Origin
Palmdale, CA
Morning in Palmdale on Tuesday
Local time
8:20 AM
PDT
Current temp
47°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Palmdale, CA to San Bernardino, 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
1h 26m
Distance
64.6 mi
104 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$15
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 20m
★
6 AM
1h 26m
8 AM
1h 40m
10 AM
1h 31m
12 PM
1h 30m
3 PM
1h 32m
5 PM
1h 39m
8 PM
1h 22m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Palmdale, CA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Palmdale to San Bernardino is 64.6 miles and takes about 1 hour 26 minutes via Antelope Highway and Pearblossom Highway, with a fuel budget near $15 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This drive primarily uses surface roads, offering a more connected feel to the local landscape as you travel within California's Pacific Coast region. With no planned stops, this route is best suited for a quick, direct transfer between these two Southern California cities. Consider this an efficient way to get from the Antelope Valley to the San Bernardino area without committing to a full day of travel.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Antelope Highway | 20.5 mi | 28m |
| Pearblossom Highway | 18 mi | 25m |
| Barstow Freeway | 9.5 mi | 10m |
| Barstow and Mojave Freeway | 6.3 mi | 6m |
| East Palmdale Boulevard | 3.3 mi | 4m |
| San Bernardino Freeway | 1.8 mi | 2m |
| 47th Street East | 1.3 mi | 1m |
| Fort Tejon Road | 1.1 mi | 1m |
Longest stretch:
Antelope Highway
— 20.5 mi, about 28m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Palmdale, CA and San Bernardino, CA.
1
Start on CA 138
3.3 mi
·
4 min
·
East Palmdale Boulevard
2
Turn right onto 40th Street East
0.5 mi
·
59 sec
·
40th Street East
3
Turn left onto East Avenue R
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
East Avenue R
4
Turn slight right
292 ft
·
13 sec
5
At end of road, turn right onto CA 138
1.3 mi
·
1 min
·
47th Street East
6
Continue on CA 138
1.1 mi
·
1 min
·
Fort Tejon Road
7
Continue on CA 138
18 mi
·
25 min
·
Pearblossom Highway
8
Continue on CA 138
21 mi
·
28 min
·
Antelope Highway
9
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
40 sec
10
Continue on I 15; US 66 Hist
6.3 mi
·
6 min
·
Barstow and Mojave Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Continue on I 215
0.2 mi
·
13 sec
·
Barstow Freeway
Exit 123
12
Keep slight left at fork onto I 215
9.3 mi
·
10 min
·
Barstow Freeway
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
13
Continue on I 215
1.8 mi
·
2 min
·
San Bernardino Freeway
14
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
52 sec
Exit 44A
Toward CA 66 West: 5th Street, Civic Center
Use the slight right lane.
15
Turn left onto CA 66
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
West 5th Street
Use the left / straight / right lanes.
16
Arrive at destination
West 5th Street
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
32 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 14 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 32.3 miles from Palmdale, 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 75 decision points cluster between mile 3.3 and 63.8 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
4
3.3 mi into trip
|
~4m in
|
40th Street East
Turn right onto 40th Street East
Navigation decision point
4
3.8 mi into trip
|
~5m in
|
East Avenue R
Turn left onto East Avenue R
Navigation decision point
6
52.4 mi into trip
|
~1h 11m in
|
I 215 / Barstow Freeway
Keep slight left at fork onto I 215 / Barstow Freeway
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
8
63.4 mi into trip
|
~1h 24m in
Take the exit toward CA 66 West: 5th Street, Civic Center
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 44A
Toward CA 66 West: 5th Street, Civic Center
6
63.8 mi into trip
|
~1h 24m in
|
CA 66 / West 5th Street
Turn left onto CA 66 / West 5th Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left / straight / right lanes.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$14.85 one way
$29.70 round trip
$5.84/gal
25.4 MPG avg
23 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $6.02 | $15.30 | $30.60 |
| premium | $6.18 | $15.71 | $31.42 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $14.26 | $28.53 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$15
Estimated CO2 emission: 22.6 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $7 in charging · 0 stops · 65% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 19.4 | 0 | $6.78 | $3.10 |
| Efficient EV | 16.2 | 0 | $5.65 | $2.58 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 25.8 | 0 | $9.04 | $4.13 |
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.
Destination
San Bernardino, CA
Morning in San Bernardino on Tuesday
Local time
8:20 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
24 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
1h 26m 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 mostly surface roads, with only 27% on highways. You'll experience 20.5 miles on Antelope Highway before transitioning to surface streets like Pearblossom Highway and Barstow Freeway. Expect a steady flow of local traffic and intersections as you navigate through populated areas. The lack of extensive highway driving means you'll be more aware of the surrounding towns and communities.
Only 27% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
16 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 20.5 mi on Antelope Highway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
4/10
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes around 3.3 miles in near 40th Street East.
Driving Effort
4/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 1h 26m drive. You will face about 7 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 3.3 miles (40th Street East): Navigation decision point; at 3.8 miles (East Avenue R): Navigation decision point; at 52.4 miles (I 215 / Barstow Freeway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
About the Cities
Starting in Palmdale, CA
Full guide →Founded 1886
Palmdale is a city in the far north of Los Angeles County in the Antelope Valley region of the Mojave Desert in Southern California.
Top landmarks
- • Joe Davies Heritage Airpark — aviation museum in Palmdale, California, United States
Arriving in San Bernardino, CA
Full guide →Founded 1854
San Bernardino is a city in the Inland Empire in California. It is the site of the first McDonald Brothers Hamburger Stand
Top landmarks
- • San Bernardino Santa Fe Depot — railway station in San Bernardino, the United States of America
- • California Theatre of the Performing Arts — theater and performing arts center in San Bernardino, California
- • San Bernardino County Court House — courthouse in San Bernardino, United States of America
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 1h 26m. Total distance: 64.6 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 26m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (27%). Straightforward navigation.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 20.5 miles on Antelope Highway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
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 3.3 miles (40th Street East): Navigation decision point; at 3.8 miles (East Avenue R): Navigation decision point; at 52.4 miles (I 215 / Barstow 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 San Bernardino, 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.
Was this helpful?
Thanks for your feedback!
Your tip has been submitted. Thanks!
/500
Recent Tips
·
Explore More
Continue From San Bernardino, CA
More trips to San Bernardino, CA
Explore more options from Palmdale, CA or browse trips ending in San Bernardino, CA.
Looking for more statewide routes? Browse CA road trips.