Origin
Ontario, CA
Late night in Ontario on Sunday
Local time
12:48 AM
PDT
Current temp
52°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Ontario, CA to Irvine, CA
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
46m
Distance
35.3 mi
57 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$8
one way
EV Charging
Good
8 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 43m
★
6 AM
0h 47m
8 AM
0h 54m
10 AM
0h 49m
12 PM
0h 49m
3 PM
0h 50m
5 PM
0h 54m
8 PM
0h 44m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Ontario, CA
Wikimedia Commons
Irvine, CA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
This 35.3-mile drive from Ontario, CA to Irvine, CA is a straightforward, single-day trip, typically taking around 46 minutes. The route is primarily on local roads with a 23% highway share, making it a turn-heavy experience rather than a high-speed cruise. With an estimated fuel cost of $8, this short journey is an easy addition to your travel plans. Given its brevity and urban setting within the Pacific Coast region, no overnight stays are necessary. It's a practical way to connect two points within Southern California.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Eastern Transportation Corridor | 12.1 mi | 14m |
| Euclid Avenue | 9.3 mi | 14m |
| Riverside Freeway | 3.7 mi | 4m |
| Jamboree Road | 3.6 mi | 5m |
| Corona Freeway | 2.9 mi | 3m |
| San Diego Freeway | 1.3 mi | 1m |
| Chino Valley Freeway | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| Holt Boulevard | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Eastern Transportation Corridor
— 12.1 mi, about 14m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Ontario, CA and Irvine, CA.
1
Start on Holt Boulevard
89 ft
·
7 sec
·
Holt Boulevard
2
Turn left onto Euclid Avenue
6.9 mi
·
10 min
·
Euclid Avenue
Use the left lane.
3
At end of road, turn right onto CA 83
2.4 mi
·
3 min
·
Euclid Avenue
Use the straight lane.
4
Take the ramp
0.4 mi
·
50 sec
Toward CA 71 South
5
Merge onto CA 71
0.3 mi
·
21 sec
·
Chino Valley Freeway
6
Continue on CA 71
2.9 mi
·
3 min
·
Corona Freeway
7
Keep slight right at fork
0.2 mi
·
20 sec
Toward CA 91 West: Beach Cities
Use the slight right lane.
8
Merge onto CA 91
3.7 mi
·
4 min
·
Riverside Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Take the exit
1.2 mi
·
1 min
Exit 41B
Toward CA 241 South: Irvine
Use the slight right lane.
10
Continue on CA 241 Toll
5.7 mi
·
6 min
·
Eastern Transportation Corridor
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Keep slight right at fork onto CA 261 Toll
6.4 mi
·
7 min
·
Eastern Transportation Corridor
Toward CA 261 South: Irvine
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Continue on Jamboree Road
3.6 mi
·
5 min
·
Jamboree Road
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
14 sec
Toward I 405 South: San Diego
Use the right lane.
14
Merge onto I 405
1.3 mi
·
1 min
·
San Diego Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
15
Arrive at destination
I 405
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
18 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 35 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 17.6 miles from Ontario, 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 105 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 23.8 — 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
|
Euclid Avenue
Turn left onto Euclid Avenue
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
6
6.9 mi into trip
|
~10m in
|
CA 83 / Euclid Avenue
At end of road, turn right onto CA 83 / Euclid Avenue
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight lane.
7
12.9 mi into trip
|
~19m in
Keep slight right at fork toward CA 91 West: Beach Cities
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Toward CA 91 West: Beach Cities
7
16.8 mi into trip
|
~24m in
Take the exit toward CA 241 South: Irvine
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 41B
Toward CA 241 South: Irvine
7
23.8 mi into trip
|
~32m in
|
CA 261 Toll / Eastern Transportation Corridor
Keep slight right at fork onto CA 261 Toll / Eastern Transportation Corridor toward CA 261 South: Irvine
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward CA 261 South: Irvine
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$8.11 one way
$16.23 round trip
$5.84/gal
25.4 MPG avg
12 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $6.02 | $8.36 | $16.72 |
| premium | $6.18 | $8.58 | $17.17 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $7.79 | $15.59 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$8
Estimated CO2 emission: 12.4 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $4 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 10.6 | 0 | $3.71 | $1.69 |
| Efficient EV | 8.8 | 0 | $3.09 | $1.41 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 14.1 | 0 | $4.94 | $2.26 |
Gas CO2
12 kg
EV CO2
4 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.
Destination
Irvine, CA
Late night in Irvine on Sunday
Local time
12:48 AM
PDT
Current temp
71°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
19 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
46m 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?
Expect a drive with a 'turn-heavy' profile, meaning you'll navigate a series of intersections and local streets. While 23% of the journey is on highways like the Riverside Freeway and Eastern Transportation Corridor, much of your time will be spent on roads like Euclid Avenue. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is 12.1 miles on the Eastern Transportation Corridor. This route offers a mix of driving experiences, transitioning between faster-paced freeway segments and more engaged city street navigation.
Only 23% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
15 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 12.1 mi on Eastern Transportation Corridor.
How Hard Is This Drive?
9/10
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near Euclid Avenue.
Driving Effort
9/10
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 10 decision points packed into just 35.3 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 46m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: near the start (Euclid Avenue): Lane positioning matters here; at 6.9 miles (CA 83 / Euclid Avenue): Lane positioning matters here; at 12.9 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
About the Cities
Starting in Ontario, CA
Full guide →Ontario is in San Bernardino County and the Southern California region, more than 35 miles (50 km) east of Los Angeles. From a traveler's perspective, Ontario is noteworthy mainly as the home of a large mall and the Ontario International Airport, a less crowded alternative to Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) and the main airport serving the Inland Empire.
Top landmarks
- • Frankish Building — building in Ontario, United States of America
- • Ontario State Bank Block — bank building in Ontario, California
Arriving in Irvine, CA
Full guide →Founded 1971
Irvine is a city of 308,000 people (2020) in Orange County, California. Irvine is one of the newest and largest cities in Orange County, and it is still growing. The city is a perfectly planned suburbia. The Irvine Company started developing the area in the 1960s and the city was formally incorporated on December 28, 1971.
Top landmarks
- • Pretend City Children's Museum — children's Museum in California, U.S.
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 46m. Total distance: 35.3 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
46m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 12.1 miles on Eastern Transportation Corridor. 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 Irvine, 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 (Euclid Avenue): Lane positioning matters here; at 6.9 miles (CA 83 / Euclid Avenue): Lane positioning matters here; at 12.9 miles: 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 Irvine, 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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