Drive or Fly: Norco, CA to San Bernardino, CA?

Side-by-side comparison of driving versus flying for this route. Costs, time, and trade-offs at a glance.

Driving wins

Medium

No scheduled commercial flights found for ONT–SBD. At 29 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

38m

Distance

29.5 mi

Total Cost

$42

CO2

12 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$7

Hotel (1 room, 0 nights) $0

Meals (1 pax, 1 day) $35

+ No luggage restrictions or TSA lines

+ Comfortable one-day drive

+ Stop anywhere along the route

+ Have your own car at the destination

+ Likely faster door-to-door than flying

− Wear and tear on vehicle

− Fuel price fluctuations

Plan the drive

Fly

Door to Door

2h 26m

2m in the air

Air Distance

19 mi

Total Cost

$121

CO2

5 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Norco, CA → ONT 14m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 2m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

SBD → San Bernardino, CA 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $121) $121

Airports

Norco, CA ONT — Ontario International Airport 9 mi, ~14m drive

San Bernardino, CA SBD — San Bernardino International Airport 3 mi, ~10m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between ONT and SBD. Flight estimates above are theoretical.

+ Less physical fatigue

+ Predictable arrival time

− Airport security and check-in overhead

− No scheduled commercial flights found for this route

− Luggage fees and restrictions

− Less flexibility for stops along the way

Train

Amtrak

Door to Door

1h 24m

18m on rail

Total Cost

CO2

1 kg

Route

Southwest Chief

Door-to-Door Timeline

Norco, CA → Riverside 16m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 18m

Arrival 10m

San Bernardino → San Bernardino, CA 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $2) $2

Estimated based on distance. Check amtrak.com for current prices.

Stations

From Riverside 11 mi, ~16m drive

To San Bernardino 1 mi, ~10m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~3/week

+ Spacious seating with legroom and power outlets

+ Walk around freely during the trip

+ No driving fatigue — relax or work en route

+ Much lower carbon footprint than driving or flying

− Limited schedule — about 3 trips per week

− Amtrak delays can be unpredictable

− Need transportation to/from station

− Less flexibility than driving

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

1h 9m

15m on road

Total Cost

CO2

1 kg

Route

FlixBus 2055

Door-to-Door Timeline

Norco, CA → Riverside (Parking Lot 30 - University of California, Riverside) (UCR) 19m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 15m

Arrival 10m

San Bernardino Downtown Transit Center (UBD) → San Bernardino, CA 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $1) $1

Estimated based on distance. Check flixbus.com for current prices.

Stations

From UCR — Riverside (Parking Lot 30 - University of California, Riverside) 13 mi, ~19m drive

To UBD — San Bernardino Downtown Transit Center 1 mi, ~10m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~6/week

+ Usually the cheapest option

+ Wi-Fi and power outlets on board

+ No driving fatigue — relax or work en route

+ Much lower carbon footprint than driving or flying

− Limited schedule — about 6 trips per week

− Travel time longer than driving

− Need transportation to/from station

− Less flexibility than driving

At a Glance

	Drive	Fly	Train	Bus
Door-to-door time	38m	2h 26m	1h 24m	1h 9m
Total cost (1 person)	$42	$121	$2	$1
Carbon footprint	12 kg CO₂	5 kg CO₂	1 kg CO₂	1 kg CO₂
Flexibility	High	Low
Luggage	Unlimited	Restricted
Reliability	Weather dependent	Data unavailable

Drive data: OSRM routing, EIA fuel prices

Flight data: Statistical estimate

Airports: OurAirports

Transit: Amtrak GTFS, FlixBus GTFS — fares estimated

Confidence: Medium — airports identified, fares estimated

Costs are estimates. Actual flight prices vary by airline, date, and booking time. Drive costs based on OSRM routing, EIA fuel prices. Computed Apr 19, 2026.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

29.5 mi 37m

via CA 91, I 15, I 215

Shortest (+2 min)

28.9 mi 39m

via CA 60, CA 91, I 215

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from Norco, CA to San Bernardino, CA with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.