Origin
Fontana, CA
Late night in Fontana on Sunday
Local time
12:49 AM
PDT
Current temp
55°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Fontana, CA to Santa Ana, CA
Pin this tripCompiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 26, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
58m
Distance
47.9 mi
77 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$11
one way
EV Charging
Good
8 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 54m
★
6 AM
0h 58m
8 AM
1h 8m
10 AM
1h 2m
12 PM
1h 1m
3 PM
1h 2m
5 PM
1h 7m
8 PM
0h 56m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Fontana, CA
Wikimedia Commons
Santa Ana, CA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Fontana, CA to Santa Ana, CA is 47.9 miles and takes about 58m via Orange Freeway, with a fuel budget near $11 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within California's Pacific Coast region, offering a straightforward drive between two Southern California cities. Given its relatively short distance and duration, this route is ideal for a single-day excursion. You'll primarily be on the freeway, making it a practical choice for quick transit rather than a destination in itself.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Orange Freeway | 19.4 mi | 22m |
| San Bernardino Freeway | 11.8 mi | 13m |
| I-10 Metro ExpressLanes | 9.3 mi | 9m |
| Sierra Avenue | 1.6 mi | 2m |
| North Broadway | 1.3 mi | 2m |
| Pomona Freeway | 1.3 mi | 1m |
| North Main Street | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| West 5th Street | 0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Orange Freeway
— 19.4 mi, about 22m
Traffic on I-10
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 23 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
5 PM
~6,362 veh/hr typical
Quietest
2 AM
~1,967 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
3.2×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
12a
6a
noon
6p
11p
Averaged across 50 weeks of 2023 FHWA Travel Monitoring Analysis System data. Weekday hours only (Mon–Fri).
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Fontana, CA and Santa Ana, CA.
1
Start on Merrill Avenue
205 ft
·
9 sec
·
Merrill Avenue
2
Turn left onto Sierra Avenue
1.6 mi
·
2 min
·
Sierra Avenue
Use the left lane.
3
Take the ramp
0.3 mi
·
45 sec
Toward I 10 West: Los Angeles
Use the right lane.
4
Merge onto I 10
5.8 mi
·
6 min
·
San Bernardino Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
5
Keep slight left at fork onto I 10 EXPR
9.3 mi
·
9 min
·
I-10 Metro ExpressLanes
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
Merge onto I 10
1.2 mi
·
1 min
·
San Bernardino Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Keep slight right at fork onto I 10
0.9 mi
·
1 min
·
San Bernardino Freeway
8
Keep slight right at fork onto I 10
1.3 mi
·
1 min
·
San Bernardino Freeway
9
Keep slight right at fork onto I 10
1.9 mi
·
2 min
·
San Bernardino Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Keep slight right at fork onto I 10
0.8 mi
·
55 sec
·
San Bernardino Freeway
11
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
26 sec
Toward CA 57: Santa Ana
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Keep slight left at fork
0.9 mi
·
2 min
Toward CA 57 South: Santa Ana
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
13
Merge onto CA 57
2.9 mi
·
3 min
·
Orange Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
14
Merge onto CA 60; CA 57
1.3 mi
·
1 min
·
Pomona Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
15
Keep slight right at fork onto CA 57
405 ft
·
5 sec
·
Orange Freeway
Toward CA 57 South, CA 60 Alt West: Santa Ana, Brea Canyon Road
Use the slight right lane.
16
Keep slight left at fork onto CA 57
0.8 mi
·
56 sec
·
Orange Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
17
Keep slight right at fork onto CA 57
1.5 mi
·
1 min
·
Orange Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
18
Keep slight right at fork onto CA 57
14 mi
·
16 min
·
Orange Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
19
Keep slight left at fork
1.1 mi
·
1 min
Exit 1A
Toward I 5 South: Santa Ana
Use the straight lane.
20
Keep slight right at fork
0.3 mi
·
21 sec
Toward Main Street North, Broadway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
21
Turn straight onto North Broadway
1.3 mi
·
2 min
·
North Broadway
Use the left lane.
22
Turn left onto West 5th Street
0.1 mi
·
16 sec
·
West 5th Street
Use the left lane.
23
Turn right onto North Main Street
0.2 mi
·
30 sec
·
North Main Street
Use the right lane.
24
Turn right onto West 1st Street
52 ft
·
1 sec
·
West 1st Street
Use the right lane.
25
Arrive at destination
West 1st Street
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
24 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.
Pacing Suggestions
Fuel and coffee
A short stop after about 11 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 24 miles from Fontana, 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 235 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 46 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
6
0 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
Sierra Avenue
Turn left onto Sierra Avenue
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
7
23.4 mi into trip
|
~27m in
Keep slight left at fork toward CA 57 South: Santa Ana
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
Toward CA 57 South: Santa Ana
8
28.5 mi into trip
|
~34m in
|
CA 57 / Orange Freeway
Keep slight right at fork onto CA 57 / Orange Freeway toward CA 57 South, CA 60 Alt West: Santa Ana, Brea Canyon Road
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Toward CA 57 South, CA 60 Alt West: Santa Ana,...
8
44.9 mi into trip
|
~53m in
Keep slight left at fork toward I 5 South: Santa Ana
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight lane.
Exit 1A
Toward I 5 South: Santa Ana
8
46 mi into trip
|
~54m in
Keep slight right at fork toward Main Street North, Broadway
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward Main Street North, Broadway
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$10.86 one way
$21.71 round trip
$5.76/gal
25.4 MPG avg
17 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $5.96 | $11.23 | $22.46 |
| premium | $6.09 | $11.49 | $22.98 |
| diesel | $5.40 | $10.19 | $20.38 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$11
Estimated CO2 emission: 16.8 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-20.
Driving Electric?
About $5 in charging · 0 stops · 65% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 14.4 | 0 | $5.03 | $2.30 |
| Efficient EV | 12 | 0 | $4.19 | $1.92 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 19.2 | 0 | $6.71 | $3.07 |
Gas CO2
17 kg
EV CO2
6 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.
Destination
Santa Ana, CA
Late night in Santa Ana on Sunday
Local time
12:49 AM
PDT
Current temp
56°F
Rain Showers Likely
W 5 to 10 mph
70% chance
Live 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
1 degrees warmer at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
58m 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 drive is mostly highway, with an 87% share of the total distance. You'll experience a long stretch of 19.4 miles on the Orange Freeway. The majority of your time will be spent on high-speed freeways, punctuated by numerous exits and merges typical of Southern California urban corridors. The route concludes with a transition from freeway driving to surface streets as you approach your destination.
87% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
25 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 19.4 mi on Orange Freeway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
10/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Orange Freeway and San Bernardino Freeway. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near Sierra Avenue.
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 23 decision points packed into just 47.9 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 58m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: near the start (Sierra Avenue): Lane positioning matters here; at 23.4 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 28.5 miles (CA 57 / Orange Freeway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
About the Cities
Starting in Fontana, CA
Full guide →Founded 1913
Fontana is a city in San Bernardino County in Southern California.
Top landmarks
- • Bono's Restaurant and Deli
Arriving in Santa Ana, CA
Full guide →Founded 1869
Santa Ana is a city in Orange County, Southern California and is the county seat of that county.
Top landmarks
- • Yost Theater — historic movie theater and hotel building in Santa Ana, California, later used b...
- • Santa Ana Fire Station Headquarters No. 1 — fire station in Santa Ana, United States of America
- • Rankin's — historic building in Santa Ana, California, United States
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 58m. Total distance: 47.9 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
58m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (87%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 19.4 miles on Orange Freeway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes — we found about 4 rest areas or service plazas within a short detour of the route (from OpenStreetMap). See the Rest Stops tab under Nearby Places for locations and mile markers. Plan to stretch, use the bathroom, and top off fluids every 2–3 hours on longer drives.
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 Santa Ana, 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: near the start (Sierra Avenue): Lane positioning matters here; at 23.4 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 28.5 miles (CA 57 / Orange Freeway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Santa Ana, 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 FHWA TMAS for hourly traffic volumes. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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