Skip to main content

Trip from Seattle, WA to Midland, WA

Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 17, 2026 · Editorial standards

Drive Time

51m

Distance

36 mi

58 km

Drive Score

6/10

Good drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$8

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 12 min
4 AM
0h 47m ★
6 AM
0h 51m
8 AM
0h 59m
10 AM
0h 54m
12 PM
0h 53m
3 PM
0h 54m
5 PM
0h 59m
8 PM
0h 48m

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

city in and county seat of King County, State of Washington, United States

Seattle, WA

Wikimedia Commons

Downtown Midland, WA, WA

Midland, WA

Harrison Reilly

Trip Overview

Seattle, WA to Midland, WA is 36 miles and takes about 51m via I 5, with a fuel budget near $8 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This short trip stays entirely within the Pacific Coast region of Washington State. It's a straightforward drive that primarily utilizes major highways, making it a practical option for a quick transit or a short excursion. You'll find the journey efficient, with minimal complexity and a predictable travel time. Consider this route when you need to get from point A to point B quickly without venturing far from urban centers.

Who Is This Route For?

Weekend Trip

Doable as a same-day drive at 51m. Total distance: 36 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

51m drive, comfortable solo distance.

EV Driver

0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (84%). Some complex stretches to watch for.

Drive Character

This drive is heavily highway-focused, with 84% of the journey on major roads like I 5. You'll experience a long, uninterrupted stretch of 30.1 miles on I 5, offering a consistent pace. The route transitions from the interstate onto local roads such as East Portland Avenue and East 27th Street as you approach your destination. While largely a high-speed affair, the final segments involve navigating more urban infrastructure. Expect a driving experience that prioritizes efficiency over winding scenic byways.

Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 15 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 30.1 miles.

How Hard Is This Drive?

This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 5 and East Portland Avenue. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 0.1 miles in near Spring Street.

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 11 decision points packed into just 36 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 51m.

Where does it get tricky?

The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (Spring Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 1 miles (I 5): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 1.1 miles (I 5): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.

Critical Maneuvers

5 of 11 key points

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

7
0.1 mi into trip | ~0m in | Spring Street

Turn right onto Spring Street

Lane positioning matters here

Use the right lane.
6
1 mi into trip | ~2m in | I 5

Keep slight left at fork onto I 5 toward I 90 East, I 5 South: Bellevue, Portland

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

Toward I 90 East, I 5 South: Bellevue, Portland
7
1.1 mi into trip | ~2m in | I 5

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

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

Toward I 5 South: Tacoma, Portland
7
1.2 mi into trip | ~2m in | I 5

Keep slight left at fork onto I 5 toward I 5 South: Sea-Tac Airport

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / slight right lanes. Toward I 5 South: Sea-Tac Airport
8
30.5 mi into trip | ~39m in

Take the exit toward WA 167 North: Puyallup, Portland Avenue

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 135 Toward WA 167 North: Puyallup, Portland Avenue

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
I 5 30.1 mi 37m
East Portland Avenue 5 mi 10m
East 27th Street 0.1 mi <1m
Spring Street 0.1 mi <1m
4th Avenue <0.1 mi <1m
Madison Street <0.1 mi <1m
99th Street East <0.1 mi <1m
Longest stretch: I 5 — 30.1 mi, about 37m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Seattle, WA and Midland, WA.

1

Start on this road

31 ft · 7 sec · this road
2

Turn left onto Madison Street

204 ft · 11 sec · Madison Street
3

Turn right onto 4th Avenue

308 ft · 14 sec · 4th Avenue
4

Turn right onto Spring Street

0.1 mi · 26 sec · Spring Street
Use the right lane.
5

Take the ramp

0.2 mi · 28 sec
Toward I 5 South: Portland
6

Continue on I 5

0.6 mi · 1 min · I 5
Use the left lane.
7

Keep slight left at fork onto I 5

147 ft · 2 sec · I 5
Toward I 90 East, I 5 South: Bellevue, Portland
8

Keep slight right at fork onto I 5

0.1 mi · 8 sec · I 5
Toward I 5 South: Tacoma, Portland
9

Keep slight left at fork onto I 5

305 ft · 4 sec · I 5
Toward Airport Way
10

Keep slight left at fork onto I 5

29 mi · 36 min · I 5
Toward I 5 South: Sea-Tac Airport Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11

Take the exit

0.3 mi · 35 sec
Exit 135 Toward WA 167 North: Puyallup, Portland Avenue Use the slight right lane.
12

Continue on East 27th Street

0.1 mi · 20 sec · East 27th Street
13

Turn left onto East Portland Avenue

5.0 mi · 10 min · East Portland Avenue
Use the left / straight lanes.
14

Turn left onto 99th Street East

125 ft · 3 sec · 99th Street East
15

Arrive at destination

99th Street East

Where to Stop

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

Halfway Point

Midpoint

About 18 mi from Seattle, WA · 23m into the drive

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Federal Way, WA

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

Spanaway, WA

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 36 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Kent, WA

Meal break

The midpoint is around 18 miles from Seattle, WA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Arriving in Midland, WA

Allow a few extra minutes for the final approach into Midland, 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

$7.53 one way

$15.07 round trip

$5.32/gal 25.4 MPG avg 13 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $5.58 $7.90 $15.80
premium $5.77 $8.18 $16.35
diesel $5.61 $7.95 $15.90

No toll roads detected on this route.

Drive Cost (one way)

Fuel

$8

Estimated CO2 emission: 12.6 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $4 in charging · 0 stops · 69% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 10.8 0 $3.78 $1.73
Efficient EV 9 0 $3.15 $1.44
EV Truck/SUV 14.4 0 $5.04 $2.30

Gas CO2

13 kg

EV CO2

4 kg (69% 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 15, 2026

Origin

Seattle, WA

Afternoon in Seattle on Friday

Local time

3:53 PM

PDT

Current temp

49°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Midland, WA

Afternoon in Midland on Friday

Local time

3:53 PM

PDT

Current temp

59°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

10 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

51m 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 Seattle, WA to Midland, WA covers 36 miles and takes about 51m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.

The main roads are I 5, East Portland Avenue, East 27th 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 18 miles from Seattle, WA. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.

At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $7.53 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 11 decision points packed into just 36 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 51m.

The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (Spring Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 1 miles (I 5): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 1.1 miles (I 5): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.

The route from Seattle, WA to Midland, 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

Explore More

Explore more options from Seattle, WA or browse trips ending in Midland, WA.

Looking for more statewide routes? Browse WA road trips.