Origin
Fontana, CA
Late night in Fontana on Saturday
Local time
12:57 AM
PDT
Current temp
76°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Fontana, CA to Los Angeles, CA
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
58m
Distance
49.7 mi
80 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$11
one way
EV Charging
Good
8 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 54m
★
6 AM
0h 59m
8 AM
1h 9m
10 AM
1h 2m
12 PM
1h 1m
3 PM
1h 3m
5 PM
1h 8m
8 PM
0h 56m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Fontana, CA
Wikimedia Commons
Los Angeles, CA
Stephen Leonardi
Trip Overview
This 50-mile drive from Fontana, CA to Los Angeles, CA is a straightforward, single-day trip, estimated to take about 55 minutes without significant traffic. You'll primarily navigate using Sierra Avenue and I-10 West, also known as the San Bernardino Freeway. With a fuel cost around $12, this route is an economical option for a quick journey within the Pacific Coast region. It's a turn-heavy local drive, so expect a more engaged driving experience than a simple highway cruise. This trip is perfectly suited for a single day, allowing ample time for your destination activities.
About the Cities
Arriving in Los Angeles, CA
Full guide →Frank Lloyd Wright is said to have quipped, "Tip the world over on its side and everything loose will land in Los Angeles," a quote that has since been repeated both by those who love and hate L.A. The "City of Angels" is home to people who hail from all parts of the globe and an important center of culture, business, media, and international trade. However, it's most famous for being a major center of the world's television, motion picture, and music industry, which forms the base of the city's status and lures visitors for its show business history and celebrity culture. Visitors are also drawn to Los Angeles for its Mediterranean climate and numerous beaches, which gave birth to California's famed surf culture.
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 58m. Total distance: 49.7 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 (94%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Drive Character
Expect a rather turn-heavy local drive on this route, with a 0% highway share, meaning you'll be on surface streets for the entire 50 miles. This implies a dynamic driving experience rather than a monotonous interstate grind. Given the local road nature, traffic patterns and speed limits will vary considerably as you progress from Fontana into Los Angeles. While there's no 'longest stretch' data, the constant need for turns and potential for varied traffic conditions means you'll be actively navigating for the entire duration of the roughly 55-minute journey.
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 37.2 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on San Bernardino Freeway and I-10 Metro ExpressLanes. 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.
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 22 decision points packed into just 49.7 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 20.5 miles (I 10 / San Bernardino Freeway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 22 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
6
0 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
Sierra Avenue
Turn left onto Sierra Avenue
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
6
7.8 mi into trip
|
~10m in
|
I 10 EXPR / I-10 Metro ExpressLanes
Keep slight left at fork onto I 10 EXPR / I-10 Metro ExpressLanes
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
20.5 mi into trip
|
~24m in
|
I 10 / San Bernardino Freeway
Keep slight right at fork onto I 10 / San Bernardino Freeway
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
22.4 mi into trip
|
~26m in
|
I 10 / San Bernardino Freeway
Keep slight right at fork onto I 10 / San Bernardino Freeway
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
49 mi into trip
|
~57m in
Take the exit toward Alameda Street, Union Station
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 2B
Toward Alameda Street, Union Station
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| San Bernardino Freeway | 37.2 mi | 42m |
| I-10 Metro ExpressLanes | 9.3 mi | 9m |
| Sierra Avenue | 1.6 mi | 2m |
| Santa Ana Freeway | 0.4 mi | <1m |
| North Los Angeles Street | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| East Arcadia Street | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| East 1st Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
| Merrill Avenue | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
San Bernardino Freeway
— 37.2 mi, about 42m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Fontana, CA and Los Angeles, CA.
1
Start on Merrill Avenue
205 ft
·
9 sec
·
Merrill Avenue
2
Turn left onto Sierra Avenue
1.6 mi
·
2 min
·
Sierra Avenue
Use the left lane.
3
Take the ramp
0.3 mi
·
45 sec
Toward I 10 West: Los Angeles
Use the right lane.
4
Merge onto I 10
5.8 mi
·
6 min
·
San Bernardino Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
5
Keep slight left at fork onto I 10 EXPR
9.3 mi
·
9 min
·
I-10 Metro ExpressLanes
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
Merge onto I 10
1.2 mi
·
1 min
·
San Bernardino Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Keep slight right at fork onto I 10
0.9 mi
·
1 min
·
San Bernardino Freeway
8
Keep slight right at fork onto I 10
1.3 mi
·
1 min
·
San Bernardino Freeway
9
Keep slight right at fork onto I 10
1.9 mi
·
2 min
·
San Bernardino Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Keep slight right at fork onto I 10
1.9 mi
·
2 min
·
San Bernardino Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Keep slight right at fork onto I 10
1.6 mi
·
1 min
·
San Bernardino Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Keep slight right at fork onto I 10
1.4 mi
·
1 min
·
San Bernardino Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13
Keep slight right at fork onto I 10
1.5 mi
·
1 min
·
San Bernardino Freeway
Use the slight right lane.
14
Keep slight right at fork onto I 10
1.1 mi
·
1 min
·
San Bernardino Freeway
15
Keep slight right at fork onto I 10
2.0 mi
·
2 min
·
San Bernardino Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
16
Keep slight right at fork onto I 10
1.6 mi
·
1 min
·
San Bernardino Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
17
Keep slight right at fork onto I 10
2.6 mi
·
2 min
·
San Bernardino Freeway
Use the slight right lane.
18
Keep slight right at fork onto I 10
12 mi
·
14 min
·
San Bernardino Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
19
Merge onto US 101
0.4 mi
·
36 sec
·
Santa Ana Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
20
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
19 sec
Exit 2B
Toward Alameda Street, Union Station
Use the slight right lane.
21
Continue on I 10 EXPR
0.2 mi
·
32 sec
·
East Arcadia Street
Use the left / straight lanes.
22
Turn left onto North Los Angeles Street
0.3 mi
·
44 sec
·
North Los Angeles Street
23
Turn right onto East 1st Street
461 ft
·
17 sec
·
East 1st Street
24
Arrive at destination
West 1st Street
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 24.9 mi from Fontana, CA · 29m 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 24.9 miles from Fontana, CA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Los Angeles, CA
Allow a few extra minutes for the final approach into Los Angeles, 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
$11.42 one way
$22.85 round trip
$5.84/gal
25.4 MPG avg
17 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $6.02 | $11.77 | $23.54 |
| premium | $6.18 | $12.09 | $24.17 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $10.97 | $21.95 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$11
Estimated CO2 emission: 17.4 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 | 14.9 | 0 | $5.22 | $2.39 |
| Efficient EV | 12.4 | 0 | $4.35 | $1.99 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 19.9 | 0 | $6.96 | $3.18 |
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
Los Angeles, CA
Late night in Los Angeles on Saturday
Local time
12:57 AM
PDT
Current temp
54°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
22 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
58m 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 Fontana, CA to Los Angeles, CA covers 49.7 miles and takes about 58m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are San Bernardino Freeway, I-10 Metro ExpressLanes, Sierra Avenue. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 24.9 miles from Fontana, CA. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $11.42 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 22 decision points packed into just 49.7 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 58m.
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 20.5 miles (I 10 / San Bernardino Freeway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
The route from Fontana, CA to Los Angeles, CA does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
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, and EIA for fuel prices. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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