Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
58m
Distance
48.9 mi
79 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.
Fontana, CA
Wikimedia Commons
Downey, CA
Wikimedia Commons
The drive from Fontana, CA to Downey, CA covers 48.9 miles and takes about 58m 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 23.5 miles on San Bernardino Freeway. At current regular gas prices, budget about $11.24 one way before food or hotel costs.
Founded 1873
Top landmarks
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 58m. Total distance: 48.9 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
58m 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.
This is a 58m highway drive covering 48.9 miles, with most of the trip on San Bernardino Freeway and San Gabriel River Freeway. The longest continuous stretch is about 23.5 miles on San Bernardino Freeway.
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 early in the drive near Sierra Avenue.
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 48.9 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 58m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: near the start (Sierra Avenue): Lane positioning matters here; at 7.8 miles (I 10 EXPR / I-10 Metro ExpressLanes): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 34.8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
These are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
Turn left onto Sierra Avenue
Lane positioning matters here
Keep slight left at fork onto I 10 EXPR / I-10 Metro ExpressLanes
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Take the exit toward I 605: San Gabriel River Freeway
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Keep slight left at fork toward I 605 South: San Bernardino
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Take the exit toward Firestone Boulevard
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| San Bernardino Freeway | 23.5 mi | 27m |
| San Gabriel River Freeway | 11.4 mi | 13m |
| I-10 Metro ExpressLanes | 9.3 mi | 9m |
| Firestone Boulevard | 1.9 mi | 3m |
| Sierra Avenue | 1.6 mi | 2m |
| Merrill Avenue | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Step-by-step road directions between Fontana, CA and Downey, CA.
Start on Merrill Avenue
Turn left onto Sierra Avenue
Take the ramp
Merge onto I 10
Keep slight left at fork onto I 10 EXPR
Merge onto I 10
Keep slight right at fork onto I 10
Keep slight right at fork onto I 10
Keep slight right at fork onto I 10
Keep slight right at fork onto I 10
Keep slight right at fork onto I 10
Keep slight right at fork onto I 10
Keep slight right at fork onto I 10
Keep slight right at fork onto I 10
Keep slight right at fork onto I 10
Keep slight right at fork onto I 10
Keep slight right at fork onto I 10
Take the exit
Keep slight left at fork
Merge onto I 605
Take the exit
Turn right onto Firestone Boulevard
Turn right
Arrive at destination
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 24.4 mi from Fontana, CA · 28m 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 11 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
The midpoint is around 24.4 miles from Fontana, CA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Allow a few extra minutes for the final approach into Downey, 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
$11.24 one way
$22.48 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $6.02 | $11.58 | $23.16 |
| premium | $6.18 | $11.89 | $23.78 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $10.80 | $21.59 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$11
Estimated CO2 emission: 17.1 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 | 14.7 | 0 | $5.13 | $2.35 |
| Efficient EV | 12.2 | 0 | $4.28 | $1.96 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 19.6 | 0 | $6.85 | $3.13 |
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
Late night in Fontana on Saturday
Local time
5:46 AM
PDT
Current temp
53°F
Clear
Freeze Warning
Freeze Warning issued April 18 at 1:22AM PDT until April 18 at 8:00AM PDT by NWS Eureka CA
Destination
Late night in Downey on Saturday
Local time
5:46 AM
PDT
Current temp
72°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
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.
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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