Skip to main content

Trip from Seattle, WA to Southworth, WA

Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards

Drive Time

51m

Distance

13.1 mi

21 km

Drive Score

6/10

Good drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$3

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 12 min
4 AM
0h 48m ★
6 AM
0h 52m
8 AM
1h 0m
10 AM
0h 55m
12 PM
0h 54m
3 PM
0h 55m
5 PM
1h 0m
8 PM
0h 49m

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 Southworth, WA, WA

Southworth, WA

JOHN CALLERY

Trip Overview

This short 13.1-mile journey from Seattle to Southworth, WA, is designed for a single day of travel, taking about 51 minutes to complete. The drive involves a significant portion on the Fauntleroy - Southworth Ferry, which accounts for the longest uninterrupted stretch at 4.8 miles. With a modest fuel cost estimated at $3, this route is an easy addition to any Pacific Coast trip. The main roads you'll navigate include Fauntleroy Way Southwest and the West Seattle Bridge, interspersed with the ferry experience. Given its brevity and lack of recommended stops, this trip offers a straightforward and quick transit between two points within Washington.

Who Is This Route For?

Weekend Trip

Doable as a same-day drive at 51m. Total distance: 13.1 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.

Scenic Drive

Turn-heavy local drive route profile.

Drive Character

Expect a 'turn-heavy local drive' with only about 10% of the route on highways. The majority of your time will be spent on local roads and the unique experience of the Fauntleroy - Southworth Ferry. The longest continuous segment you'll cover is 4.8 miles on the ferry itself. This profile suggests a drive where you'll be frequently adjusting your speed and direction, rather than settling into a long, high-speed cruise. The transition from urban Seattle to the ferry crossing will define the changing character of the drive.

This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 14 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Fauntleroy - Southworth Ferry is the longest continuous segment at about 4.8 miles.

How Hard Is This Drive?

Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. You will hit about 7 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near Madison Street.

Driving Effort 6/10

Moderate - straightforward overall, but long enough or busy enough to require pacing

Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.

This drive requires moderate attention. Across 13.1 miles you will encounter 7 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.

Where does it get tricky?

The main spots that need attention: near the start (Madison Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.9 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 2.5 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.

Critical Maneuvers

5 of 7 key points

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

4
0 mi into trip | ~0m in | Madison Street

Turn left onto Madison Street

Navigation decision point

6
0.9 mi into trip | ~3m in

Take the exit toward WA 99 South

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

Use the straight / right lanes. Toward WA 99 South
6
2.5 mi into trip | ~5m in

Take the exit toward West Seattle Bridge

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

Use the right lane. Toward West Seattle Bridge
5
2.8 mi into trip | ~6m in | West Seattle Bridge

Merge onto West Seattle Bridge

Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / slight right lanes.
5
13.1 mi into trip | ~51m in

Turn left

Navigation decision point

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
Fauntleroy - Southworth Ferry 4.8 mi 29m
Fauntleroy Way Southwest 3.7 mi 10m
West Seattle Bridge 1.3 mi 2m
State Route 99 1.3 mi 1m
Alaskan Way 0.5 mi 2m
Madison Street 0.3 mi 1m
Southworth Ferry 0.3 mi 2m
Fauntleroy Ferry Terminal 0.1 mi <1m
Longest stretch: Fauntleroy - Southworth Ferry — 4.8 mi, about 29m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

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

1

Start on this road

31 ft · 7 sec · this road
2

Turn left onto Madison Street

0.3 mi · 1 min · Madison Street
3

Turn left onto Alaskan Way

0.5 mi · 2 min · Alaskan Way
4

Take the exit

0.3 mi · 44 sec
Toward WA 99 South Use the straight / right lanes.
5

Merge onto WA 99

1.3 mi · 1 min · State Route 99
6

Take the exit

0.3 mi · 42 sec
Toward West Seattle Bridge Use the right lane.
7

Merge onto West Seattle Bridge

1.3 mi · 2 min · West Seattle Bridge
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8

Continue on Fauntleroy Way Southwest

3.7 mi · 10 min · Fauntleroy Way Southwest
Use the straight / right lanes.
9

Keep slight right at fork onto Southwest Barton Street

171 ft · 2 sec · Southwest Barton Street
10

Turn slight right onto Fauntleroy Ferry Terminal

0.1 mi · 12 sec · Fauntleroy Ferry Terminal
11

Turn straight onto WA 160

4.8 mi · 29 min · Fauntleroy - Southworth Ferry
12

Continue on WA 160

0.3 mi · 2 min · Southworth Ferry
13

Turn left

35 ft · 2 sec
14

Arrive at destination

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$2.74 one way

$5.48 round trip

$5.32/gal 25.4 MPG avg 5 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $5.58 $2.88 $5.75
premium $5.77 $2.97 $5.95
diesel $5.61 $2.89 $5.78

No toll roads detected on this route.

Drive Cost (one way)

Fuel

$3

Estimated CO2 emission: 4.6 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $1 in charging · 0 stops · 60% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 3.9 0 $1.38 $0.63
Efficient EV 3.3 0 $1.15 $0.52
EV Truck/SUV 5.2 0 $1.83 $0.84

Gas CO2

5 kg

EV CO2

2 kg (60% 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

Night in Seattle on Friday

Local time

10:34 PM

PDT

Current temp

49°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Southworth, WA

Night in Southworth on Friday

Local time

10:34 PM

PDT

Current temp

64°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

15 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 Southworth, WA covers 13.1 miles and takes about 51m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.

The main roads are Fauntleroy - Southworth Ferry, Fauntleroy Way Southwest, West Seattle Bridge. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.

This is a comfortable same-day trip.

The midpoint is about 6.5 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 $2.74 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 drive requires moderate attention. Across 13.1 miles you will encounter 7 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.

The main spots that need attention: near the start (Madison Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.9 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 2.5 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.

The route from Seattle, WA to Southworth, WA does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.

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, and EIA for fuel prices. 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 Southworth, WA.

Looking for more statewide routes? Browse WA road trips.