Origin
Tacoma, WA
Evening in Tacoma on Friday
Local time
5:04 PM
PDT
Current temp
59°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Tacoma, WA to Mukilteo, WA
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 20m
Distance
59.5 mi
96 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$12
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 15m
★
6 AM
1h 21m
8 AM
1h 34m
10 AM
1h 25m
12 PM
1h 24m
3 PM
1h 26m
5 PM
1h 33m
8 PM
1h 17m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Mukilteo, WA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
This 59.5-mile drive from Tacoma to Mukilteo, Washington, is a straightforward trip that can easily be completed in about 1 hour and 20 minutes. Designed as a single-day adventure, it focuses heavily on highway travel, with 91% of the journey on main roads like I-5 and WA-525. You can expect a fuel cost of approximately $12 for this route, making it an economical choice. As both your origin and destination are within the Pacific Coast region, the scenery will be consistent with this area. This drive is ideal for a quick hop north without needing an overnight stay, offering a practical way to get between these two Washington cities.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 20m. Total distance: 59.5 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 20m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (91%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Drive Character
This drive is predominantly a highway-focused experience, with a significant 91% of the route utilizing major roadways. You'll spend a good portion of your time on I-5, including the longest uninterrupted stretch of 48.1 miles, which offers a consistent, high-speed journey. Later, WA-525 and Mukilteo Speedway will guide you towards your destination, maintaining a similar highway feel. While not characterized by winding scenic byways, this route provides an efficient and direct passage, allowing you to cover ground quickly and predictably.
Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 17 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 48.1 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 5 and WA 525. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 1.5 miles in.
Driving Effort
10/10
Demanding - stay alert through the decision-heavy sections
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 59.5 miles you will encounter 14 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: at 1.5 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 1.8 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 50.2 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 14 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
7
1.5 mi into trip
|
~3m in
Keep slight right at fork toward I 5 North: Seattle
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward I 5 North: Seattle
7
1.8 mi into trip
|
~3m in
Keep slight left at fork toward I 5 North: Seattle
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
Toward I 5 North: Seattle
8
50.2 mi into trip
|
~1h 4m in
Take the exit toward WA 525 North, I 405 South: Mukilteo, Bellevue
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 182
Toward WA 525 North, I 405 South: Mukilteo, Bel...
7
50.4 mi into trip
|
~1h 5m in
Keep slight left at fork toward WA 525 North: Alderwood Mall Parkway
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward WA 525 North: Alderwood Mall Parkway
6
57.4 mi into trip
|
~1h 16m in
|
WA 526 / 84th Street Southwest
Turn left onto WA 526 / 84th Street Southwest
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight lane.
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 Tacoma, WA to Mukilteo, WA, road signs begin pointing toward Bellevue along the way.
Bellevue
50.2 mi in
|
~1h 4m
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 5 | 48.1 mi | 1h |
| WA 525 | 5.2 mi | 8m |
| Mukilteo Speedway | 1.7 mi | 3m |
| I 705 | 0.8 mi | 1m |
| Paine Field Boulevard | 0.8 mi | 1m |
| 84th Street Southwest | 0.4 mi | <1m |
| South 13th Street | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| Market Street | 0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
I 5
— 48.1 mi, about 1h
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Tacoma, WA and Mukilteo, WA.
1
Start on South 11th Street
0.1 mi
·
29 sec
·
South 11th Street
2
Turn right onto Market Street
0.1 mi
·
31 sec
·
Market Street
3
Turn left onto South 13th Street
0.2 mi
·
35 sec
·
South 13th Street
4
Turn right onto I 705 SB Ramp
213 ft
·
11 sec
·
I 705 SB Ramp
5
Take the ramp
0.2 mi
·
21 sec
Toward Port of Tacoma
6
Merge onto I 705
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
I 705
7
Keep slight right at fork
0.3 mi
·
44 sec
Toward I 5 North: Seattle
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Keep slight left at fork
0.3 mi
·
34 sec
Toward I 5 North: Seattle
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
9
Merge onto I 5
48 mi
·
1 hr
·
I 5
Use the slight right lane.
10
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
32 sec
Exit 182
Toward WA 525 North, I 405 South: Mukilteo, Bellevue
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Keep slight left at fork
0.8 mi
·
1 min
Toward WA 525 North: Alderwood Mall Parkway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Merge onto WA 525
5.2 mi
·
8 min
·
WA 525
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
22 sec
14
Continue on WA 525 Spur
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
Paine Field Boulevard
15
Turn left onto WA 526
0.4 mi
·
44 sec
·
84th Street Southwest
Use the straight lane.
16
Turn right onto WA 525
1.7 mi
·
3 min
·
Mukilteo Speedway
Use the right lane.
17
Arrive at destination
WA 525
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 29.7 mi from Tacoma, WA · 39m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
30 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
Fuel and coffee
A short stop after about 13 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 29.7 miles from Tacoma, WA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Mukilteo, WA
The final approach into Mukilteo, WA usually feels slower than the middle of the drive, so avoid planning your tightest schedule at the very end.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$12.45 one way
$24.91 round trip
$5.32/gal
25.4 MPG avg
21 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $5.58 | $13.06 | $26.12 |
| premium | $5.77 | $13.51 | $27.02 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $13.14 | $26.27 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$12
Estimated CO2 emission: 20.8 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $6 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 17.8 | 0 | $6.25 | $2.86 |
| Efficient EV | 14.9 | 0 | $5.21 | $2.38 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 23.8 | 0 | $8.33 | $3.81 |
Gas CO2
21 kg
EV CO2
7 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.
Destination
Mukilteo, WA
Evening in Mukilteo on Friday
Local time
5:04 PM
PDT
Current temp
50°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
9 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
1h 20m 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 Tacoma, WA to Mukilteo, WA covers 59.5 miles and takes about 1h 20m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are I 5, WA 525, Mukilteo Speedway. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 29.7 miles from Tacoma, WA. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $12.45 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 59.5 miles you will encounter 14 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: at 1.5 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 1.8 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 50.2 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
On the drive from Tacoma, WA to Mukilteo, WA, road signs begin pointing toward Bellevue 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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