Origin
San Dimas, CA
Morning in San Dimas on Sunday
Local time
8:48 AM
PDT
Current temp
71°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from San Dimas, CA to Riverside, CA
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
43m
Distance
29.7 mi
48 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$7
one way
EV Charging
Good
8 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 40m
★
6 AM
0h 43m
8 AM
0h 51m
10 AM
0h 46m
12 PM
0h 45m
3 PM
0h 46m
5 PM
0h 50m
8 PM
0h 41m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
San Dimas, CA
Wikimedia Commons
Riverside, CA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
San Dimas, CA to Riverside, CA is 29.7 miles and takes about 43m via Van Buren Boulevard and I-10 Metro ExpressLanes, with a fuel budget near $7 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This short trip connects two points within the Pacific Coast region of California. Expect a mixed drive that's mostly urban and suburban, making it a straightforward journey. It’s a quick hop that doesn’t require much planning, perfect for a day trip or a quick commute.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Van Buren Boulevard | 6.1 mi | 8m |
| San Bernardino Freeway | 5.8 mi | 6m |
| I-10 Metro ExpressLanes | 3.7 mi | 3m |
| Central Avenue | 3.6 mi | 6m |
| Mission Boulevard | 3.3 mi | 4m |
| East Arrow Highway | 2.7 mi | 4m |
| South Haven Avenue | 1.6 mi | 2m |
| La Verne Avenue | 0.7 mi | 1m |
Longest stretch:
Van Buren Boulevard
— 6.1 mi, about 8m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between San Dimas, CA and Riverside, CA.
1
Start on East Bonita Avenue
0.2 mi
·
29 sec
·
East Bonita Avenue
2
Turn right onto South Walnut Avenue
0.2 mi
·
37 sec
·
South Walnut Avenue
3
Turn left onto East Arrow Highway
2.7 mi
·
4 min
·
East Arrow Highway
4
Turn straight
0.1 mi
·
24 sec
5
Turn straight onto West la Verne Avenue
0.4 mi
·
44 sec
·
West la Verne Avenue
6
Continue on La Verne Avenue
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
La Verne Avenue
Use the left lane.
7
Turn right onto North Towne Avenue
0.2 mi
·
31 sec
·
North Towne Avenue
Use the right lane.
8
Turn sharp left
0.2 mi
·
27 sec
Toward I 10 East: San Bernardino
Use the left lane.
9
Merge onto I 10
2.1 mi
·
2 min
·
San Bernardino Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Keep slight left at fork onto I 10 EXPR
3.7 mi
·
3 min
·
I-10 Metro ExpressLanes
Use the slight left lane.
11
Take the exit
244 ft
·
5 sec
12
Merge onto I 10
3.7 mi
·
4 min
·
San Bernardino Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
37 sec
Toward Haven Avenue
Use the slight right lane.
14
Turn right onto Haven Avenue
0.3 mi
·
33 sec
·
Haven Avenue
Use the left / right lanes.
15
Continue on South Haven Avenue
1.6 mi
·
2 min
·
South Haven Avenue
Use the left / uturn / straight lanes.
16
Turn left onto Mission Boulevard
3.3 mi
·
4 min
·
Mission Boulevard
Use the left / uturn lanes.
17
Continue on Van Buren Boulevard
6.1 mi
·
8 min
·
Van Buren Boulevard
Use the straight lane.
18
Turn left onto Central Avenue
3.6 mi
·
6 min
·
Central Avenue
Use the left lane.
19
Turn sharp right
171 ft
·
12 sec
20
Arrive at destination
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 125 decision points cluster between mile 4.5 and 14.7 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
6
4.5 mi into trip
|
~8m in
|
North Towne Avenue
Turn right onto North Towne Avenue
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
9
4.7 mi into trip
|
~8m in
Turn sharp left toward I 10 East: San Bernardino
Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach. Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
Toward I 10 East: San Bernardino
6
7 mi into trip
|
~11m in
|
I 10 EXPR / I-10 Metro ExpressLanes
Keep slight left at fork onto I 10 EXPR / I-10 Metro ExpressLanes
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left lane.
6
14.4 mi into trip
|
~19m in
Take the exit toward Haven Avenue
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Toward Haven Avenue
6
14.7 mi into trip
|
~20m in
|
Haven Avenue
Turn right onto Haven Avenue
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left / right lanes.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$6.83 one way
$13.65 round trip
$5.84/gal
25.4 MPG avg
10 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $6.02 | $7.03 | $14.07 |
| premium | $6.18 | $7.22 | $14.45 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $6.56 | $13.11 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$7
Estimated CO2 emission: 10.4 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $3 in charging · 0 stops · 70% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 8.9 | 0 | $3.12 | $1.43 |
| Efficient EV | 7.4 | 0 | $2.60 | $1.19 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 11.9 | 0 | $4.16 | $1.90 |
Gas CO2
10 kg
EV CO2
3 kg (70% 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
Morning in Riverside on Sunday
Local time
8:48 AM
PDT
Current temp
52°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
19 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
43m 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 offers a mixed drive, with 32% of the journey on highways. You'll encounter stretches of Van Buren Boulevard, including one continuous segment of 6.1 miles, which will likely feel more like a local road. As you transition, you'll also utilize the San Bernardino Freeway and potentially the I-10 Metro ExpressLanes, offering a faster-paced highway experience. The drive is generally characterized by urban and suburban landscapes, with traffic patterns that can vary depending on the time of day.
32% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
20 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 6.1 mi on Van Buren Boulevard.
How Hard Is This Drive?
8/10
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 4.5 miles in near North Towne Avenue.
Driving Effort
8/10
Focused - busy navigation packed into a short drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 12 decision points packed into just 29.7 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 43m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 4.5 miles (North Towne Avenue): Lane positioning matters here; at 4.7 miles: Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach. Lane positioning matters here; at 7 miles (I 10 EXPR / I-10 Metro ExpressLanes): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
About the Cities
Arriving in Riverside, CA
Full guide →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.
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 43m. Total distance: 29.7 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
43m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (32%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Scenic Drive
Mixed highway & surface route profile.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 6.1 miles on Van Buren Boulevard. 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 Riverside, 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 4.5 miles (North Towne Avenue): Lane positioning matters here; at 4.7 miles: Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach. Lane positioning matters here; at 7 miles (I 10 EXPR / I-10 Metro ExpressLanes): 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 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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