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Trip from Fontana, CA to Santa Fe Springs, CA

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

Drive Time

55m

Distance

45.9 mi

74 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

Save up to 14 min
4 AM
0h 51m ★
6 AM
0h 56m
8 AM
1h 5m
10 AM
0h 59m
12 PM
0h 58m
3 PM
0h 59m
5 PM
1h 5m
8 PM
0h 53m

Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.

Best Time Drive vs Fly
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Downtown Fontana, CA, CA

Fontana, CA

Wikimedia Commons

city in Los Angeles County, California, United States

Santa Fe Springs, CA

Wikimedia Commons

Trip Overview

This 45.9-mile drive from Fontana, CA to Santa Fe Springs, CA is a straightforward trip perfect for a single day. Expect the journey to take approximately 55 minutes, making it an easy addition to your Southern California travels. The primary arteries for this route are the San Bernardino Freeway and the San Gabriel River Freeway, with some use of the I-10 Metro ExpressLanes. Given its short distance and duration, no overnight stay is necessary. The estimated fuel cost for this trip is around $11. Both your starting and ending points are within the Pacific Coast region, keeping the scenery consistent. This route offers a practical and efficient way to connect these two Southern California locations.

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
San Bernardino Freeway 23.5 mi 27m
San Gabriel River Freeway 9.4 mi 10m
I-10 Metro ExpressLanes 9.3 mi 9m
Sierra Avenue 1.6 mi 2m
Telegraph Road 0.7 mi 1m
Alburtis Avenue <0.1 mi <1m
Merrill Avenue <0.1 mi <1m
Longest stretch: San Bernardino Freeway — 23.5 mi, about 27m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Fontana, CA and Santa Fe Springs, 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

1.9 mi · 2 min · San Bernardino Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11

Keep slight right at fork onto I 10

1.6 mi · 1 min · San Bernardino Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12

Keep slight right at fork onto I 10

1.4 mi · 1 min · San Bernardino Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13

Keep slight right at fork onto I 10

1.5 mi · 1 min · San Bernardino Freeway
Use the slight right lane.
14

Keep slight right at fork onto I 10

1.1 mi · 1 min · San Bernardino Freeway
15

Keep slight right at fork onto I 10

2.0 mi · 2 min · San Bernardino Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
16

Keep slight right at fork onto I 10

1.6 mi · 1 min · San Bernardino Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
17

Keep slight right at fork onto I 10

1.3 mi · 1 min · San Bernardino Freeway
Use the slight right lane.
18

Take the exit

0.2 mi · 20 sec
Exit 31A Toward I 605: San Gabriel River Freeway Use the straight / slight right lanes.
19

Keep slight left at fork

0.4 mi · 51 sec
Toward I 605 South: San Bernardino Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
20

Merge onto I 605

9.4 mi · 10 min · San Gabriel River Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
21

Take the exit

0.3 mi · 44 sec
Exit 12 Toward Telegraph Road Use the straight / slight right lanes.
22

Turn left onto Telegraph Road

0.5 mi · 1 min · Telegraph Road
Use the right lane.
23

Turn left onto Alburtis Avenue

244 ft · 10 sec · Alburtis Avenue
Use the left lane.
24

Turn right

209 ft · 17 sec
25

Turn right

201 ft · 17 sec
26

Turn right onto Telegraph Road

0.1 mi · 17 sec · Telegraph Road
27

Arrive at destination

Telegraph Road

Where to Stop

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

city in Los Angeles County, California, United States

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Pomona, CA

23 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

Rancho Cucamonga, CA

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 10 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Pomona, CA

Meal break

The midpoint is around 23 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 25

5 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 44.8 — 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.
6
7.8 mi into trip | ~10m in | I 10 EXPR / I-10 Metro ExpressLanes

Keep slight left at fork onto I 10 EXPR / I-10 Metro ExpressLanes

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
34.8 mi into trip | ~40m in

Take the exit toward I 605: San Gabriel River Freeway

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

Use the straight / slight right lanes. Exit 31A Toward I 605: San Gabriel River Freeway
7
35 mi into trip | ~41m in

Keep slight left at fork toward I 605 South: San Bernardino

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the slight left / slight right lanes. Toward I 605 South: San Bernardino
7
44.8 mi into trip | ~52m in

Take the exit toward Telegraph Road

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

Use the straight / slight right lanes. Exit 12 Toward Telegraph Road

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$10.55 one way

$21.10 round trip

$5.84/gal 25.4 MPG avg 16 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $6.02 $10.87 $21.74
premium $6.18 $11.16 $22.32
diesel $5.61 $10.13 $20.27

No toll roads detected on this route.

Drive Cost (one way)

Fuel

$11

Estimated CO2 emission: 16.1 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $5 in charging · 0 stops · 69% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 13.8 0 $4.82 $2.20
Efficient EV 11.5 0 $4.02 $1.84
EV Truck/SUV 18.4 0 $6.43 $2.94

Gas CO2

16 kg

EV CO2

5 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.

Forecast as of Apr 16, 2026

Origin

Fontana, CA

Late night in Fontana on Sunday

Local time

2:55 AM

PDT

Current temp

73°F

Partly Sunny

SW 10 to 15 mph 0% chance Live forecast

Lake Wind Advisory

Lake Wind Advisory issued April 16 at 2:48PM PDT until April 16 at 11:00PM PDT by NWS Hanford CA

Wind Advisory

Wind Advisory issued April 16 at 2:48PM PDT until April 17 at 11:00AM PDT by NWS Hanford CA

Destination

Santa Fe Springs, CA

Late night in Santa Fe Springs on Sunday

Local time

2:55 AM

PDT

Current temp

73°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

Very similar conditions

Both ends of the route are sitting at about the same temperature right now.

Road read

55m 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 overwhelmingly a highway-focused experience, with 92% of the route utilizing major freeways. You'll spend the majority of your time on the San Bernardino Freeway, experiencing a longest uninterrupted stretch of 23.5 miles. The San Gabriel River Freeway continues this high-speed, highway feel. While it’s a predominantly interstate experience, the transition between these major freeways is generally seamless. You can anticipate a consistent driving pace for most of this journey, characteristic of urban Southern California commutes.

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: 23.5 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 San Gabriel River 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 25 decision points packed into just 45.9 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 55m.

Where does it get tricky?

The main spots that need attention: near the start (Sierra Avenue): Lane positioning matters here; at 7.8 miles (I 10 EXPR / I-10 Metro ExpressLanes): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 34.8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.

About the Cities

Starting 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 55m. Total distance: 45.9 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

55m 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 23.5 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 Santa Fe Springs, 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 7.8 miles (I 10 EXPR / I-10 Metro ExpressLanes): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 34.8 miles: 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 Santa Fe Springs, 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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