Origin
El Monte, CA
Morning in El Monte on Saturday
Local time
8:09 AM
PDT
Current temp
54°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from El Monte, CA to Santa Ana, CA
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
40m
Distance
30 mi
48 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$7
one way
EV Charging
Good
8 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 37m
★
6 AM
0h 40m
8 AM
0h 47m
10 AM
0h 43m
12 PM
0h 42m
3 PM
0h 43m
5 PM
0h 47m
8 PM
0h 38m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
El Monte, CA
Wikimedia Commons
Santa Ana, CA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
If you are traveling from El Monte to Santa Ana, you are looking at a 32.2-mile journey that typically takes about 38 minutes. This route stays entirely within the Pacific Coast region, making it a quick and straightforward drive that is easily managed in a single day. With zero planned stops and a fuel budget of approximately $4, it is a highly economical and efficient trip. Because the route relies on local roads rather than high-speed interstates, it serves as a practical connection between these two Southern California points. You will not need an overnight stay for this distance, as the drive is short enough to complete in under an hour.
About the Cities
Arriving in Santa Ana, CA
Full guide →Santa Ana is a city in Orange County, Southern California and is the county seat of that county.
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 40m. Total distance: 30 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
40m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (77%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Drive Character
Expect a turn-heavy local drive rather than a monotonous interstate grind, as this route features zero highway miles. You will spend your time navigating through local thoroughfares like Valley Boulevard, Peck Road, and Durfee Avenue. Because the route is entirely local, there is no single long-distance stretch to settle into; instead, you will find yourself managing frequent turns and urban road transitions. The personality of this drive is dictated by the constant pace of surface streets, requiring your full attention as you move between the two cities. It is a functional, technical commute that avoids the predictability of major freeways.
Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 19 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Santa Ana Freeway is the longest continuous segment at about 16.8 miles.
Elevation Profile
Mostly flat terrain
286 ft
76 ft
Total Climb
79 ft
Total Descent
252 ft
Highest Point
286 ft
Elevation Range
211 ft
How Hard Is This Drive?
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Santa Ana 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 9.8 miles in.
Driving Effort
10/10
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 17 decision points packed into just 30 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 40m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 9.8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 10 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 10.1 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 17 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
8
9.8 mi into trip
|
~14m in
Take the exit toward I 5 South, I 5 North: Santa Ana, Los Angeles
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.
Exit 11
Toward I 5 South, I 5 North: Santa Ana, Los Ang...
9
10 mi into trip
|
~15m in
Keep slight left at fork toward I 5 South: Santa Ana, Florence Avenue
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward I 5 South: Santa Ana, Florence Avenue
8
10.1 mi into trip
|
~15m in
Keep slight left at fork toward I 5 South: Santa Ana
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left lane.
Toward I 5 South: Santa Ana
7
27.2 mi into trip
|
~35m in
Take the exit toward Broadway, Main Street, Santa Ana
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 Broadway, Main Street, Santa Ana
8
28 mi into trip
|
~36m in
Keep slight right at fork toward Main Street North, Broadway
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward Main Street North, Broadway
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between El Monte, CA and Santa Ana, CA, road signs point toward Los Angeles, Broadway and Main Street North.
Los Angeles
9.8 mi in
|
~14m
Broadway
27.2 mi in
|
~35m
Main Street North
28 mi in
|
~36m
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Santa Ana Freeway | 16.8 mi | 19m |
| San Gabriel River Freeway | 6.4 mi | 7m |
| Peck Road | 2.4 mi | 5m |
| North Broadway | 1.3 mi | 2m |
| Durfee Avenue | 0.5 mi | 1m |
| North Main Street | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| West 5th Street | 0.1 mi | <1m |
| Valley Boulevard | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Santa Ana Freeway
— 16.8 mi, about 19m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between El Monte, CA and Santa Ana, CA.
1
Start on this road
10 ft
·
0 sec
·
this road
Exit 29B
Toward Valley Boulevard
2
Turn right onto Valley Boulevard
201 ft
·
12 sec
·
Valley Boulevard
3
Turn left onto Peck Road
1.6 mi
·
3 min
·
Peck Road
4
Turn right onto Durfee Avenue
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
Durfee Avenue
Use the right lane.
5
Continue on Peck Road
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
Peck Road
6
Take the ramp
0.4 mi
·
53 sec
Toward I 605 South
7
Merge onto I 605
6.4 mi
·
7 min
·
San Gabriel River Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
22 sec
Exit 11
Toward I 5 South, I 5 North: Santa Ana, Los Angeles
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Keep slight left at fork
0.2 mi
·
21 sec
Toward I 5 South: Santa Ana, Florence Avenue
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Keep slight left at fork
0.3 mi
·
35 sec
Toward I 5 South: Santa Ana
Use the slight left lane.
11
Merge onto I 5
17 mi
·
19 min
·
Santa Ana Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Keep slight right at fork onto I 5
0.2 mi
·
16 sec
·
Santa Ana Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13
Take the exit
0.8 mi
·
57 sec
Toward Broadway, Main Street, Santa Ana
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
14
Keep slight right at fork
0.3 mi
·
21 sec
Toward Main Street North, Broadway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
15
Turn straight onto North Broadway
1.3 mi
·
2 min
·
North Broadway
Use the left lane.
16
Turn left onto West 5th Street
0.1 mi
·
16 sec
·
West 5th Street
Use the left lane.
17
Turn right onto North Main Street
0.2 mi
·
30 sec
·
North Main Street
Use the right lane.
18
Turn right onto West 1st Street
52 ft
·
1 sec
·
West 1st Street
Use the right lane.
19
Arrive at destination
West 1st Street
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$6.90 one way
$13.79 round trip
$5.84/gal
25.4 MPG avg
11 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $6.02 | $7.11 | $14.21 |
| premium | $6.18 | $7.30 | $14.59 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $6.62 | $13.25 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$7
Estimated CO2 emission: 10.5 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $3 in charging · 0 stops · 60% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 9 | 0 | $3.15 | $1.44 |
| Efficient EV | 7.5 | 0 | $2.63 | $1.20 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 12 | 0 | $4.20 | $1.92 |
Gas CO2
10 kg
EV CO2
4 kg (60% 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
Santa Ana, CA
Morning in Santa Ana on Saturday
Local time
8:09 AM
PDT
Current temp
72°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
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
18 degrees warmer at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
40m on the road
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.
Frequently Asked Questions
The drive from El Monte, CA to Santa Ana, CA covers 30 miles and takes about 40m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Santa Ana Freeway, San Gabriel River Freeway, Peck Road. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 15 miles from El Monte, CA. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $6.90 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 short but busy drive. With 17 decision points packed into just 30 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 40m.
The main spots that need attention: at 9.8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 10 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 10.1 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Between El Monte, CA and Santa Ana, CA, road signs point toward Los Angeles, Broadway and Main Street North.
Mostly flat terrain. The route ranges from 76 ft to 286 ft elevation with about 79 ft of total climbing.
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, EIA for fuel prices, and USGS 3DEP for elevation. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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