Origin
South Pasadena, CA
Afternoon in South Pasadena on Saturday
Local time
12:42 PM
PDT
Current temp
72°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from South Pasadena, CA to San Bernardino, CA
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 8m
Distance
55.3 mi
89 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$13
one way
EV Charging
Good
8 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 3m
★
6 AM
1h 8m
8 AM
1h 19m
10 AM
1h 12m
12 PM
1h 11m
3 PM
1h 13m
5 PM
1h 19m
8 PM
1h 5m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
South Pasadena, CA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
This 55.3-mile drive from South Pasadena, CA to San Bernardino, CA is a straightforward, highway-focused journey that can easily be completed in about 1 hour and 8 minutes. It's a perfect candidate for a single-day trip, requiring no overnight stays. You'll primarily be on the Foothill Freeway and the San Bernardino Freeway, making up 92% of your travel on highways. With an estimated fuel cost of $13, this short hop across the Pacific Coast region is efficient and practical. Given its brevity and highway nature, you won't need to worry about extensive planning for this particular route.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Foothill Freeway | 48.1 mi | 55m |
| San Bernardino Freeway | 1.8 mi | 2m |
| South Pasadena Avenue | 1 mi | 1m |
| West 5th Street | 0.8 mi | 1m |
| Fremont Avenue | 0.6 mi | 1m |
| Long Beach Freeway | 0.4 mi | <1m |
| Ventura Freeway | 0.4 mi | <1m |
| Barstow Freeway | 0.2 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Foothill Freeway
— 48.1 mi, about 55m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between South Pasadena, CA and San Bernardino, CA.
1
Start on Fair Oaks Avenue
96 ft
·
7 sec
·
Fair Oaks Avenue
2
Turn right onto Mission Street
0.2 mi
·
32 sec
·
Mission Street
3
Turn right onto Fremont Avenue
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
Fremont Avenue
4
At end of road, turn left onto Columbia Street
173 ft
·
7 sec
·
Columbia Street
Use the left lane.
5
Turn right onto South Pasadena Avenue
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
South Pasadena Avenue
Use the right lane.
6
Turn slight left onto Long Beach Freeway
0.4 mi
·
32 sec
·
Long Beach Freeway
Use the left / straight lanes.
7
Take the exit
0.6 mi
·
1 min
Toward I 210 East: San Bernardino
Use the slight right lane.
8
Merge onto CA 134
0.4 mi
·
25 sec
·
Ventura Freeway
9
Merge onto I 210
18 mi
·
20 min
·
Foothill Freeway
Use the slight left lane.
10
Keep slight right at fork onto I 210
2.9 mi
·
3 min
·
Foothill Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Keep slight right at fork onto CA 210
1.4 mi
·
1 min
·
Foothill Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Keep slight right at fork onto CA 210
1.2 mi
·
1 min
·
Foothill Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13
Keep slight right at fork onto CA 210
1.8 mi
·
2 min
·
Foothill Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
14
Keep slight right at fork onto CA 210
23 mi
·
26 min
·
Foothill Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
15
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
29 sec
Exit 74
Toward I 215: Barstow, Riverside
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
16
Keep slight right at fork
0.6 mi
·
1 min
Exit 74
Toward I 215 South: Riverside
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
17
Merge onto I 215
0.2 mi
·
13 sec
·
Barstow Freeway
18
Continue on I 215
1.8 mi
·
2 min
·
San Bernardino Freeway
19
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
52 sec
Exit 44A
Toward CA 66 West: 5th Street, Civic Center
Use the slight right lane.
20
Turn left onto CA 66
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
West 5th Street
Use the left / straight / right lanes.
21
Arrive at destination
West 5th Street
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
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 South Pasadena, CA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 185 decision points cluster between mile 0.8 and 54.2 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
7
0.8 mi into trip
|
~2m in
|
Columbia Street
At end of road, turn left onto Columbia Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
6
2.2 mi into trip
|
~4m in
Take the exit toward I 210 East: San Bernardino
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Toward I 210 East: San Bernardino
8
51.3 mi into trip
|
~1h 1m in
Take the exit toward I 215: Barstow, Riverside
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.
Exit 74
Toward I 215: Barstow, Riverside
8
51.5 mi into trip
|
~1h 2m in
Keep slight right at fork toward I 215 South: Riverside
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
Exit 74
Toward I 215 South: Riverside
8
54.2 mi into trip
|
~1h 5m in
Take the exit toward CA 66 West: 5th Street, Civic Center
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 44A
Toward CA 66 West: 5th Street, Civic Center
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$12.71 one way
$25.42 round trip
$5.84/gal
25.4 MPG avg
19 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $6.02 | $13.10 | $26.20 |
| premium | $6.18 | $13.45 | $26.90 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $12.21 | $24.42 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$13
Estimated CO2 emission: 19.3 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 | 16.6 | 0 | $5.81 | $2.65 |
| Efficient EV | 13.8 | 0 | $4.84 | $2.21 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 22.1 | 0 | $7.74 | $3.54 |
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
San Bernardino, CA
Afternoon in San Bernardino on Saturday
Local time
12:42 PM
PDT
Current temp
77°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
5 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
1h 8m 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.
What kind of drive is this?
Expect a predominantly highway experience on this route, with 92% of the drive taking place on freeways like the Foothill and San Bernardino. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is 48.1 miles on the Foothill Freeway, offering a consistent pace. While largely a highway-focused drive, initial and final segments may involve local roads like South Pasadena Avenue. The road's personality is generally that of efficient, high-speed travel, designed for covering distance quickly between these two Southern California locations.
92% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
21 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 48.1 mi on Foothill Freeway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
10/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Foothill Freeway and San Bernardino Freeway. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 0.8 miles in near Columbia Street.
Driving Effort
10/10
Demanding - stay alert through the decision-heavy sections
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 55.3 miles you will encounter 18 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 0.8 miles (Columbia Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 2.2 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 51.3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Elevation Profile
Gently rolling terrain
1,710 ft
484 ft
Total Climb
1,467 ft
Total Descent
1,076 ft
Highest Point
1,710 ft
~31.6 mi in
Elevation Range
1,226 ft
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
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 South Pasadena, CA to San Bernardino, CA, road signs begin pointing toward Riverside along the way.
Riverside
51.3 mi in
|
~1h 1m
About the Cities
Starting in South Pasadena, CA
Full guide →South Pasadena is a small city in the San Gabriel Valley of Southern California.
Arriving in San Bernardino, CA
Full guide →Founded 1854
San Bernardino is a city in the Inland Empire in California. It is the site of the first McDonald Brothers Hamburger Stand
Top landmarks
- • San Bernardino Santa Fe Depot — railway station in San Bernardino, the United States of America
- • California Theatre of the Performing Arts — theater and performing arts center in San Bernardino, California
- • San Bernardino County Court House — courthouse in San Bernardino, United States of America
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 1h 8m. Total distance: 55.3 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 8m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (92%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 48.1 miles on Foothill Freeway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
It helps. This route has a higher-than-average number of complex decision points, which get harder in the dark. If the last hour of the trip is on surface roads or mountain grades, aim to arrive at San Bernardino, CA before sunset when you can. Check the Trip Plan for departure windows that land you in daylight.
Yes. At under 2 hours behind the wheel, this works well for families — plan one quick stop if you have younger kids.
The main spots that need attention: at 0.8 miles (Columbia Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 2.2 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 51.3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at San Bernardino, CA before heading back.
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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