Origin
Downey, CA
Late night in Downey on Saturday
Local time
3:09 AM
PDT
Current temp
72°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Downey, CA to Fontana, CA
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h
Distance
49 mi
79 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$7
one way
EV Charging
Good
8 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 55m
★
6 AM
1h 0m
8 AM
1h 10m
10 AM
1h 3m
12 PM
1h 2m
3 PM
1h 4m
5 PM
1h 9m
8 PM
0h 57m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Downey, CA
Wikimedia Commons
Fontana, CA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
The drive from Downey, CA to Fontana, CA covers 49 miles and takes about 1h behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on San Bernardino Freeway, San Gabriel River Freeway, I-10 Metro ExpressLanes for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is highway-focused drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 23.9 miles on San Bernardino Freeway. At current regular gas prices, budget about $6.66 one way before food or hotel costs.
About the Cities
Starting in Downey, CA
Full guide →Founded 1873
Top landmarks
- • Columbia Memorial Space Center — science Museum in Downey, California
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h. Total distance: 49 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (90%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Drive Character
This is a 1h highway drive covering 49 miles, with most of the trip on San Bernardino Freeway and San Gabriel River Freeway. The longest continuous stretch is about 23.9 miles on San Bernardino Freeway.
Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 25 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 23.9 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on San Bernardino Freeway and San Gabriel River Freeway. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 0.1 miles in near Dolan Avenue.
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 49 miles you will encounter 23 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 0.1 miles (Dolan Avenue): Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch; at 13.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 13.8 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 23 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
6
0.1 mi into trip
|
~1m in
|
Dolan Avenue
At end of road, turn right onto Dolan Avenue
Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch
7
13.6 mi into trip
|
~18m in
Take the exit toward I 10 West, I 10 East: Los Angeles, San Bernardino
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.
Toward I 10 West, I 10 East: Los Angeles, San B...
7
13.8 mi into trip
|
~18m in
Keep slight right at fork toward I 10 East: San Bernardino
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Toward I 10 East: San Bernardino
7
47 mi into trip
|
~56m in
Take the exit toward Sierra Avenue
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 64
Toward Sierra Avenue
8
47.2 mi into trip
|
~57m 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.
On the drive from Downey, CA to Fontana, CA, road signs begin pointing toward San Bernardino along the way.
San Bernardino
13.6 mi in
|
~18m
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| San Bernardino Freeway | 23.9 mi | 27m |
| San Gabriel River Freeway | 11.1 mi | 12m |
| I-10 Metro ExpressLanes | 9 mi | 9m |
| Firestone Boulevard | 1.9 mi | 3m |
| Sierra Avenue | 1.7 mi | 2m |
| Dolan Avenue | <0.1 mi | <1m |
| Merrill Avenue | <0.1 mi | <1m |
| Hoxie Avenue | <0.1 mi | — |
Some road-level metrics are being recalculated.
Longest stretch:
San Bernardino Freeway
— 23.9 mi, about 27m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Downey, CA and Fontana, CA.
1
Start on this road
0.1 mi
·
43 sec
·
this road
2
Turn right
199 ft
·
16 sec
3
At end of road, turn right onto Dolan Avenue
340 ft
·
16 sec
·
Dolan Avenue
4
Turn left onto Firestone Boulevard
1.9 mi
·
3 min
·
Firestone Boulevard
Use the left lane.
5
Turn left onto Hoxie Avenue
47 ft
·
0 sec
·
Hoxie Avenue
6
Take the ramp
0.3 mi
·
43 sec
Toward I 605 North
7
Merge onto I 605
11 mi
·
12 min
·
San Gabriel River Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
22 sec
Toward I 10 West, I 10 East: Los Angeles, San Bernardino
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Keep slight right at fork
0.3 mi
·
41 sec
Toward I 10 East: San Bernardino
Use the slight right lane.
10
Merge onto I 10
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
San Bernardino Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Keep slight right at fork onto I 10
2.2 mi
·
2 min
·
San Bernardino Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Keep slight right at fork onto I 10
2.0 mi
·
2 min
·
San Bernardino Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13
Keep slight right at fork onto I 10
1.1 mi
·
1 min
·
San Bernardino Freeway
14
Keep slight right at fork onto I 10
1.5 mi
·
1 min
·
San Bernardino Freeway
Use the slight right lane.
15
Keep slight right at fork onto I 10
1.4 mi
·
1 min
·
San Bernardino Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
16
Keep slight right at fork onto I 10
2.0 mi
·
2 min
·
San Bernardino Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
17
Keep slight right at fork onto I 10
2.1 mi
·
2 min
·
San Bernardino Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
18
Keep slight right at fork onto I 10
4.0 mi
·
4 min
·
San Bernardino Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
19
Keep slight left at fork onto I 10 EXPR
9.0 mi
·
9 min
·
I-10 Metro ExpressLanes
Use the slight left lane.
20
Merge onto I 10
6.5 mi
·
7 min
·
San Bernardino Freeway
Use the slight right lane.
21
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
29 sec
Exit 64
Toward Sierra Avenue
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
22
Keep slight left at fork
448 ft
·
12 sec
Toward Sierra Avenue North
Use the left lane.
23
Turn slight left onto Sierra Avenue
1.7 mi
·
2 min
·
Sierra Avenue
Use the left lane.
24
Turn right onto Merrill Avenue
205 ft
·
4 sec
·
Merrill Avenue
25
Arrive at destination
Merrill Avenue
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 24.5 mi from Downey, CA · 31m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
25 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 11 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 24.5 miles from Downey, 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.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$6.66 one way
$13.31 round trip
$3.45/gal
25.4 MPG avg
17 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $3.85 | $7.43 | $14.85 |
| premium | $4.15 | $8.01 | $16.01 |
| diesel | $3.75 | $7.23 | $14.47 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$7
Estimated CO2 emission: 17.1 kg one way.
Driving Electric?
About $5 in charging · 0 stops · 65% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 14.7 | 0 | $5.15 | $2.35 |
| Efficient EV | 12.3 | 0 | $4.29 | $1.96 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 19.6 | 0 | $6.86 | $3.14 |
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.
Travel Intel
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Destination
Fontana, CA
Late night in Fontana on Saturday
Local time
3:09 AM
PDT
Current temp
52°F
Clear
N 10 to 15 mph
0% chance
Live forecast
Freeze Warning
Freeze Warning issued April 18 at 1:22AM PDT until April 18 at 8:00AM PDT by NWS Eureka 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
20 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 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 Downey, CA to Fontana, CA covers 49 miles and takes about 1h without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are San Bernardino Freeway, San Gabriel River 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 24.5 miles from Downey, CA. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $6.66 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 49 miles you will encounter 23 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 0.1 miles (Dolan Avenue): Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch; at 13.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 13.8 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
On the drive from Downey, CA to Fontana, CA, road signs begin pointing toward San Bernardino along the way.
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. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
Was this helpful?
Thanks for your feedback!
Your tip has been submitted. Thanks!
/500
Recent Tips
·
Explore More
Continue From Fontana, CA
More trips to Fontana, CA
Explore more options from Downey, CA or browse trips ending in Fontana, CA.
Looking for more statewide routes? Browse CA road trips.