Drive or Fly: Santa Fe Springs, 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 LGB–SBD. At 55 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

1h 7m

Distance

55.4 mi

Total Cost

$47

CO2

22 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$12

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 31m

6m in the air

Air Distance

47 mi

Total Cost

$122

CO2

12 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Santa Fe Springs, CA → LGB 15m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 6m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

SBD → San Bernardino, CA 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $122) $122

Airports

Santa Fe Springs, CA LGB — Long Beach International Airport 10 mi, ~15m drive

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

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between LGB 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

2h 42m

1h 2m on rail

Total Cost

CO2

3 kg

Route

Southwest Chief

Door-to-Door Timeline

Santa Fe Springs, CA → Fullerton Amtrak Station 30m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 62m

Arrival 10m

San Bernardino → San Bernardino, CA 30m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $8) $8

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

Stations

From Fullerton Amtrak Station 0 mi, ~30m drive

To San Bernardino 0 mi, ~30m 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

3h 50m

2h 25m on road

Total Cost

CO2

3 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Santa Fe Springs, CA → Downey (Stonewood Center) (UDW) 30m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 145m

Arrival 10m

San Bernardino Downtown Transit Center (UBD) → San Bernardino, CA 30m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $5) $5

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

Stations

From UDW — Downey (Stonewood Center) 0 mi, ~30m drive

To UBD — San Bernardino Downtown Transit Center 0 mi, ~30m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~7/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 7 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	1h 7m	2h 31m	2h 42m	3h 50m
Total cost (1 person)	$47	$122	$8	$5
Carbon footprint	22 kg CO₂	12 kg CO₂	3 kg CO₂	3 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 21, 2026.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

55.4 mi 1h 6m

via I 10, I 605, I 10 EXPR

Alternative (+6 min)

60.1 mi 1h 12m

via CA 91, I 5, I 215

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