Origin
Pomona, CA
Late night in Pomona on Tuesday
Local time
3:39 AM
PDT
Current temp
52°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Pomona, CA to Riverside, 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
35m
Distance
25.1 mi
40 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$6
one way
EV Charging
Fair
4 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 32m
★
6 AM
0h 35m
8 AM
0h 41m
10 AM
0h 37m
12 PM
0h 37m
3 PM
0h 38m
5 PM
0h 41m
8 PM
0h 33m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Pomona, CA
Wikimedia Commons
Riverside, CA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
This short 25.1-mile drive between Pomona, CA and Riverside, CA is easily manageable as a day trip, taking approximately 35 minutes. You'll primarily travel on the Pomona Freeway and Van Buren Boulevard, with a portion on Central Avenue. Given the minimal distance and estimated fuel cost of $6, this route is very budget-friendly. The mixed drive profile suggests a blend of highway and local road conditions, so expect some variation during your journey. This trip falls within the Pacific Coast region, offering a convenient connection between two points in Southern California.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Pomona Freeway | 12.3 mi | 14m |
| Van Buren Boulevard | 6.1 mi | 8m |
| Central Avenue | 3.6 mi | 6m |
| South Garey Avenue | 2.3 mi | 3m |
| Mission Boulevard | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| West Mission Boulevard | 0.1 mi | <1m |
| South Main Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Pomona Freeway
— 12.3 mi, about 14m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Pomona, CA and Riverside, CA.
1
Start on South Main Street
90 ft
·
11 sec
·
South Main Street
2
Turn left onto West Mission Boulevard
0.1 mi
·
15 sec
·
West Mission Boulevard
3
Turn right onto South Garey Avenue
2.3 mi
·
3 min
·
South Garey Avenue
Use the left lane.
4
Turn left
0.2 mi
·
21 sec
Toward CA 60 East: Riverside
Use the left lane.
5
Merge onto CA 60
12 mi
·
14 min
·
Pomona Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
Take the exit
0.5 mi
·
1 min
Exit 42
Toward Van Buren Boulevard, Etiwanda Avenue
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Turn straight onto Mission Boulevard
0.2 mi
·
15 sec
·
Mission Boulevard
8
Continue on Van Buren Boulevard
6.1 mi
·
8 min
·
Van Buren Boulevard
Use the straight lane.
9
Turn left onto Central Avenue
3.6 mi
·
6 min
·
Central Avenue
Use the left lane.
10
Turn sharp right
171 ft
·
12 sec
11
Arrive at destination
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 75 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 21.5 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
0 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
West Mission Boulevard
Turn left onto West Mission Boulevard
Navigation decision point
5
0.1 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
South Garey Avenue
Turn right onto South Garey Avenue
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
6
2.4 mi into trip
|
~4m in
Turn left toward CA 60 East: Riverside
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
Toward CA 60 East: Riverside
8
14.8 mi into trip
|
~18m in
Take the exit toward Van Buren Boulevard, Etiwanda Avenue
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 42
Toward Van Buren Boulevard, Etiwanda Avenue
6
21.5 mi into trip
|
~28m in
|
Central Avenue
Turn left onto Central Avenue
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$5.77 one way
$11.54 round trip
$5.84/gal
25.4 MPG avg
9 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $6.02 | $5.94 | $11.89 |
| premium | $6.18 | $6.10 | $12.21 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $5.54 | $11.08 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$6
Estimated CO2 emission: 8.8 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $3 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 7.5 | 0 | $2.64 | $1.20 |
| Efficient EV | 6.3 | 0 | $2.20 | $1.00 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 10 | 0 | $3.51 | $1.61 |
Gas CO2
9 kg
EV CO2
3 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
Riverside, CA
Late night in Riverside on Tuesday
Local time
3:39 AM
PDT
Current temp
55°F
Partly Cloudy
S 0 to 5 mph
0% chance
Live forecast
Wind Advisory
Wind Advisory issued April 19 at 2:47AM PDT until April 20 at 6:00PM PDT by NWS Medford OR
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
3 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
35m 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 route offers a mixed driving experience, with 49% of it being on highways. You'll encounter a longest stretch of 12.3 miles on the Pomona Freeway, which is likely to be a faster-paced section. As you transition to Van Buren Boulevard and Central Avenue, expect the character of the drive to change, potentially involving more local traffic and varied speed limits. The overall feel is less of a pure highway grind and more of a blend that connects different areas within the region.
49% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
11 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 12.3 mi on Pomona Freeway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
5/10
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. You will hit about 7 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near West Mission Boulevard.
Driving Effort
5/10
Moderate - straightforward overall, but long enough or busy enough to require pacing
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 25.1 miles you will encounter 7 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: near the start (West Mission Boulevard): Navigation decision point; at 0.1 miles (South Garey Avenue): Lane positioning matters here; at 2.4 miles: Lane positioning matters here.
About the Cities
Starting in Pomona, CA
Full guide →Founded 1888
Pomona is in the San Gabriel Valley, near Los Angeles, California. Named after the Roman goddess of fruit, in the 1920s it was indeed known as "the Queen of the Citrus Belt." However, its origins preceded that epoch as an allotment given to two ranchers, Ricardo Véjar and Ygnacio Palomares, in the 1830s, when the territory was still part of Mexico. After the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo and becoming part of the USA, it eventually became absorbed into the megalopolis of southern California, with perhaps its main standout nowadays being the site of the LA County Fair, or the location of Cal Polytechnic U.
Top landmarks
- • Pomona Fox Theater — movie theater in Pomona, Los Angeles County, California
- • Ygnacio Palomares Adobe — historic house in California, United States
- • Wally Parks NHRA Motorsports Museum — automotive museum in California, United States
Arriving in Riverside, CA
Full guide →Founded 1870
Riverside is a city in Riverside County in California. With a population of over 300,000, the city plays host to a diverse cross-section of people and has a rich history. Riverside is approximately 55 miles east of downtown Los Angeles. It is a center for higher education, with one community college, a large state university, and two private universities. A hub of regional commerce and transportation, it is a city with an intriguing past and a promising future, and is worth a visit.
Top landmarks
- • Mission Inn — hotel in Riverside, California
- • Universalist Unitarian Church of Riverside — church building in Riverside, California, USA
- • First Congregational Church of Riverside — church building in Riverside, California, 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 35m. Total distance: 25.1 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
35m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (49%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 12.3 miles on Pomona Freeway. 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: near the start (West Mission Boulevard): Navigation decision point; at 0.1 miles (South Garey Avenue): Lane positioning matters here; at 2.4 miles: Lane positioning matters here.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Riverside, 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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