Trip from Los Angeles, CA to San Fernando, CA

Q: How long is the trip from Los Angeles, CA to San Fernando, CA?

The drive from Los Angeles, CA to San Fernando, CA covers 21.8 miles and takes about 29m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.

Q: What are the main roads on this route?

The main roads are Hollywood Freeway, Golden State Freeway, Chatsworth Drive. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.

Q: Is this a good same-day trip?

This is a comfortable same-day trip.

Q: Where should I stop halfway?

The midpoint is about 10.9 miles from Los Angeles, CA. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.

Q: How much does gas cost for this trip?

At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $5.01 one way. This estimate uses 25.4 MPG — your actual cost will vary with your vehicle's fuel efficiency and current gas prices.

Q: What is the best time to leave?

Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch. Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.

Q: What towns show up on signs driving from Los Angeles, CA to San Fernando, CA?

The route from Los Angeles, CA to San Fernando, CA does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.

Last recalculated Apr 16, 2026

Drive Time

29m

Distance

21.8 mi

35 km

Drive Score

6/10

Good drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$5

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 8 min

4 AM

0h 27m ★

6 AM

0h 30m

8 AM

0h 35m

10 AM

0h 31m

12 PM

0h 31m

3 PM

0h 32m

5 PM

0h 34m

8 PM

0h 28m

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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Trip Overview

If you are looking for a quick transition from Los Angeles to San Fernando, this 21.8-mile drive is a straightforward trip that typically takes just 29 minutes. Because the route is entirely within the Pacific Coast region, you won't need to worry about major climate shifts or extensive planning. It is easily manageable as a one-day trip, making it perfect for a morning errand or an afternoon commute. With an estimated fuel cost of only $3, it is an economical way to navigate between these two California hubs. Since there are no mandatory stops required, you can complete the journey in one efficient stretch.

Who Is This Route For?

Weekend Trip

Doable as a same-day drive at 29m. Total distance: 21.8 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

29m drive, comfortable solo distance.

EV Driver

0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (88%). Some complex stretches to watch for.

Drive Character

Expect a fast-paced, highway-focused experience, as 88% of this journey is spent on major thoroughfares. You will spend the bulk of your time navigating the Hollywood Freeway and the Golden State Freeway, which together provide the primary infrastructure for the trip. The longest uninterrupted section covers 15.5 miles along the Hollywood Freeway, allowing for steady highway cruising. As you move toward the final leg of the drive, the route transitions onto Chatsworth Drive, shifting from heavy-traffic freeway travel to local surface streets. It is a functional, no-frills drive designed for efficiency rather than leisure.

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.

Hollywood Freeway is the longest continuous segment at about 15.5 miles.

How Hard Is This Drive?

This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Hollywood Freeway and Golden State Freeway. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 0.5 miles in.

Driving Effort 8/10

Focused - busy navigation packed into a short drive

Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.

This is a short but busy drive. With 10 decision points packed into just 21.8 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 29m.

Where does it get tricky?

The main spots that need attention: at 0.5 miles: Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 16.9 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 20.7 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.

Critical Maneuvers

5 of 10 key points

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

5

0.5 mi into trip | ~1m in

Take the ramp toward US 101 North, CA 110

Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Toward US 101 North, CA 110

6

16.9 mi into trip | ~22m in

Keep slight left at fork

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / slight right lanes.

7

20.7 mi into trip | ~27m in

Take the exit toward Brand Boulevard

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

Use the slight right lane. Exit 157A Toward Brand Boulevard

6

21.6 mi into trip | ~29m in | San Fernando Road

At end of road, turn left onto San Fernando Road

Lane positioning matters here

Use the left lane.

8

21.8 mi into trip | ~29m in

Turn uturn

Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach

Main Roads

Road	Distance	Duration
Hollywood Freeway	15.5 mi	19m
Golden State Freeway	2.9 mi	3m
Chatsworth Drive	0.7 mi	1m
Santa Ana Freeway	0.7 mi	<1m
North Broadway	0.4 mi	<1m
West 1st Street	0.1 mi	<1m
South Brand Boulevard	<0.1 mi	<1m
San Fernando Road	<0.1 mi	<1m

Longest stretch: Hollywood Freeway — 15.5 mi, about 19m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Los Angeles, CA and San Fernando, CA.

1

Start on West 1st Street

0.1 mi · 32 sec · West 1st Street

2

Turn right onto North Broadway

0.4 mi · 49 sec · North Broadway

3

Take the ramp

0.2 mi · 30 sec

Toward US 101 North, CA 110

4

Merge onto US 101

0.7 mi · 55 sec · Santa Ana Freeway

5

Continue on US 101

15 mi · 19 min · Hollywood Freeway

Use the straight / slight right lanes.

6

Keep slight left at fork

0.9 mi · 59 sec

Use the straight / slight right lanes.

7

Merge onto I 5

2.9 mi · 3 min · Golden State Freeway

Use the straight / slight right lanes.

8

Take the exit

0.2 mi · 29 sec

Exit 157A Toward Brand Boulevard Use the slight right lane.

9

Turn right onto Chatsworth Drive

0.7 mi · 1 min · Chatsworth Drive

Use the straight / right lanes.

10

At end of road, turn left onto San Fernando Road

350 ft · 10 sec · San Fernando Road

Use the left lane.

11

Turn right onto South Brand Boulevard

385 ft · 13 sec · South Brand Boulevard

12

Turn uturn

125 ft · 11 sec

13

Arrive at destination

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$5.01 one way

$10.02 round trip

$5.84/gal 25.4 MPG avg 8 kg CO₂

Fuel Type	$/gal	One Way	Round Trip
midgrade	$6.02	$5.16	$10.33
premium	$6.18	$5.30	$10.60
diesel	$5.61	$4.81	$9.63

No toll roads detected on this route.

Drive Cost (one way)

Fuel

$5

Estimated CO2 emission: 7.6 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $2 in charging · 0 stops · 63% less CO₂

Vehicle Type	kWh	DC Fast	Home Charge
Average EV	6.5	$2.29	$1.05
Efficient EV	5.5	$1.91	$0.87
EV Truck/SUV	8.7	$3.05	$1.40

Gas CO2

8 kg

EV CO2

3 kg (63% 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 14, 2026

Origin

Los Angeles, CA

Morning in Los Angeles on Thursday

Local time

11:01 AM

PDT

Current temp

72°F

Sunny

SW 5 to 10 mph 0% chance Live forecast

Wind Advisory

Wind Advisory issued April 14 at 11:57AM PDT until April 15 at 3:00AM PDT by NWS Los Angeles/Oxnard CA

Wind Advisory

Wind Advisory issued April 14 at 9:35AM PDT until April 15 at 8:00PM PDT by NWS Medford OR

Destination

San Fernando, CA

Morning in San Fernando on Thursday

Local time

11:01 AM

PDT

Current temp

73°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

1 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

29m 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 Los Angeles, CA to San Fernando, CA covers 21.8 miles and takes about 29m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.

The main roads are Hollywood Freeway, Golden State Freeway, Chatsworth Drive. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.

This is a comfortable same-day trip.

The midpoint is about 10.9 miles from Los Angeles, CA. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.

At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $5.01 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 10 decision points packed into just 21.8 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 29m.

The main spots that need attention: at 0.5 miles: Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 16.9 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 20.7 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.

The route from Los Angeles, CA to San Fernando, CA does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.

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