Origin
Redlands, CA
Late night in Redlands on Friday
Local time
2:33 AM
PDT
Current temp
72°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Redlands, CA to Irvine, CA
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 17, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 7m
Distance
55.5 mi
89 km
Drive Score
9/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$13
one way
EV Charging
Good
8 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 2m
★
6 AM
1h 8m
8 AM
1h 18m
10 AM
1h 11m
12 PM
1h 10m
3 PM
1h 12m
5 PM
1h 18m
8 PM
1h 4m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Redlands, CA
Wikimedia Commons
Irvine, CA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Stretching 59 miles across the Pacific Coast region, the drive from Redlands to Irvine is a straightforward journey typically completed in about 59 minutes. Because of the relatively short distance, this trip is perfectly suited as a quick day excursion that does not require an overnight stay. You should budget approximately $14 for fuel to cover the distance between these two Southern California points. Since you will be traveling entirely within the same region, the transition between cities feels seamless. This route is a practical choice if you need to move between the Inland Empire and Orange County efficiently.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 7m. Total distance: 55.5 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 7m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (54%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Drive Character
Expect a turn-heavy local drive rather than a monotonous interstate cruise on this 59-mile trek. You will navigate a mix of local thoroughfares like Orange Street before transitioning onto the I-10 West and the Pearl Harbor Memorial Highway. With a highway share of 0%, your focus will be on managing local traffic patterns and turns throughout the duration of the trip. Unlike long-haul interstate routes, this drive requires your consistent attention behind the wheel as you maneuver through the urban landscape. It is a functional path that favors city navigation over long, uninterrupted stretches of open road.
Expect a mix of faster highway mileage and slower local approaches near the beginning or end.
There are about 17 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Riverside Freeway is the longest continuous segment at about 19.7 miles.
Elevation Profile
Gently rolling terrain
1,360 ft
54 ft
Total Climb
575 ft
Total Descent
1,882 ft
Highest Point
1,360 ft
Elevation Range
1,306 ft
How Hard Is This Drive?
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 6.6 miles in.
Driving Effort
9/10
Demanding - stay alert through the decision-heavy sections
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 55.5 miles you will encounter 12 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 6.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 6.9 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 27.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 12 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
7
6.6 mi into trip
|
~8m in
Take the exit toward I 215: Riverside, San Bernardino, Barstow
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 215: Riverside, San Bernardino, Barsto...
7
6.9 mi into trip
|
~9m in
Keep slight left at fork toward I 215 South: Riverside
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
Toward I 215 South: Riverside
7
27.6 mi into trip
|
~34m in
Take the exit toward Main Street
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 50
Toward Main Street
7
37 mi into trip
|
~45m in
Take the exit toward CA 241 South: Irvine
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 41B
Toward CA 241 South: Irvine
7
44 mi into trip
|
~53m in
|
CA 261 Toll / Eastern Transportation Corridor
Keep slight right at fork onto CA 261 Toll / Eastern Transportation Corridor toward CA 261 South: Irvine
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward CA 261 South: Irvine
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Redlands, CA and Irvine, CA, road signs point toward San Bernardino and Barstow.
San Bernardino
6.6 mi in
|
~8m
Barstow
6.6 mi in
|
~8m
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Riverside Freeway | 19.7 mi | 22m |
| Eastern Transportation Corridor | 12.1 mi | 14m |
| CA 91 | 9.1 mi | 10m |
| Pearl Harbor Memorial Highway | 6 mi | 6m |
| Jamboree Road | 3.6 mi | 5m |
| San Diego Freeway | 1.3 mi | 1m |
| Orange Street | 0.5 mi | 1m |
| East Citrus Avenue | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Riverside Freeway
— 19.7 mi, about 22m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Redlands, CA and Irvine, CA.
1
Start on East Citrus Avenue
19 ft
·
4 sec
·
East Citrus Avenue
2
Turn right onto Orange Street
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
Orange Street
3
Take the ramp
0.2 mi
·
24 sec
Toward I 10 West: Los Angeles
4
Merge onto I 10
6.0 mi
·
6 min
·
Pearl Harbor Memorial Highway
Use the slight right lane.
5
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
31 sec
Toward I 215: Riverside, San Bernardino, Barstow
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
Keep slight left at fork
1.0 mi
·
2 min
Toward I 215 South: Riverside
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
7
Merge onto I 215
4.9 mi
·
5 min
·
Riverside Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Continue on CA 91
15 mi
·
17 min
·
Riverside Freeway
Exit 34B
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
20 sec
Exit 50
Toward Main Street
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Continue on CA 91
9.1 mi
·
10 min
·
CA 91
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Take the exit
1.2 mi
·
1 min
Exit 41B
Toward CA 241 South: Irvine
Use the slight right lane.
12
Continue on CA 241 Toll
5.7 mi
·
6 min
·
Eastern Transportation Corridor
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13
Keep slight right at fork onto CA 261 Toll
6.4 mi
·
7 min
·
Eastern Transportation Corridor
Toward CA 261 South: Irvine
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
14
Continue on Jamboree Road
3.6 mi
·
5 min
·
Jamboree Road
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
15
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
14 sec
Toward I 405 South: San Diego
Use the right lane.
16
Merge onto I 405
1.3 mi
·
1 min
·
San Diego Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
17
Arrive at destination
I 405
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 27.7 mi from Redlands, CA · 34m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
28 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 12 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 27.7 miles from Redlands, CA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Irvine, CA
The final approach into Irvine, 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
$12.76 one way
$25.51 round trip
$5.84/gal
25.4 MPG avg
19 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $6.02 | $13.15 | $26.29 |
| premium | $6.18 | $13.50 | $26.99 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $12.25 | $24.51 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$13
Estimated CO2 emission: 19.4 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $6 in charging · 0 stops · 68% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 16.7 | 0 | $5.83 | $2.66 |
| Efficient EV | 13.9 | 0 | $4.86 | $2.22 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 22.2 | 0 | $7.77 | $3.55 |
Gas CO2
19 kg
EV CO2
6 kg (68% 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
Irvine, CA
Late night in Irvine on Friday
Local time
2:33 AM
PDT
Current temp
71°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 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 7m 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 Redlands, CA to Irvine, CA covers 55.5 miles and takes about 1h 7m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Riverside Freeway, Eastern Transportation Corridor, CA 91. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 27.7 miles from Redlands, CA. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $12.76 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 55.5 miles you will encounter 12 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 6.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 6.9 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 27.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
Between Redlands, CA and Irvine, CA, road signs point toward San Bernardino and Barstow.
Gently rolling terrain. The route ranges from 54 ft to 1,360 ft elevation with about 575 ft of total climbing.
How this page is built
Compiled and maintained by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy (Helsinki). Each route is built from authoritative open government and mapping datasets rather than crowdsourced reviews. Distances and geometry come from OSRM over OpenStreetMap. Fuel cost uses EIA weekly regional averages. Elevation is sampled from USGS 3DEP. Pages are published only after passing our data-quality checks; our methodology page documents refresh cadence, editorial standards, and known limitations.
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