 min · Lawrence Street
3

At end of road, turn left onto Kearney Street

0.2 mi · 26 sec · Kearney Street
4

Enter roundabout onto East Sims Way

13 ft · 0 sec · East Sims Way
5

Continue on East Sims Way

1.5 mi · 3 min · East Sims Way
6

Enter roundabout onto WA 20

113 ft · 2 sec · West Sims Way
7

Continue on WA 20

0.3 mi · 40 sec · West Sims Way
8

Enter roundabout onto WA 20

102 ft · 1 sec · West Sims Way
9

Continue on WA 20

0.4 mi · 47 sec · West Sims Way
10

Continue on WA 20

2.1 mi · 3 min · State Route 20
11

Continue on WA 20

7.7 mi · 11 min · State Route 20
12

Take the ramp onto WA 20

393 ft · 11 sec · State Highway 20
13

Merge onto US 101

84 mi · 1 hr 53 min · Olympic Highway
14

Keep slight right at fork

0.1 mi · 18 sec
Toward I 5 South: Tumwater, Portland
15

Keep slight left at fork

0.6 mi · 1 min
Toward I 5 South: Portland
16

Merge onto I 5

96 mi · 1 hr 44 min · I 5
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
17

Keep slight left at fork onto I 5

6.2 mi · 7 min · I 5
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
18

Take the exit

0.2 mi · 23 sec
Exit 1D Toward 4th Plain Boulevard Use the straight / slight right lanes.
19

Keep slight left at fork

242 ft · 13 sec
Toward 4th Plain Boulevard East Use the left lane.
20

Turn left onto East Fourth Plain Boulevard

0.2 mi · 23 sec · East Fourth Plain Boulevard
Use the left lane.
21

Arrive at destination

East Fourth Plain Boulevard

Trip Plan

Morning Departure

An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.

Evening Departure

A late afternoon start means arriving after dark. Morning is better.

You can normally do this drive in one day.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 99.8 miles from Port Townsend, WA, or about 2h 21m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 102 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 80 miles or 1h 54m in

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

Halfway reset

Around 99.8 miles or 2h 21m in

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

Final approach

Final hour starts around 3h 30m

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

Before You Leave

+

Open the route before leaving Port Townsend, 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 Port Townsend, WA

This is one driving day of about 199.6 miles and 4h 11m.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 80 miles from Port Townsend, WA.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
Plan about 1 real break rather than only quick fuel stops.
The longest stretch is on I 5 for about 102 miles.

Where to Stop

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

Halfway Point

Midpoint

About 99.8 mi from Port Townsend, WA · 2h 21m into the drive

seat of Kitsap County, Washington, United States

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Port Orchard, WA

100 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.

Popular next leg

Port Orchard, WA to Vancouver, WA

157.8 mi · 2h 36m

Pacing Suggestions

Port Orchard, WA

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 80 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Centralia, WA

Meal break

The midpoint is around 99.8 miles from Port Townsend, 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 102 miles.

Arriving in Vancouver, WA

The final approach into Vancouver, 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 Vancouver, WA.

After long uninterrupted mileage, take five minutes before the last urban segment to reset and refocus on exits, merges, and city traffic.

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...

27 mi from route ~68 min detour Free near mile 34.4
View on nps.gov

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

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$41.89 one way

$83.78 round trip

$5.33/gal 25.4 MPG avg 70 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $5.57 $43.75 $87.49
premium $5.77 $45.35 $90.70
diesel $5.64 $44.34 $88.69

No toll roads detected on this route.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$42

Meals

$25–$50

Total

$67–$92

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

Estimated CO2 emission: 69.8 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-06.

Driving Electric?

About $21 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 59.9 0 $20.96 $9.58
Efficient EV 49.9 0 $17.47 $7.98
EV Truck/SUV 79.8 0 $27.94 $12.77

Gas CO2

70 kg

EV CO2

23 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.

Forecast data refreshed 5 hours ago

Origin

Port Townsend, WA

Afternoon in Port Townsend on Monday

Local time

3:00 PM

PDT

Current temp

51°F

Chance Light Rain

W 8 mph 37% 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

Vancouver, WA

Afternoon in Vancouver on Monday

Local time

3:00 PM

PDT

Current temp

41°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

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

10 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

4h 11m on the road

An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.

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

Frequently Asked Questions

The drive from Port Townsend, WA to Vancouver, WA covers 199.6 miles and takes about 4h 11m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are I 5, Olympic Highway, State Route 20. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 99.8 miles from Port Townsend, WA. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $41.89 one way. This estimate uses 25.4 MPG — your actual cost will vary with your vehicle's fuel efficiency and current gas prices.
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left. A late afternoon start means arriving after dark. Morning is better.
Plan about 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, or rest. Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
This is a demanding drive. With 13 significant decision points across 199.6 miles, you will need to stay alert — especially through interchange areas and urban stretches. Consider splitting it into segments if you are not comfortable with fast highway navigation.
The main spots that need attention: at 96.5 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 193 miles (I 5): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 199.2 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
On the drive from Port Townsend, WA to Vancouver, WA, road signs begin pointing toward Portland along the way.

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