Origin
Buena Park, CA
Afternoon in Buena Park on Friday
Local time
12:52 PM
PDT
Current temp
74°F
Unavailable
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 17, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
57m
Distance
47.7 mi
77 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$11
one way
EV Charging
Good
8 stations
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Buena Park, CA
Wikimedia Commons
Fontana, CA
Wikimedia Commons
Buena Park, CA to Fontana, CA is 47.7 miles and takes about 57m via San Bernardino Freeway, with a fuel budget near $11 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This is a straightforward, highway-focused drive connecting two points within Southern California's Pacific Coast region. Expect a relatively short trip, making it ideal for a quick transition between these two cities. The route is almost entirely on major freeways, so it's less about scenic vistas and more about efficient travel. Consider this a practical transit rather than a destination-driven journey.
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 57m. Total distance: 47.7 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
57m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (89%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
This route is predominantly a highway-focused drive, with 89% of it on major freeways like the San Bernardino Freeway and Orange Freeway. You'll experience stretches of fast-paced driving, including one continuous segment of 12.5 miles on the San Bernardino Freeway. The I-10 Metro ExpressLanes offer an alternative for faster, albeit tolled, travel. Given its highway nature, the road character remains consistent for most of the journey, prioritizing direct travel over varied landscapes.
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on San Bernardino Freeway and Orange Freeway. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 0.8 miles in.
Focused - lots of decisions in a short distance, but it is over quickly
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 22 decision points packed into just 47.7 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 57m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 7.1 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 7.2 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
These are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
Take the exit toward CA 91 East: Riverside
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Take the exit toward CA 57 North, CA 57 South: Pomona, Santa Ana
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Keep slight left at fork toward CA 57 North: Pomona
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Keep slight right at fork toward I 10 East: San Bernardino Freeway, San Bernardino
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Keep slight left at fork toward Sierra Avenue North
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Buena Park, CA and Fontana, CA, road signs point toward Santa Ana, San Bernardino and Ontario Airport.
Santa Ana
San Bernardino
Ontario Airport
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| San Bernardino Freeway | 12.5 mi | 14m |
| Orange Freeway | 11.3 mi | 13m |
| I-10 Metro ExpressLanes | 9 mi | 9m |
| Riverside Freeway | 5.1 mi | 5m |
| CA 57 | 3.1 mi | 3m |
| Sierra Avenue | 1.7 mi | 2m |
| Pomona Freeway | 1.2 mi | 1m |
| Santa Ana Freeway | 0.4 mi | <1m |
Step-by-step road directions between Buena Park, CA and Fontana, CA.
Start on CA 39
Continue on CA 39
Turn left
Merge onto I 5
Take the exit
Merge onto CA 91
Take the exit
Keep slight left at fork
Merge onto CA 57
Keep slight right at fork onto CA 57
Keep slight right at fork onto CA 57
Merge onto CA 60; CA 57
Take the exit onto CA 57
Take the exit
Keep slight right at fork
Merge onto I 10
Keep slight right at fork onto I 10
Keep slight left at fork onto I 10 EXPR
Merge onto I 10
Take the exit
Keep slight left at fork
Turn slight left onto Sierra Avenue
Turn right onto Merrill Avenue
Arrive at destination
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 23.9 mi from Buena Park, CA · 29m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
24 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.
A short stop after about 10 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
The midpoint is around 23.9 miles from Buena Park, CA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Allow a few extra minutes for the final approach into Fontana, CA 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.
Regular Gas
$10.96 one way
$21.93 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $6.02 | $11.30 | $22.60 |
| premium | $6.18 | $11.60 | $23.20 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $10.53 | $21.06 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$11
Estimated CO2 emission: 16.7 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $5 in charging · 0 stops · 65% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 14.3 | 0 | $5.01 | $2.29 |
| Efficient EV | 11.9 | 0 | $4.17 | $1.91 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 19.1 | 0 | $6.68 | $3.05 |
Gas CO2
17 kg
EV CO2
6 kg (65% 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.
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Origin
Afternoon in Buena Park on Friday
Local time
12:52 PM
PDT
Current temp
74°F
Unavailable
Destination
Afternoon in Fontana on Friday
Local time
12:52 PM
PDT
Current temp
76°F
Unavailable
Time zone
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
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.
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.
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