Origin
El Monte, CA
Late night in El Monte on Tuesday
Local time
2:37 AM
PDT
Current temp
71°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from El Monte, CA to Fontana, CA
Pin this tripCompiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 21, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
44m
Distance
37 mi
60 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$9
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 40m
★
6 AM
0h 44m
8 AM
0h 51m
10 AM
0h 47m
12 PM
0h 46m
3 PM
0h 47m
5 PM
0h 51m
8 PM
0h 42m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
El Monte, CA
Wikimedia Commons
Fontana, CA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
El Monte to Fontana is 37 miles and takes about 44 minutes via San Bernardino Freeway, with a fuel budget near $9 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This short trip stays within California's Pacific Coast region, offering a straightforward drive. Expect a mostly highway experience with a minimal time commitment. It's a practical option for getting between these two Southern California cities without a significant time investment.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| San Bernardino Freeway | 25.6 mi | 29m |
| I-10 Metro ExpressLanes | 9 mi | 9m |
| Sierra Avenue | 1.7 mi | 2m |
| Valley Boulevard | 0.1 mi | <1m |
| Merrill Avenue | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
San Bernardino Freeway
— 25.6 mi, about 29m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between El Monte, CA and Fontana, CA.
1
Start on this road
10 ft
·
0 sec
·
this road
Exit 29B
Toward Valley Boulevard
2
Turn right onto Valley Boulevard
165 ft
·
33 sec
·
Valley Boulevard
3
Continue on Valley Boulevard
0.1 mi
·
13 sec
·
Valley Boulevard
4
Take the ramp
0.2 mi
·
29 sec
Toward I 10 East: San Bernardino
5
Merge onto I 10
1.7 mi
·
1 min
·
San Bernardino Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
Keep slight right at fork onto I 10
1.1 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
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 205 decision points cluster between mile 2.1 and 35.2 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
6
2.1 mi into trip
|
~3m 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.
6
3.1 mi into trip
|
~4m 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.
6
5.4 mi into trip
|
~7m 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
35 mi into trip
|
~40m 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
35.2 mi into trip
|
~41m 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
$8.50 one way
$17.01 round trip
$5.84/gal
25.4 MPG avg
13 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $6.02 | $8.76 | $17.53 |
| premium | $6.18 | $9.00 | $18.00 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $8.17 | $16.34 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$9
Estimated CO2 emission: 12.9 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $4 in charging · 0 stops · 69% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 11.1 | 0 | $3.89 | $1.78 |
| Efficient EV | 9.3 | 0 | $3.24 | $1.48 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 14.8 | 0 | $5.18 | $2.37 |
Gas CO2
13 kg
EV CO2
4 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.
Destination
Fontana, CA
Late night in Fontana on Tuesday
Local time
2:37 AM
PDT
Current temp
69°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
2 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
44m 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?
This route is almost entirely highway, with 94% of the drive on freeways. You'll experience a long stretch of 25.6 miles on the San Bernardino Freeway before transitioning to surface streets. The majority of your time will be spent on the freeway, so anticipate urban merging and potentially dense traffic, especially during peak hours.
94% 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: 25.6 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 I-10 Metro ExpressLanes. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 2.1 miles in near I 10 / San Bernardino Freeway.
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 20 decision points packed into just 37 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 44m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 2.1 miles (I 10 / San Bernardino Freeway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 3.1 miles (I 10 / San Bernardino Freeway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 5.4 miles (I 10 / San Bernardino Freeway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
About the Cities
Starting in El Monte, CA
Full guide →El Monte is a city in the San Gabriel Valley of Los Angeles in Southern California.
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 44m. Total distance: 37 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
44m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (94%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 25.6 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 2.1 miles (I 10 / San Bernardino Freeway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 3.1 miles (I 10 / San Bernardino Freeway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 5.4 miles (I 10 / San Bernardino Freeway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. 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, and EIA for fuel prices. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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