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Trip from Santa Fe Springs, CA to Fontana, CA

Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards

Drive Time

54m

Distance

45.3 mi

73 km

Drive Score

6/10

Good drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$10

one way

EV Charging

Good

8 stations

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 13 min
4 AM
0h 50m ★
6 AM
0h 54m
8 AM
1h 3m
10 AM
0h 57m
12 PM
0h 56m
3 PM
0h 58m
5 PM
1h 2m
8 PM
0h 51m

Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.

city in Los Angeles County, California, United States

Santa Fe Springs, CA

Wikimedia Commons

Downtown Fontana, CA, CA

Fontana, CA

Wikimedia Commons

Trip Overview

The drive from Santa Fe Springs, CA to Fontana, CA covers 45.3 miles and takes about 54m 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 23.9 miles on San Bernardino Freeway. At current regular gas prices, budget about $10.41 one way before food or hotel costs.

Who Is This Route For?

Weekend Trip

Doable as a same-day drive at 54m. Total distance: 45.3 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

54m drive, comfortable solo distance.

EV Driver

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

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (93%). Some complex stretches to watch for.

Drive Character

This is a 54m highway drive covering 45.3 miles, with most of the trip on San Bernardino Freeway and San Gabriel River Freeway. The longest continuous stretch is about 23.9 miles on San Bernardino Freeway.

Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 21 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 23.9 miles.

Elevation Profile

Gently rolling terrain

1,235 ft 134 ft

Total Climb

1,380 ft

Total Descent

279 ft

Highest Point

1,235 ft

~45.3 mi in

Elevation Range

1,101 ft

How Hard Is This Drive?

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 around 9.9 miles in.

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 19 decision points packed into just 45.3 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 54m.

Where does it get tricky?

The main spots that need attention: at 9.9 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 10.1 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 11.4 miles (I 10 / San Bernardino Freeway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.

Critical Maneuvers

5 of 19 key points

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

7
9.9 mi into trip | ~12m in

Take the exit toward I 10 West, I 10 East: Los Angeles, San Bernardino

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 10 West, I 10 East: Los Angeles, San B...
7
10.1 mi into trip | ~12m in

Keep slight right at fork toward I 10 East: San Bernardino

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the slight right lane. Toward I 10 East: San Bernardino
6
11.4 mi into trip | ~14m 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.
7
43.3 mi into trip | ~50m in

Take the exit toward Sierra Avenue

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

Use the straight / slight right lanes. Exit 64 Toward Sierra Avenue
8
43.5 mi into trip | ~50m in

Keep slight left at fork toward Sierra Avenue North

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the left lane. Toward Sierra Avenue North

Towns Mentioned on Route Signs

Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.

On the drive from Santa Fe Springs, CA to Fontana, CA, road signs begin pointing toward San Bernardino along the way.

San Bernardino

9.9 mi in | ~12m

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
San Bernardino Freeway 23.9 mi 27m
San Gabriel River Freeway 9.3 mi 10m
I-10 Metro ExpressLanes 9 mi 9m
Sierra Avenue 1.7 mi 2m
Telegraph Road 0.3 mi <1m
Merrill Avenue <0.1 mi <1m
Longest stretch: San Bernardino Freeway — 23.9 mi, about 27m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Santa Fe Springs, CA and Fontana, CA.

1

Start on Telegraph Road

0.3 mi · 50 sec · Telegraph Road
2

Take the ramp

0.3 mi · 37 sec
Toward I 605 North
3

Merge onto I 605

9.3 mi · 10 min · San Gabriel River Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
4

Take the exit

0.2 mi · 22 sec
Toward I 10 West, I 10 East: Los Angeles, San Bernardino Use the straight / slight right lanes.
5

Keep slight right at fork

0.3 mi · 41 sec
Toward I 10 East: San Bernardino Use the slight right lane.
6

Merge onto I 10

1.0 mi · 1 min · San Bernardino Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7

Keep slight right at fork onto I 10

2.2 mi · 2 min · San Bernardino Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8

Keep slight right at fork onto I 10

2.0 mi · 2 min · San Bernardino Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9

Keep slight right at fork onto I 10

1.1 mi · 1 min · San Bernardino Freeway
10

Keep slight right at fork onto I 10

1.5 mi · 1 min · San Bernardino Freeway
Use the slight right lane.
11

Keep slight right at fork onto I 10

1.4 mi · 1 min · San Bernardino Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12

Keep slight right at fork onto I 10

2.0 mi · 2 min · San Bernardino Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13

Keep slight right at fork onto I 10

2.1 mi · 2 min · San Bernardino Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
14

Keep slight right at fork onto I 10

4.0 mi · 4 min · San Bernardino Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
15

Keep slight left at fork onto I 10 EXPR

9.0 mi · 9 min · I-10 Metro ExpressLanes
Use the slight left lane.
16

Merge onto I 10

6.5 mi · 7 min · San Bernardino Freeway
Use the slight right lane.
17

Take the exit

0.2 mi · 29 sec
Exit 64 Toward Sierra Avenue Use the straight / slight right lanes.
18

Keep slight left at fork

448 ft · 12 sec
Toward Sierra Avenue North Use the left lane.
19

Turn slight left onto Sierra Avenue

1.7 mi · 2 min · Sierra Avenue
Use the left lane.
20

Turn right onto Merrill Avenue

205 ft · 4 sec · Merrill Avenue
21

Arrive at destination

Merrill Avenue

Where to Stop

Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.

Halfway Point

Midpoint

About 22.7 mi from Santa Fe Springs, CA · 27m into the drive

city in Los Angeles County, California, United States

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Pomona, CA

23 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

Pasadena, CA

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 10 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Pomona, CA

Meal break

The midpoint is around 22.7 miles from Santa Fe Springs, CA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Arriving in Fontana, CA

Allow a few extra minutes for the final approach into Fontana, 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

$10.41 one way

$20.82 round trip

$5.84/gal 25.4 MPG avg 16 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $6.02 $10.73 $21.46
premium $6.18 $11.02 $22.03
diesel $5.61 $10.00 $20.00

No toll roads detected on this route.

Drive Cost (one way)

Fuel

$10

Estimated CO2 emission: 15.8 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $5 in charging · 0 stops · 69% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 13.6 0 $4.76 $2.17
Efficient EV 11.3 0 $3.96 $1.81
EV Truck/SUV 18.1 0 $6.34 $2.90

Gas CO2

16 kg

EV CO2

5 kg (69% 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 15, 2026

Origin

Santa Fe Springs, CA

Morning in Santa Fe Springs on Saturday

Local time

10:07 AM

PDT

Current temp

72°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Fontana, CA

Morning in Fontana on Saturday

Local time

10:07 AM

PDT

Current temp

76°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

4 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

54m 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 Santa Fe Springs, CA to Fontana, CA covers 45.3 miles and takes about 54m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.

The main roads are San Bernardino Freeway, San Gabriel River Freeway, I-10 Metro ExpressLanes. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.

This is a comfortable same-day trip.

The midpoint is about 22.7 miles from Santa Fe Springs, CA. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.

At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $10.41 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 19 decision points packed into just 45.3 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 54m.

The main spots that need attention: at 9.9 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 10.1 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 11.4 miles (I 10 / San Bernardino Freeway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.

On the drive from Santa Fe Springs, CA to Fontana, CA, road signs begin pointing toward San Bernardino along the way.

Gently rolling terrain. The route ranges from 134 ft to 1,235 ft elevation with about 1,380 ft of total climbing.

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, EIA for fuel prices, and USGS 3DEP for elevation. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.

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Explore More

Return Trip

Fontana, CA to Santa Fe Springs, CA

Plan the drive back the other way.

45.9 mi 55m

Explore more options from Santa Fe Springs, CA or browse trips ending in Fontana, CA.

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