Skip to main content

Trip from Rancho Cucamonga, CA to Los Angeles, CA

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

Drive Time

50m

Distance

39.9 mi

64 km

Drive Score

6/10

Good drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$9

one way

EV Charging

Good

8 stations

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 13 min
4 AM
0h 46m ★
6 AM
0h 51m
8 AM
0h 59m
10 AM
0h 54m
12 PM
0h 53m
3 PM
0h 54m
5 PM
0h 59m
8 PM
0h 48m

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

suburban city in San Bernardino County, California, United States

Rancho Cucamonga, CA

Wikimedia Commons

Downtown los-angeles-ca

Los Angeles, CA

Stephen Leonardi

Trip Overview

Rancho Cucamonga to Los Angeles is 39.9 miles and takes about 50 minutes via San Bernardino Freeway and I-10 Metro ExpressLanes, with a fuel budget near $9 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This is a straightforward, highway-focused trip within the Pacific Coast region, connecting two points in Southern California. Given its short distance and duration, it’s ideal for a single-day excursion. You’ll primarily be on well-trafficked freeways, so expect typical Southern California traffic, especially as you approach the Los Angeles area. Plan accordingly for potential delays.

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
San Bernardino Freeway 32.4 mi 37m
8th Street 3.3 mi 5m
I-10 Metro ExpressLanes 1.4 mi 1m
Archibald Avenue 1 mi 1m
Santa Ana Freeway 0.4 mi <1m
North Los Angeles Street 0.3 mi <1m
South Euclid Avenue 0.3 mi <1m
East Arcadia Street 0.2 mi <1m
Longest stretch: San Bernardino Freeway — 32.4 mi, about 37m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Rancho Cucamonga, CA and Los Angeles, CA.

1

Start on this road

185 ft · 15 sec · this road
2

At end of road, turn right

88 ft · 11 sec
3

Turn left onto Archibald Avenue

1.0 mi · 1 min · Archibald Avenue
4

Turn right onto 8th Street

3.3 mi · 5 min · 8th Street
5

Turn left onto South Euclid Avenue

0.3 mi · 27 sec · South Euclid Avenue
6

Take the ramp

0.3 mi · 36 sec
Toward I 10 West: Los Angeles
7

Merge onto I 10

1.0 mi · 1 min · San Bernardino Freeway
8

Take the exit

281 ft · 6 sec
9

Merge onto I 10 EXPR

1.4 mi · 1 min · I-10 Metro ExpressLanes
10

Merge onto I 10

1.2 mi · 1 min · San Bernardino Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11

Keep slight right at fork onto I 10

0.9 mi · 1 min · San Bernardino Freeway
12

Keep slight right at fork onto I 10

1.3 mi · 1 min · San Bernardino Freeway
13

Keep slight right at fork onto I 10

1.9 mi · 2 min · San Bernardino Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
14

Keep slight right at fork onto I 10

1.9 mi · 2 min · San Bernardino Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
15

Keep slight right at fork onto I 10

1.6 mi · 1 min · San Bernardino Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
16

Keep slight right at fork onto I 10

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

Keep slight right at fork onto I 10

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

Keep slight right at fork onto I 10

1.1 mi · 1 min · San Bernardino Freeway
19

Keep slight right at fork onto I 10

2.0 mi · 2 min · San Bernardino Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
20

Keep slight right at fork onto I 10

1.6 mi · 1 min · San Bernardino Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
21

Keep slight right at fork onto I 10

2.6 mi · 2 min · San Bernardino Freeway
Use the slight right lane.
22

Keep slight right at fork onto I 10

12 mi · 14 min · San Bernardino Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
23

Merge onto US 101

0.4 mi · 36 sec · Santa Ana Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
24

Take the exit

0.2 mi · 19 sec
Exit 2B Toward Alameda Street, Union Station Use the slight right lane.
25

Continue on I 10 EXPR

0.2 mi · 32 sec · East Arcadia Street
Use the left / straight lanes.
26

Turn left onto North Los Angeles Street

0.3 mi · 44 sec · North Los Angeles Street
27

Turn right onto East 1st Street

461 ft · 17 sec · East 1st Street
28

Arrive at destination

West 1st Street

Where to Stop

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

city in Los Angeles County, California, United States of America

Mid-route town

Meal stop

West Covina, CA

20 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

East Los Angeles, CA

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 39.9 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Covina, CA

Meal break

The midpoint is around 20 miles from Rancho Cucamonga, 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 26

5 decision points cluster between mile 10.7 and 39.2 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.

6
10.7 mi into trip | ~15m in | I 10 / San Bernardino Freeway

Keep slight right at fork onto I 10 / San Bernardino Freeway

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
12.6 mi into trip | ~17m in | I 10 / San Bernardino Freeway

Keep slight right at fork onto I 10 / San Bernardino Freeway

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
14.5 mi into trip | ~20m in | I 10 / San Bernardino Freeway

Keep slight right at fork onto I 10 / San Bernardino Freeway

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
16.1 mi into trip | ~22m in | I 10 / San Bernardino Freeway

Keep slight right at fork onto I 10 / San Bernardino Freeway

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
39.2 mi into trip | ~48m in

Take the exit toward Alameda Street, Union Station

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 2B Toward Alameda Street, Union Station

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$9.17 one way

$18.34 round trip

$5.84/gal 25.4 MPG avg 14 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $6.02 $9.45 $18.90
premium $6.18 $9.70 $19.41
diesel $5.61 $8.81 $17.62

No toll roads detected on this route.

Drive Cost (one way)

Fuel

$9

Estimated CO2 emission: 14 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $4 in charging · 0 stops · 64% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 12 0 $4.19 $1.92
Efficient EV 10 0 $3.49 $1.60
EV Truck/SUV 16 0 $5.59 $2.55

Gas CO2

14 kg

EV CO2

5 kg (64% 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 18, 2026

Origin

Rancho Cucamonga, CA

Morning in Rancho Cucamonga on Sunday

Local time

8:57 AM

PDT

Current temp

74°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Los Angeles, CA

Morning in Los Angeles on Sunday

Local time

8:57 AM

PDT

Current temp

53°F

Mostly Clear

NE 5 mph 0% chance Live forecast

Freeze Warning

Freeze Warning issued April 18 at 1:22AM PDT until April 18 at 8:00AM PDT by NWS Eureka CA

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

21 degrees cooler at arrival

A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.

Road read

50m 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 leans heavily towards a highway experience, with 86% of the journey on major freeways. You’ll spend a significant continuous stretch of 32.4 miles on the San Bernardino Freeway, offering a consistent pace. While the core route is freeway-centric, you will transition onto local roads like 8th Street and utilize the I-10 Metro ExpressLanes for part of the trip. This means you'll encounter both high-speed freeway driving and the adjustments needed for express lanes and city approaches as you get closer to Los Angeles.

86% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
28 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 32.4 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 8th Street. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 10.7 miles in near I 10 / San Bernardino Freeway.

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 26 decision points packed into just 39.9 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 50m.

Where does it get tricky?

The main spots that need attention: at 10.7 miles (I 10 / San Bernardino Freeway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 12.6 miles (I 10 / San Bernardino Freeway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 14.5 miles (I 10 / San Bernardino Freeway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.

About the Cities

Starting in Rancho Cucamonga, CA

Full guide →

Rancho Cucamonga is a city in San Bernardino County in Southern California.

Arriving in Los Angeles, CA

Full guide →

“Tinseltown” · Founded 1781

Frank Lloyd Wright is said to have quipped, "Tip the world over on its side and everything loose will land in Los Angeles," a quote that has since been repeated both by those who love and hate L.A. The "City of Angels" is home to people who hail from all parts of the globe and an important center of culture, business, media, and international trade. However, it's most famous for being a major center of the world's television, motion picture, and music industry, which forms the base of the city's status and lures visitors for its show business history and celebrity culture. Visitors are also drawn to Los Angeles for its Mediterranean climate and numerous beaches, which gave birth to California's famed surf culture.

Top landmarks

  • Hollywood Walk of Fame — more than 2,700 five-pointed terrazzo and brass stars embedded in the sidewalks...
  • Hollywood Sign — sign reading "HOLLYWOOD" located in Los Angeles, California, United States
  • Getty Center — campus of the Getty Museum and other programs of the Getty Trust in Los Angeles

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 50m. Total distance: 39.9 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

50m drive, comfortable solo distance.

EV Driver

0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (86%). Some complex stretches to watch for.

Frequently Asked Questions

The longest stretch is about 32.4 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 Los Angeles, 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 10.7 miles (I 10 / San Bernardino Freeway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 12.6 miles (I 10 / San Bernardino Freeway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 14.5 miles (I 10 / San Bernardino 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 Los Angeles, 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

Explore More

Explore more options from Rancho Cucamonga, CA or browse trips ending in Los Angeles, CA.

Looking for more statewide routes? Browse CA road trips.