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Trip from Cerritos, CA to Riverside, CA

Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 17, 2026 · Editorial standards

Drive Time

52m

Distance

42.2 mi

68 km

Drive Score

6/10

Good drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$10

one way

EV Charging

Good

8 stations

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 14 min
4 AM
0h 48m ★
6 AM
0h 53m
8 AM
1h 2m
10 AM
0h 56m
12 PM
0h 55m
3 PM
0h 56m
5 PM
1h 1m
8 PM
0h 50m

Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.

Best Time Drive vs Fly
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city in Los Angeles County, California, United States

Cerritos, CA

Wikimedia Commons

county seat of Riverside County, California, United States

Riverside, CA

Wikimedia Commons

Trip Overview

The drive from Cerritos, CA to Riverside, CA covers 42.2 miles and takes about 52m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.

The route leans on Riverside Freeway, Artesia Freeway, South Street for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is highway-focused drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 35.2 miles on Riverside Freeway. At current regular gas prices, budget about $9.70 one way before food or hotel costs.

Who Is This Route For?

Weekend Trip

Doable as a same-day drive at 52m. Total distance: 42.2 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

52m 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 is a 52m highway drive covering 42.2 miles, with most of the trip on Riverside Freeway and Artesia Freeway. The longest continuous stretch is about 35.2 miles on Riverside Freeway.

Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 13 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Riverside Freeway is the longest continuous segment at about 35.2 miles.

How Hard Is This Drive?

This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Riverside Freeway and Artesia Freeway. You will hit about 9 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 2 miles in near CA 91 / Artesia Freeway.

Driving Effort 5/10

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 42.2 miles you will encounter 9 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 2 miles (CA 91 / Artesia Freeway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 13.9 miles (CA 91 / Riverside Freeway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 40.3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.

Critical Maneuvers

5 of 9 key points

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

5
2 mi into trip | ~4m in | CA 91 / Artesia Freeway

Merge onto CA 91 / Artesia Freeway

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

Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
13.9 mi into trip | ~17m in | CA 91 / Riverside Freeway

Keep slight right at fork onto CA 91 / Riverside Freeway

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
40.3 mi into trip | ~48m in

Take the exit toward Madison Street

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

Use the straight / slight right lanes. Exit 60 Toward Madison Street
6
40.5 mi into trip | ~49m in | Madison Street

Turn left onto Madison Street

Lane positioning matters here

Use the left lane.
5
42.2 mi into trip | ~52m in

At end of road, turn left

Navigation decision point

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
Riverside Freeway 35.2 mi 40m
Artesia Freeway 3.1 mi 3m
South Street 1.2 mi 2m
Magnolia Avenue 1.1 mi 2m
Orangethorpe Avenue 0.5 mi <1m
Madison Street 0.5 mi 1m
Longest stretch: Riverside Freeway — 35.2 mi, about 40m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Cerritos, CA and Riverside, 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

8.8 mi · 10 min · Riverside Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7

Keep slight right at fork onto CA 91

26 mi · 30 min · Riverside Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8

Take the exit

0.2 mi · 35 sec
Exit 60 Toward Madison Street Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9

Turn left onto Madison Street

0.5 mi · 1 min · Madison Street
Use the left lane.
10

Turn right onto Magnolia Avenue

1.1 mi · 2 min · Magnolia Avenue
11

Turn right

102 ft · 8 sec
12

At end of road, turn left

181 ft · 13 sec
13

Arrive at destination

Where to Stop

Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.

Halfway Point

Midpoint

About 21.1 mi from Cerritos, CA · 26m into the drive

city in Riverside County, California, United States

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Corona, CA

21 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

Woodcrest, CA

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 42 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Chino Hills, CA

Meal break

The midpoint is around 21.1 miles from Cerritos, CA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Arriving in Riverside, CA

Allow a few extra minutes for the final approach into Riverside, 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.

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$9.70 one way

$19.40 round trip

$5.84/gal 25.4 MPG avg 15 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $6.02 $10.00 $19.99
premium $6.18 $10.26 $20.53
diesel $5.61 $9.32 $18.63

No toll roads detected on this route.

Drive Cost (one way)

Fuel

$10

Estimated CO2 emission: 14.8 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $4 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 12.7 0 $4.43 $2.03
Efficient EV 10.6 0 $3.69 $1.69
EV Truck/SUV 16.9 0 $5.91 $2.70

Gas CO2

15 kg

EV CO2

5 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.

Forecast as of Apr 17, 2026

Origin

Cerritos, CA

Morning in Cerritos on Friday

Local time

6:16 AM

PDT

Current temp

52°F

Partly Cloudy

SE 5 mph 0% chance Live forecast

Wind Advisory

Wind Advisory issued April 16 at 9:49PM PDT until April 17 at 2:00AM PDT by NWS San Diego CA

Wind Advisory

Wind Advisory issued April 16 at 9:49PM PDT until April 17 at 5:00PM PDT by NWS San Diego CA

Destination

Riverside, CA

Morning in Riverside on Friday

Local time

6:16 AM

PDT

Current temp

52°F

Mostly Clear

NE 5 to 15 mph 0% chance Live forecast

Wind Advisory

Wind Advisory issued April 16 at 9:49PM PDT until April 17 at 2:00AM PDT by NWS San Diego CA

Wind Advisory

Wind Advisory issued April 16 at 9:49PM PDT until April 17 at 5:00PM PDT by NWS San Diego CA

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

Very similar conditions

Both ends of the route are sitting at about the same temperature right now.

Road read

52m 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 Riverside, CA covers 42.2 miles and takes about 52m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.

The main roads are Riverside Freeway, Artesia Freeway, South Street. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.

This is a comfortable same-day trip.

The midpoint is about 21.1 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 $9.70 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 42.2 miles you will encounter 9 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 2 miles (CA 91 / Artesia Freeway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 13.9 miles (CA 91 / Riverside Freeway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 40.3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.

The route from Cerritos, CA to Riverside, CA does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.

How this page is built

Compiled and maintained by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy (Helsinki). Each route is built from authoritative open government and mapping datasets rather than crowdsourced reviews. Distances and geometry come from OSRM over OpenStreetMap. Fuel cost uses EIA weekly regional averages. Pages are published only after passing our data-quality checks; our methodology page documents refresh cadence, editorial standards, and known limitations.

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