El Segundo to Fontana is 66.9 miles and takes about 1 hour 20 minutes via the San Bernardino Freeway and Century Freeway, with a fuel budget near $15 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This drive stays within California's Pacific Coast region, mostly sticking to major freeways. It's a straightforward commute-style trip, ideal for a quick transit between these two Southern California locations. Expect a consistent, familiar driving experience as you navigate through urban and suburban landscapes.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
San Bernardino Freeway
23.9 mi
27m
Century Freeway
17.2 mi
20m
San Gabriel River Freeway
11.6 mi
13m
I-10 Metro ExpressLanes
9 mi
9m
Sierra Avenue
1.7 mi
2m
Imperial Highway
0.8 mi
1m
Main Street
0.8 mi
1m
West Grand Avenue
<0.1 mi
<1m
Longest stretch:
San Bernardino Freeway
— 23.9 mi, about 27m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between El Segundo, CA and Fontana, CA.
1
Start on Marketplace
44 ft·1 sec·Marketplace
2
Turn left onto West Grand Avenue
229 ft·20 sec·West Grand Avenue
3
Turn left onto Main Street
0.8 mi·1 min·Main Street
4
Turn right onto Imperial Highway
0.8 mi·1 min·Imperial Highway
5
Keep slight left at fork onto I 105
7.0 mi·8 min·Century Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
Keep slight right at fork onto I 105
10 mi·11 min·Century Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Keep slight left at fork
0.7 mi·1 min
Toward I 605 NorthUse the slight left lane.
8
Keep slight left at fork
0.3 mi·40 sec
Toward I 605 North
9
Merge onto I 605
12 mi·13 min·San Gabriel River Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Take the exit
0.2 mi·22 sec
Toward I 10 West, I 10 East: Los Angeles, San BernardinoUse the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Keep slight right at fork
0.3 mi·41 sec
Toward I 10 East: San BernardinoUse the slight right lane.
12
Merge onto I 10
1.0 mi·1 min·San Bernardino Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13
Keep slight right at fork onto I 10
2.2 mi·2 min·San Bernardino Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
14
Keep slight right at fork onto I 10
2.0 mi·2 min·San Bernardino Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
15
Keep slight right at fork onto I 10
1.1 mi·1 min·San Bernardino Freeway
16
Keep slight right at fork onto I 10
1.5 mi·1 min·San Bernardino Freeway
Use the slight right lane.
17
Keep slight right at fork onto I 10
1.4 mi·1 min·San Bernardino Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
18
Keep slight right at fork onto I 10
2.0 mi·2 min·San Bernardino Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
19
Keep slight right at fork onto I 10
2.1 mi·2 min·San Bernardino Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
20
Keep slight right at fork onto I 10
4.0 mi·4 min·San Bernardino Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
21
Keep slight left at fork onto I 10 EXPR
9.0 mi·9 min·I-10 Metro ExpressLanes
Use the slight left lane.
22
Merge onto I 10
6.5 mi·7 min·San Bernardino Freeway
Use the slight right lane.
23
Take the exit
0.2 mi·29 sec
Exit 64Toward Sierra AvenueUse the straight / slight right lanes.
24
Keep slight left at fork
448 ft·12 sec
Toward Sierra Avenue NorthUse the left lane.
25
Turn slight left onto Sierra Avenue
1.7 mi·2 min·Sierra Avenue
Use the left lane.
26
Turn right onto Merrill Avenue
205 ft·4 sec·Merrill Avenue
27
Arrive at destination
Merrill Avenue
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
The midpoint is around 33.4 miles from El Segundo, 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 24
5 decision points cluster between mile 19 and 65.1 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
7
19 mi into trip|~23m in
Keep slight left at fork toward I 605 North
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left lane.
Toward I 605 North
7
31.5 mi into trip|~38m in
Take the exit toward I 10 West, I 10 East: Los Angeles, San Bernardino
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.
Toward I 10 West, I 10 East: Los Angeles, San B...
7
31.6 mi into trip|~39m in
Keep slight right at fork toward I 10 East: San Bernardino
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Toward I 10 East: San Bernardino
7
64.8 mi into trip|~1h 17m 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
65.1 mi into trip|~1h 17m 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
$15.16 one way
$30.33 round trip
$5.76/gal25.4 MPG avg23 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$5.96
$15.69
$31.37
premium
$6.09
$16.05
$32.09
diesel
$5.40
$14.23
$28.46
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$15
Estimated CO2 emission: 23.4 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-20.
Driving Electric?
About $7 in charging
· 0 stops
· 65% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
20.1
0
$7.02
$3.21
Efficient EV
16.7
0
$5.85
$2.68
EV Truck/SUV
26.8
0
$9.37
$4.28
Gas CO2
23 kg
EV CO2
8 kg (65% 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 26, 2026
Origin
El Segundo, CA
Late night
in El Segundo on Sunday
Local time
2:26 AM
PDT
Current temp
54°F
Light Rain Likely
W 15 mph58% chanceLive forecast
Wind Advisory
Wind Advisory issued April 25 at 9:52PM PDT until April 26 at 11:00AM PDT by NWS San Diego CA
Wind Advisory
Wind Advisory issued April 25 at 6:51PM PDT until April 27 at 5:00AM PDT by NWS Hanford CA
Destination
Fontana, CA
Late night
in Fontana on Sunday
Local time
2:26 AM
PDT
Current temp
51°F
Rain Showers Likely
SW 10 to 15 mph72% chanceLive forecast
Wind Advisory
Wind Advisory issued April 25 at 9:52PM PDT until April 26 at 11:00AM PDT by NWS San Diego CA
Wind Advisory
Wind Advisory issued April 25 at 6:51PM PDT until April 27 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
3 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 20m 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.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
This route is predominantly highway driving, with 92% of the trip on freeways. You'll encounter a significant stretch of 23.9 miles on the San Bernardino Freeway without needing to exit. The transition from freeway to surface streets will occur as you approach your destination in Fontana. Be prepared for frequent exits and traffic merging as you navigate these busy urban corridors.
92% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
27 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 23.9 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 Century Freeway. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 19 miles in.
Driving Effort10/10
Demanding - stay alert through the decision-heavy sections
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 66.9 miles you will encounter 24 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 19 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 31.5 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 31.6 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
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 El Segundo, CA to Fontana, CA, road signs begin pointing toward San Bernardino along the way.
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 20m. Total distance: 66.9 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 20m 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 23.9 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 19 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 31.5 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 31.6 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes — Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area. See the National Parks section for detour distances and tips on detours.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Fontana, CA before heading back.
