Origin
Pasadena, CA
Late night in Pasadena on Tuesday
Local time
2:17 AM
PDT
Current temp
53°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Pasadena, 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 3m
Distance
52.5 mi
85 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$12
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 58m
★
6 AM
1h 3m
8 AM
1h 14m
10 AM
1h 7m
12 PM
1h 6m
3 PM
1h 7m
5 PM
1h 13m
8 PM
1h 0m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Pasadena, CA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Pasadena to San Bernardino is 52.5 miles and takes about 1 hour 3 minutes via the Foothill Freeway and San Bernardino Freeway, with a fuel budget near $12 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This drive stays within California's Pacific Coast region, taking you from one urban area to another. It's a straightforward, predominantly highway trip perfect for a quick transfer or as part of a larger Southern California exploration. You'll find it a practical route with minimal fuss, ideal for when you just need to get from point A to point B efficiently.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Foothill Freeway | 47.9 mi | 55m |
| San Bernardino Freeway | 1.8 mi | 2m |
| West 5th Street | 0.8 mi | 1m |
| North Marengo Avenue | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| Barstow Freeway | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| East Holly Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
| East Corson Street | <0.1 mi | — |
Some road-level metrics are being recalculated.
Longest stretch:
Foothill Freeway
— 47.9 mi, about 55m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Pasadena, CA and San Bernardino, CA.
1
Start on East Holly Street
441 ft
·
23 sec
·
East Holly Street
2
Turn right onto North Marengo Avenue
0.2 mi
·
42 sec
·
North Marengo Avenue
3
Turn right onto East Corson Street
28 ft
·
0 sec
·
East Corson Street
4
Take the ramp
0.3 mi
·
41 sec
Toward I 210 East: San Bernardino
5
Merge onto I 210
18 mi
·
20 min
·
Foothill Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
Keep slight right at fork onto I 210
2.9 mi
·
3 min
·
Foothill Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Keep slight right at fork onto CA 210
1.4 mi
·
1 min
·
Foothill Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Keep slight right at fork onto CA 210
1.2 mi
·
1 min
·
Foothill Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Keep slight right at fork onto CA 210
1.8 mi
·
2 min
·
Foothill Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Keep slight right at fork onto CA 210
23 mi
·
26 min
·
Foothill Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
29 sec
Exit 74
Toward I 215: Barstow, Riverside
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Keep slight right at fork
0.6 mi
·
1 min
Exit 74
Toward I 215 South: Riverside
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
13
Merge onto I 215
0.2 mi
·
13 sec
·
Barstow Freeway
14
Continue on I 215
1.8 mi
·
2 min
·
San Bernardino Freeway
15
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
52 sec
Exit 44A
Toward CA 66 West: 5th Street, Civic Center
Use the slight right lane.
16
Turn left onto CA 66
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
West 5th Street
Use the left / straight / right lanes.
17
Arrive at destination
West 5th Street
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
26 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 12 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 26.3 miles from Pasadena, 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 145 decision points cluster between mile 18.4 and 51.4 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
6
18.4 mi into trip
|
~22m in
|
I 210 / Foothill Freeway
Keep slight right at fork onto I 210 / Foothill Freeway
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
21.2 mi into trip
|
~25m in
|
CA 210 / Foothill Freeway
Keep slight right at fork onto CA 210 / Foothill Freeway
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
48.6 mi into trip
|
~56m in
Take the exit toward I 215: Barstow, Riverside
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.
Exit 74
Toward I 215: Barstow, Riverside
8
48.8 mi into trip
|
~57m in
Keep slight right at fork toward I 215 South: Riverside
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
Exit 74
Toward I 215 South: Riverside
8
51.4 mi into trip
|
~1h 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
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$12.07 one way
$24.13 round trip
$5.84/gal
25.4 MPG avg
18 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $6.02 | $12.43 | $24.87 |
| premium | $6.18 | $12.77 | $25.53 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $11.59 | $23.18 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$12
Estimated CO2 emission: 18.4 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $6 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 15.8 | 0 | $5.51 | $2.52 |
| Efficient EV | 13.1 | 0 | $4.59 | $2.10 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 21 | 0 | $7.35 | $3.36 |
Gas CO2
18 kg
EV CO2
6 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
San Bernardino, CA
Late night in San Bernardino on Tuesday
Local time
2:17 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
18 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 3m 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 95% highway, meaning you'll spend most of your time on the freeway. The longest continuous stretch on the Foothill Freeway is 47.9 miles. You'll transition to surface streets for the final portion of the drive, specifically on West 5th Street in San Bernardino. Expect a high volume of exits and entrances as you navigate between these connected Southern California cities.
95% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
17 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 47.9 mi on Foothill Freeway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
10/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Foothill Freeway and San Bernardino Freeway. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 18.4 miles in near I 210 / Foothill Freeway.
Driving Effort
10/10
Demanding - stay alert through the decision-heavy sections
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 52.5 miles you will encounter 14 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 18.4 miles (I 210 / Foothill Freeway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 21.2 miles (CA 210 / Foothill Freeway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 48.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
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 Pasadena, CA to San Bernardino, CA, road signs begin pointing toward Riverside along the way.
Riverside
48.6 mi in
|
~56m
About the Cities
Starting in Pasadena, CA
Full guide →Founded 1886
Pasadena is one of the oldest cities adjoining Los Angeles and is the main population center of the San Gabriel Valley in Southern California. Known as the City of Roses, Pasadena is most famous for its New Year's Day Rose Parade and Rose Bowl Game.
Top landmarks
- • Rose Bowl — football stadium in Pasadena, California, United States
- • Norton Simon Museum — art museum in Pasadena, California
- • Pasadena City Hall — serves as the central location for city government in the City of Pasadena, Cali...
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 3m. Total distance: 52.5 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 3m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (95%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 47.9 miles on Foothill 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 San Bernardino, 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 18.4 miles (I 210 / Foothill Freeway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 21.2 miles (CA 210 / Foothill Freeway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 48.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. 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 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.
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