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Trip from Cerritos, CA to Fontana, CA

Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards

Drive Time

1h 3m

Distance

51.3 mi

83 km

Drive Score

7/10

Good drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$12

one way

EV Charging

Good

8 stations

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 15 min
4 AM
0h 58m ★
6 AM
1h 3m
8 AM
1h 13m
10 AM
1h 7m
12 PM
1h 6m
3 PM
1h 7m
5 PM
1h 13m
8 PM
1h 0m

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

Cerritos, CA

Wikimedia Commons

Downtown Fontana, CA, CA

Fontana, CA

Wikimedia Commons

Trip Overview

If you are planning a trip from Cerritos to Fontana, expect a straightforward journey covering 51.3 miles. You should budget about 1 hour and 3 minutes of travel time, making this a perfect candidate for a single-day excursion. With fuel costs estimated at around $12, the route remains an affordable option for those staying within the Pacific Coast region. You will primarily navigate via the San Bernardino Freeway, the Orange Freeway, and the I-10 Metro ExpressLanes. Since the entire trip is easily manageable in under two hours, there is no need to worry about overnight accommodations or complicated logistics.

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
San Bernardino Freeway 12.5 mi 14m
Orange Freeway 11.3 mi 13m
I-10 Metro ExpressLanes 9 mi 9m
Riverside Freeway 5.5 mi 6m
CA 57 3.1 mi 3m
Artesia Freeway 3.1 mi 3m
Sierra Avenue 1.7 mi 2m
Pomona Freeway 1.2 mi 1m
Longest stretch: San Bernardino Freeway — 12.5 mi, about 14m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Cerritos, CA and Fontana, CA.

1

Start on this road

59 ft · 6 sec · this road
2

Turn right onto South Street

1.2 mi · 2 min · South Street
3

Continue on Orangethorpe Avenue

0.5 mi · 54 sec · Orangethorpe Avenue
4

Take the ramp

0.4 mi · 50 sec
Toward CA 91 East
5

Merge onto CA 91

3.1 mi · 3 min · Artesia Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6

Continue on CA 91

5.5 mi · 6 min · Riverside Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7

Take the exit

0.2 mi · 23 sec
Toward CA 57 North, CA 57 South: Pomona, Santa Ana Use the slight right lane.
8

Keep slight left at fork

0.6 mi · 1 min
Toward CA 57 North: Pomona Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
9

Merge onto CA 57

6.5 mi · 7 min · Orange Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10

Keep slight right at fork onto CA 57

2.2 mi · 2 min · Orange Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11

Keep slight right at fork onto CA 57

2.6 mi · 3 min · Orange Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12

Merge onto CA 60; CA 57

1.2 mi · 1 min · Pomona Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13

Take the exit onto CA 57

3.1 mi · 3 min · CA 57
Exit 25 Toward CA 57 North Use the slight right lane.
14

Take the exit

0.2 mi · 26 sec
Toward I 10 West, I 10 East: Los Angeles, San Bernardino, Ontario Airport Use the slight right lane.
15

Keep slight right at fork

0.5 mi · 1 min
Toward I 10 East: San Bernardino Freeway, San Bernardino Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
16

Merge onto I 10

2.1 mi · 2 min · San Bernardino Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
17

Keep slight right at fork onto I 10

4.0 mi · 4 min · San Bernardino Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
18

Keep slight left at fork onto I 10 EXPR

9.0 mi · 9 min · I-10 Metro ExpressLanes
Use the slight left lane.
19

Merge onto I 10

6.5 mi · 7 min · San Bernardino Freeway
Use the slight right lane.
20

Take the exit

0.2 mi · 29 sec
Exit 64 Toward Sierra Avenue Use the straight / slight right lanes.
21

Keep slight left at fork

448 ft · 12 sec
Toward Sierra Avenue North Use the left lane.
22

Turn slight left onto Sierra Avenue

1.7 mi · 2 min · Sierra Avenue
Use the left lane.
23

Turn right onto Merrill Avenue

205 ft · 4 sec · Merrill Avenue
24

Arrive at destination

Merrill Avenue

Where to Stop

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

city ​​in eastern Los Angeles County, California, United States

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Diamond Bar, CA

26 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.

Popular next leg

Diamond Bar, CA to Fontana, CA

26.5 mi · 32m

Pacing Suggestions

Anaheim, CA

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 11 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Diamond Bar, CA

Meal break

The midpoint is around 25.6 miles from Cerritos, 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 20

5 decision points cluster between mile 10.6 and 49.5 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.

7
10.6 mi into trip | ~14m in

Take the exit toward CA 57 North, CA 57 South: Pomona, Santa Ana

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Use the slight right lane. Toward CA 57 North, CA 57 South: Pomona, Santa...
7
10.8 mi into trip | ~14m in

Keep slight left at fork toward CA 57 North: Pomona

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the slight left / slight right lanes. Toward CA 57 North: Pomona
7
23.9 mi into trip | ~30m in | CA 57

Take the exit onto CA 57 toward CA 57 North

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

Use the slight right lane. Exit 25 Toward CA 57 North
8
27.2 mi into trip | ~34m in

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

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Use the slight left / slight right lanes. Toward I 10 East: San Bernardino Freeway, San B...
8
49.5 mi into trip | ~59m 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

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$11.79 one way

$23.58 round trip

$5.84/gal 25.4 MPG avg 18 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $6.02 $12.15 $24.30
premium $6.18 $12.48 $24.95
diesel $5.61 $11.33 $22.65

No toll roads detected on this route.

Drive Cost (one way)

Fuel

$12

Estimated CO2 emission: 17.9 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $5 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 15.4 0 $5.39 $2.46
Efficient EV 12.8 0 $4.49 $2.05
EV Truck/SUV 20.5 0 $7.18 $3.28

Gas CO2

18 kg

EV CO2

6 kg (67% 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 14, 2026

Origin

Cerritos, CA

Morning in Cerritos on Sunday

Local time

7:35 AM

PDT

Current temp

71°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Fontana, CA

Morning in Fontana on Sunday

Local time

7:35 AM

PDT

Current temp

48°F

Mostly Cloudy

W 0 to 15 mph 11% chance Live forecast

Wind Advisory

Wind Advisory issued April 13 at 6:04PM PDT until April 14 at 5:00AM PDT by NWS Hanford CA

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

23 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

1h 3m 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.

What kind of drive is this?

This is a highway-focused drive, with 89% of your time spent on major thoroughfares. You should be prepared for a consistent interstate experience rather than a winding backroad adventure. The longest uninterrupted stretch you will encounter is a 12.5-mile segment on the San Bernardino Freeway. Because the route relies heavily on high-speed infrastructure, the character of the drive is efficient and functional. Expect a steady pace as you transition between these major arteries, keeping your focus on heavy-traffic flow rather than scenic detours.

89% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
24 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 12.5 mi on San Bernardino Freeway.

How Hard Is This Drive?

10/10

This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on San Bernardino Freeway and Orange Freeway. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 10.6 miles in.

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 51.3 miles you will encounter 20 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 10.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 10.8 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 23.9 miles (CA 57): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.

Elevation Profile

Gently rolling terrain

1,235 ft 47 ft

Total Climb

1,347 ft

Total Descent

159 ft

Highest Point

1,235 ft

~51.3 mi in

Elevation Range

1,188 ft

Towns Mentioned on Route Signs

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

Between Cerritos, CA and Fontana, CA, road signs point toward Santa Ana, San Bernardino and Ontario Airport.

Santa Ana

10.6 mi in | ~14m

San Bernardino

27 mi in | ~33m

Ontario Airport

27 mi in | ~33m

About the Cities

Arriving in Fontana, CA

Full guide →

Fontana is a city in San Bernardino County in Southern California.

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 3m. Total distance: 51.3 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

1h 3m drive, comfortable solo distance.

EV Driver

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

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (89%). Some complex stretches to watch for.

Frequently Asked Questions

The longest stretch is about 12.5 miles on San Bernardino 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 Fontana, 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 10.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 10.8 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 23.9 miles (CA 57): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.

Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Fontana, CA before heading back.

How this page is built

Compiled by the US Trip Planner 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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