Seattle to Portland distance
Seattle and Portland are 145 miles (233 km) apart in a straight line and 173 miles (278 km) apart by road: about 3 hr 25 min of driving without stops, mostly on I-5. Below you’ll find the route map, both halfway points, the bearing and where every figure comes from.
By the Mapsfera Team
- By road
- 173 mi (278 km)
- Driving time
- 3 hr 25 min
- Straight line
- 145 mi (233 km)
- Driving route
- Straight line
- Straight-line midpoint
- Halfway by road
Lambert azimuthal equal-area projection centered on the midpoint. Route: FOSSGIS OSRM with data © OpenStreetMap contributors, calculated on October 31, 2026; simplified line.
The figures
| Figure | Value |
|---|---|
| Straight line | 145 mi (233 km) geodesic on the WGS84 ellipsoid |
| By road | 173 mi (278 km) fastest driving route (OSRM) |
| Driving time | 3 hr 25 min no stops, no traffic |
| Road detour | +19% 1.19 times the straight line |
| Average speed | 50 mph (81 km/h) along the route, without stops |
| Bearing | 187° (south) leaving Seattle toward Portland |
| Midpoint | 46.5651° N, 122.5074° W near Mossyrock (Washington) |
| Halfway by road | Near Bucoda (Washington) 86.5 mi from each city by road |
| Time difference | None both share the same time |
| Elevation | Seattle: 173 ft (53 m) · Portland: 32 ft (10 m) USGS 3DEP |
| Population | Seattle: 784,777 · Portland: 635,109 Census Bureau estimate for 2025 |
Seattle to Portland by road
The fastest driving route is 173 miles (278 km) long and takes about 3 hr 25 min without stops or traffic. Almost all of it is on I-5: 171 mi of 173 mi.
It goes through 2 states: Washington (166 mi) and Oregon (7.1 mi). That’s an average of 50 mph (81 km/h). AAA recommends a break every two hours or 100 miles: with 1 stop of 20 minutes, the trip takes about 3 hr 45 min. The time is OSRM’s estimate with OpenStreetMap data: no traffic and speeds somewhat below the limits, so real trips can differ.
Straight-line distance and bearing
In a straight line, the shortest distance over the Earth’s surface, Seattle and Portland are 145 miles (233 km) apart. That’s the geodesic on the WGS84 ellipsoid, the distance “as the crow flies”.
The road is 19% longer: for every 100 miles in a straight line you drive 119. That’s a normal detour between two cities. Of the 40 US pairs in this series, it ranks 5th for detour (the average is 14%).
From Seattle, Portland lies to the south (bearing 187°), and from Portland, Seattle lies to the north.
Halfway between Seattle and Portland
Halfway along the straight line, 72.4 miles (117 km) from each city, is the point 46.5651° N, 122.5074° W. It falls near Mossyrock (Washington, pop. 806), 2.5 mi away. The nearest town of 20,000 people or more is North Lynnwood (Washington, pop. 23,339), 89.7 mi away.
By road, the halfway point is 86.5 miles (139 km) from each city, near Bucoda (Washington, pop. 630), 9.5 mi away. The nearest town of 20,000 people or more is North Lynnwood (Washington, pop. 23,339), 87.6 mi away. The two midpoints are 23.5 mi apart: if you want to meet halfway, the one on the road is the useful one.
Time zone and flight
Seattle and Portland share the same time all year: both are on Pacific Time.
No flight time is given: under 500 km (311 miles) in a straight line, time at the airport outweighs time in the air.
The two cities
Seattle sits at 173 ft (53 m) and Portland at 32 ft (10 m), 141 ft (43 m) lower.
Seattle has 784,777 people and Portland 635,109 people (Census Bureau estimate for 2025).
Frequently asked questions
How many miles is it from Seattle to Portland?
145 miles (233 km) in a straight line and 173 miles (278 km) by road on the fastest route (mostly on I-5).
How long is the drive from Seattle to Portland?
About 3 hr 25 min without stops or traffic, according to OSRM with OpenStreetMap data; with 1 stop of 20 minutes, about 3 hr 45 min.
Where is the halfway point between Seattle and Portland?
In a straight line, near Mossyrock (Washington). By road, 86.5 mi from each city, near Bucoda (Washington).
Are Seattle and Portland in the same time zone?
Yes: both are on Pacific Time all year.
Which direction is Portland from Seattle?
South: the straight line leaves Seattle on a bearing of 187° (0° is north and 90° is east).
Measure it yourself on the map
The same two cities, already set up in the tools: move the points, get the route by bike or on foot and download the map.
- Distance between two points Measure the distance between any two places or points on the map, in miles or kilometers.
- Straight line vs driving distance Compare the as-the-crow-flies distance with the real driving distance and see how much the road adds.
- Halfway point Find the exact halfway point between two places and see it on the map, ready to share.
More distances from Seattle
All distancesSources
- Driving route: FOSSGIS OSRM, car profile (calculated on October 31, 2026) · FOSSGIS e.V.
- Roads, streets and places · © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL)
- Straight line, bearings and midpoint (geodesics on the WGS84 ellipsoid) · GeographicLib (C. F. F. Karney)
- US city centers (GNIS) and their elevation (3DEP) · USGS (public domain)
- Population estimates, Vintage 2025 · US Census Bureau (public domain)
- Places near the midpoints: Mapsfera gazetteer (GeoNames, INE, IGN and Census) · Mapsfera
- Time zones (timezone-boundary-builder outlines and the IANA database) · © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL)
- Map: provinces (IGN), states (US Census Bureau) and countries (Natural Earth) · IGN, Census and Natural Earth
- Methodology