Origin
Cerritos, CA
Afternoon in Cerritos on Thursday
Local time
3:41 PM
PDT
Current temp
73°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Cerritos, CA to Fontana, CA
Last recalculated Apr 16, 2026
Drive Time
1h 3m
Distance
51.3 mi
83 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$12
one way
EV Charging
Excellent
62 DC fast
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 58m
★
6 AM
1h 3m
8 AM
1h 13m
10 AM
1h 7m
12 PM
1h 6m
3 PM
1h 7m
5 PM
1h 13m
8 PM
1h 0m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Cerritos, CA
Wikimedia Commons
Fontana, CA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
If you are planning a trip from Cerritos to Fontana, expect a straightforward journey covering 51.3 miles. You should budget about 1 hour and 3 minutes of travel time, making this a perfect candidate for a single-day excursion. With fuel costs estimated at around $12, the route remains an affordable option for those staying within the Pacific Coast region. You will primarily navigate via the San Bernardino Freeway, the Orange Freeway, and the I-10 Metro ExpressLanes. Since the entire trip is easily manageable in under two hours, there is no need to worry about overnight accommodations or complicated logistics.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 3m. Total distance: 51.3 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 3m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
62 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: excellent.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (89%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Drive Character
This is a highway-focused drive, with 89% of your time spent on major thoroughfares. You should be prepared for a consistent interstate experience rather than a winding backroad adventure. The longest uninterrupted stretch you will encounter is a 12.5-mile segment on the San Bernardino Freeway. Because the route relies heavily on high-speed infrastructure, the character of the drive is efficient and functional. Expect a steady pace as you transition between these major arteries, keeping your focus on heavy-traffic flow rather than scenic detours.
Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 24 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
San Bernardino Freeway is the longest continuous segment at about 12.5 miles.
Elevation Profile
Gently rolling terrain
1,235 ft
47 ft
Total Climb
1,347 ft
Total Descent
159 ft
Highest Point
1,235 ft
~51.3 mi in
Elevation Range
1,188 ft
How Hard Is This Drive?
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 10.6 miles in.
Driving Effort
10/10
High effort - long or complex enough to need steady focus all day
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a demanding drive. With 20 significant decision points across 51.3 miles, you will need to stay alert — especially through interchange areas and urban stretches. Consider splitting it into segments if you are not comfortable with fast highway navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 10.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 10.8 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 23.9 miles (CA 57): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 20 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
7
10.6 mi into trip
|
~14m in
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
Use the slight right lane.
Toward CA 57 North, CA 57 South: Pomona, Santa...
7
10.8 mi into trip
|
~14m in
Keep slight left at fork toward CA 57 North: Pomona
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
Toward CA 57 North: Pomona
7
23.9 mi into trip
|
~30m in
|
CA 57
Take the exit onto CA 57 toward CA 57 North
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 25
Toward CA 57 North
8
27.2 mi into trip
|
~34m in
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
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
Toward I 10 East: San Bernardino Freeway, San B...
8
49.5 mi into trip
|
~59m in
Keep slight left at fork toward Sierra Avenue North
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
Toward Sierra Avenue North
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Cerritos, CA and Fontana, CA, road signs point toward Santa Ana, San Bernardino and Ontario Airport.
Santa Ana
10.6 mi in
|
~14m
San Bernardino
27 mi in
|
~33m
Ontario Airport
27 mi in
|
~33m
Main Roads
| 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 | 5.5 mi | 6m |
| CA 57 | 3.1 mi | 3m |
| Artesia Freeway | 3.1 mi | 3m |
| Sierra Avenue | 1.7 mi | 2m |
| Pomona Freeway | 1.2 mi | 1m |
Longest stretch:
San Bernardino Freeway
— 12.5 mi, about 14m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Cerritos, CA and Fontana, CA.
1
Start on this road
59 ft
·
6 sec
·
this road
2
Turn right onto South Street
1.2 mi
·
2 min
·
South Street
3
Continue on Orangethorpe Avenue
0.5 mi
·
54 sec
·
Orangethorpe Avenue
4
Take the ramp
0.4 mi
·
50 sec
Toward CA 91 East
5
Merge onto CA 91
3.1 mi
·
3 min
·
Artesia Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
Continue on CA 91
5.5 mi
·
6 min
·
Riverside Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
23 sec
Toward CA 57 North, CA 57 South: Pomona, Santa Ana
Use the slight right lane.
8
Keep slight left at fork
0.6 mi
·
1 min
Toward CA 57 North: Pomona
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
9
Merge onto CA 57
6.5 mi
·
7 min
·
Orange Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Keep slight right at fork onto CA 57
2.2 mi
·
2 min
·
Orange Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Keep slight right at fork onto CA 57
2.6 mi
·
3 min
·
Orange Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Merge onto CA 60; CA 57
1.2 mi
·
1 min
·
Pomona Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13
Take the exit onto CA 57
3.1 mi
·
3 min
·
CA 57
Exit 25
Toward CA 57 North
Use the slight right lane.
14
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
26 sec
Toward I 10 West, I 10 East: Los Angeles, San Bernardino, Ontario Airport
Use the slight right lane.
15
Keep slight right at fork
0.5 mi
·
1 min
Toward I 10 East: San Bernardino Freeway, San Bernardino
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
16
Merge onto I 10
2.1 mi
·
2 min
·
San Bernardino Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
17
Keep slight right at fork onto I 10
4.0 mi
·
4 min
·
San Bernardino Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
18
Keep slight left at fork onto I 10 EXPR
9.0 mi
·
9 min
·
I-10 Metro ExpressLanes
Use the slight left lane.
19
Merge onto I 10
6.5 mi
·
7 min
·
San Bernardino Freeway
Use the slight right lane.
20
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
29 sec
Exit 64
Toward Sierra Avenue
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
21
Keep slight left at fork
448 ft
·
12 sec
Toward Sierra Avenue North
Use the left lane.
22
Turn slight left onto Sierra Avenue
1.7 mi
·
2 min
·
Sierra Avenue
Use the left lane.
23
Turn right onto Merrill Avenue
205 ft
·
4 sec
·
Merrill Avenue
24
Arrive at destination
Merrill Avenue
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 25.6 mi from Cerritos, CA · 32m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
26 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 51.3 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 25.6 miles from Cerritos, CA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Fontana, CA
The final approach into Fontana, CA usually feels slower than the middle of the drive, so avoid planning your tightest schedule at the very end.
Try to arrive with enough fuel left to skip an immediate station stop unless you already know the area around Fontana, CA.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$11.79 one way
$23.58 round trip
$5.84/gal
25.4 MPG avg
18 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $6.02 | $12.15 | $24.30 |
| premium | $6.18 | $12.48 | $24.95 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $11.33 | $22.65 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$12
Estimated CO2 emission: 17.9 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
EV Charging Along Route
62 DC fast chargers · Coverage: excellent
EVCS Charging Station
Fullerton, California
EVCS
1 DCFC
ChargePoint Charging Station
Fullerton, California
ChargePoint
1 DCFC
ChargePoint Charging Station
La Mirada, California
ChargePoint
1 DCFC
ChargePoint Charging Station
La Habra, California
ChargePoint
1 DCFC
EV Connect Charging Station
Fontana, California
EV Connect
1 DCFC
ChargePoint Charging Station
Fontana, California
ChargePoint
1 DCFC
ChargePoint Charging Station
Rancho Cucamonga, California
ChargePoint
1 DCFC
ChargePoint Charging Station
Fontana, California
ChargePoint
1 DCFC
ChargePoint: 29
Other: 11
Tesla: 6
EVCS: 4
Blink: 4
Electrify America: 3
EV Connect: 2
EVgo: 2
Tesla Destination: 1
Station data from NREL Alternative Fuel Stations database.
Driving Electric?
About $5 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 15.4 | 0 | $5.39 | $2.46 |
| Efficient EV | 12.8 | 0 | $4.49 | $2.05 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 20.5 | 0 | $7.18 | $3.28 |
Gas CO2
18 kg
EV CO2
6 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
Fontana, CA
Afternoon in Fontana on Thursday
Local time
3:41 PM
PDT
Current temp
48°F
Mostly Cloudy
W 0 to 15 mph
11% chance
Live forecast
Wind Advisory
Wind Advisory issued April 13 at 6:04PM PDT until April 14 at 5:00AM PDT by NWS Hanford CA
Seasonal Notes
Summer travel usually means heavier construction, hotter rest stops, and busier weekend traffic around major cities.
Winter travel shortens daylight, so a route that looks manageable on paper can feel much longer after dark.
Holiday weekends tend to make both departure and arrival windows slower than the raw route time suggests.
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
25 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 3m on the road
The weather snapshot is not static. If you are leaving later, give both cities one more quick forecast check before departure.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
Frequently Asked Questions
The drive from Cerritos, CA to Fontana, CA covers 51.3 miles and takes about 1h 3m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are San Bernardino Freeway, Orange Freeway, I-10 Metro ExpressLanes. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 25.6 miles from Cerritos, CA. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $11.79 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 demanding drive. With 20 significant decision points across 51.3 miles, you will need to stay alert — especially through interchange areas and urban stretches. Consider splitting it into segments if you are not comfortable with fast highway navigation.
The main spots that need attention: at 10.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 10.8 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 23.9 miles (CA 57): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
Between Cerritos, CA and Fontana, CA, road signs point toward Santa Ana, San Bernardino and Ontario Airport.
Gently rolling terrain. The route ranges from 47 ft to 1,235 ft elevation with about 1,347 ft of total climbing.
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