Origin
San Fernando, CA
Morning in San Fernando on Thursday
Local time
11:01 AM
PDT
Current temp
73°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from San Fernando, CA to Los Angeles, CA
Last recalculated Apr 16, 2026
Drive Time
29m
Distance
21.6 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
4 AM
0h 27m
★
6 AM
0h 29m
8 AM
0h 34m
10 AM
0h 31m
12 PM
0h 31m
3 PM
0h 31m
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.
San Fernando, CA
Wikimedia Commons
Los Angeles, CA
Stephen Leonardi
Trip Overview
Spanning just 21.6 miles, the journey from San Fernando to Los Angeles is a quick, efficient trip that typically takes about 29 minutes. You will primarily navigate the Hollywood Freeway, Golden State Freeway, and Chatsworth Drive to complete this short transit. Given the proximity of these two Pacific Coast locations, a single day is more than enough to cover the distance. Budgeting around $3 for fuel makes this an incredibly economical drive for your itinerary. Because the entire route stays within the same region, you can easily treat this as a simple point-to-point commute without needing an overnight stay.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 29m. Total distance: 21.6 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 (90%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Drive Character
This highway-focused drive is built for efficiency rather than leisure, with 90 percent of your time spent on major thoroughfares. You will find yourself in a steady rhythm of fast-paced travel, highlighted by a significant 16.2-mile uninterrupted stretch along the Hollywood Freeway. The road environment is strictly functional, prioritizing speed and connectivity between the two urban hubs. Expect a consistent experience behind the wheel, as the transition from San Fernando into the heart of Los Angeles relies heavily on these high-capacity lanes. It is a straightforward, no-nonsense route that gets you to your destination with minimal distractions.
Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 15 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 16.2 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Hollywood Freeway and Golden State Freeway. You will hit about 12 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 0.9 miles in.
Driving Effort
6/10
Moderate - straightforward overall, but long enough or busy enough to require pacing
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 21.6 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 0.9 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 4.4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 21 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
0.9 mi into trip
|
~2m in
Take the ramp toward I 5 South: Los Angeles
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
Toward I 5 South: Los Angeles
7
4.4 mi into trip
|
~6m in
Take the exit toward CA 170 South: Hollywood
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 153B
Toward CA 170 South: Hollywood
7
21 mi into trip
|
~27m in
Take the exit toward Broadway
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 2C
Toward Broadway
7
21.2 mi into trip
|
~28m in
|
North Spring Street
Turn right onto North Spring Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
7
21.5 mi into trip
|
~29m in
|
West 1st Street
Turn left onto West 1st Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Hollywood Freeway | 16.2 mi | 20m |
| Golden State Freeway | 3.2 mi | 3m |
| Chatsworth Drive | 0.8 mi | 1m |
| North Spring Street | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| West Aliso Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
| West 1st Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
| Kittridge Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
| Truman Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Hollywood Freeway
— 16.2 mi, about 20m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between San Fernando, CA and Los Angeles, CA.
1
Start on this road
26 ft
·
4 sec
·
this road
2
Turn right
73 ft
·
10 sec
3
Turn left onto US 6 Hist
172 ft
·
4 sec
·
Truman Street
4
Turn right onto Kittridge Street
254 ft
·
18 sec
·
Kittridge Street
5
Turn left onto San Fernando Road
101 ft
·
5 sec
·
San Fernando Road
6
Turn right onto Chatsworth Drive
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
Chatsworth Drive
7
Take the ramp
0.2 mi
·
25 sec
Toward I 5 South: Los Angeles
Use the left lane.
8
Merge onto I 5
3.2 mi
·
3 min
·
Golden State Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Take the exit
0.5 mi
·
32 sec
Exit 153B
Toward CA 170 South: Hollywood
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Continue on CA 170
16 mi
·
20 min
·
Hollywood Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Take the exit
0.1 mi
·
17 sec
Exit 2C
Toward Broadway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Continue on West Aliso Street
409 ft
·
18 sec
·
West Aliso Street
Use the straight lane.
13
Turn right onto North Spring Street
0.3 mi
·
35 sec
·
North Spring Street
Use the right lane.
14
Turn left onto West 1st Street
354 ft
·
12 sec
·
West 1st Street
Use the left lane.
15
Arrive at destination
West 1st Street
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$4.96 one way
$9.93 round trip
$5.84/gal
25.4 MPG avg
8 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $6.02 | $5.12 | $10.23 |
| premium | $6.18 | $5.25 | $10.51 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $4.77 | $9.54 |
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 | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 6.5 | 0 | $2.27 | $1.04 |
| Efficient EV | 5.4 | 0 | $1.89 | $0.86 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 8.6 | 0 | $3.02 | $1.38 |
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.
Destination
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
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
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 San Fernando, CA to Los Angeles, CA covers 21.6 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 10.8 miles from San Fernando, CA. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $4.96 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 21.6 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 0.9 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 4.4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 21 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
The route from San Fernando, CA to Los Angeles, CA does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
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