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Trip from Redlands, CA to Irvine, CA

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Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 21, 2026 · Editorial standards

Drive Time

1h 7m

Distance

55.5 mi

89 km

Drive Score

9/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$13

one way

EV Charging

Good

8 stations

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 16 min
4 AM
1h 2m ★
6 AM
1h 8m
8 AM
1h 18m
10 AM
1h 11m
12 PM
1h 10m
3 PM
1h 12m
5 PM
1h 18m
8 PM
1h 4m

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

city in San Bernardino County, California, United States

Redlands, CA

Wikimedia Commons

city in Orange County, California, United States

Irvine, CA

Wikimedia Commons

Trip Overview

Stretching 59 miles across the Pacific Coast region, the drive from Redlands to Irvine is a straightforward journey typically completed in about 59 minutes. Because of the relatively short distance, this trip is perfectly suited as a quick day excursion that does not require an overnight stay. You should budget approximately $14 for fuel to cover the distance between these two Southern California points. Since you will be traveling entirely within the same region, the transition between cities feels seamless. This route is a practical choice if you need to move between the Inland Empire and Orange County efficiently.

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
Riverside Freeway 19.7 mi 22m
Eastern Transportation Corridor 12.1 mi 14m
CA 91 9.1 mi 10m
Pearl Harbor Memorial Highway 6 mi 6m
Jamboree Road 3.6 mi 5m
San Diego Freeway 1.3 mi 1m
Orange Street 0.5 mi 1m
East Citrus Avenue <0.1 mi <1m
Longest stretch: Riverside Freeway — 19.7 mi, about 22m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Redlands, CA and Irvine, CA.

1

Start on East Citrus Avenue

19 ft · 4 sec · East Citrus Avenue
2

Turn right onto Orange Street

0.5 mi · 1 min · Orange Street
3

Take the ramp

0.2 mi · 24 sec
Toward I 10 West: Los Angeles
4

Merge onto I 10

6.0 mi · 6 min · Pearl Harbor Memorial Highway
Use the slight right lane.
5

Take the exit

0.2 mi · 31 sec
Toward I 215: Riverside, San Bernardino, Barstow Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6

Keep slight left at fork

1.0 mi · 2 min
Toward I 215 South: Riverside Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
7

Merge onto I 215

4.9 mi · 5 min · Riverside Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8

Continue on CA 91

15 mi · 17 min · Riverside Freeway
Exit 34B Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9

Take the exit

0.3 mi · 20 sec
Exit 50 Toward Main Street Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10

Continue on CA 91

9.1 mi · 10 min · CA 91
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11

Take the exit

1.2 mi · 1 min
Exit 41B Toward CA 241 South: Irvine Use the slight right lane.
12

Continue on CA 241 Toll

5.7 mi · 6 min · Eastern Transportation Corridor
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13

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.
14

Continue on Jamboree Road

3.6 mi · 5 min · Jamboree Road
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
15

Take the exit

0.2 mi · 14 sec
Toward I 405 South: San Diego Use the right lane.
16

Merge onto I 405

1.3 mi · 1 min · San Diego Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
17

Arrive at destination

I 405

Where to Stop

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

city in Riverside County, California, United States

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Corona, CA

28 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.

Popular next leg

Corona, CA to Irvine, CA

27.3 mi · 33m

Pacing Suggestions

Highgrove, CA

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 12 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Corona, CA

Meal break

The midpoint is around 27.7 miles from Redlands, 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 12

5 decision points cluster between mile 6.6 and 44 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.

7
6.6 mi into trip | ~8m in

Take the exit toward I 215: Riverside, San Bernardino, Barstow

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. Toward I 215: Riverside, San Bernardino, Barsto...
7
6.9 mi into trip | ~9m in

Keep slight left at fork toward I 215 South: Riverside

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the slight left / slight right lanes. Toward I 215 South: Riverside
7
27.6 mi into trip | ~34m in

Take the exit toward Main Street

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / slight right lanes. Exit 50 Toward Main Street
7
37 mi into trip | ~45m 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
44 mi into trip | ~53m 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

$12.76 one way

$25.51 round trip

$5.84/gal 25.4 MPG avg 19 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $6.02 $13.15 $26.29
premium $6.18 $13.50 $26.99
diesel $5.61 $12.25 $24.51

No toll roads detected on this route.

Drive Cost (one way)

Fuel

$13

Estimated CO2 emission: 19.4 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $6 in charging · 0 stops · 68% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 16.7 0 $5.83 $2.66
Efficient EV 13.9 0 $4.86 $2.22
EV Truck/SUV 22.2 0 $7.77 $3.55

Gas CO2

19 kg

EV CO2

6 kg (68% 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 20, 2026

Origin

Redlands, CA

Late night in Redlands on Tuesday

Local time

2:36 AM

PDT

Current temp

50°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Irvine, CA

Late night in Irvine on Tuesday

Local time

2:36 AM

PDT

Current temp

54°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

4 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 7m 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 turn-heavy local drive rather than a monotonous interstate cruise on this 59-mile trek. You will navigate a mix of local thoroughfares like Orange Street before transitioning onto the I-10 West and the Pearl Harbor Memorial Highway. With a highway share of 0%, your focus will be on managing local traffic patterns and turns throughout the duration of the trip. Unlike long-haul interstate routes, this drive requires your consistent attention behind the wheel as you maneuver through the urban landscape. It is a functional path that favors city navigation over long, uninterrupted stretches of open road.

54% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
17 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 19.7 mi on Riverside Freeway.

How Hard Is This Drive?

9/10

This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 6.6 miles in.

Driving Effort 9/10

Demanding - stay alert through the decision-heavy sections

Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.

This drive requires moderate attention. Across 55.5 miles you will encounter 12 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 6.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 6.9 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 27.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.

Elevation Profile

Gently rolling terrain

1,360 ft 54 ft

Total Climb

575 ft

Total Descent

1,882 ft

Highest Point

1,360 ft

Elevation Range

1,306 ft

Towns Mentioned on Route Signs

Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.

Between Redlands, CA and Irvine, CA, road signs point toward San Bernardino and Barstow.

San Bernardino

6.6 mi in | ~8m

Barstow

6.6 mi in | ~8m

About the Cities

Starting in Redlands, CA

Full guide →

Founded 1888

See Redland City for the city in Greater Brisbane, Queensland Redlands is a city in San Bernardino County in Southern California.

Top landmarks

  • A. K. Smiley Public Library — public library in Redlands, California, USA
  • Barton Villa — also known as Barton House, Redlands, California
  • Redlands Santa Fe Depot District — historic district in California, United States

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 1h 7m. Total distance: 55.5 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

1h 7m drive, comfortable solo distance.

EV Driver

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

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (54%). Some complex stretches to watch for.

Frequently Asked Questions

The longest stretch is about 19.7 miles on Riverside 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 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: at 6.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 6.9 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 27.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. 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, EIA for fuel prices, and USGS 3DEP for elevation. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.

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