Origin
Santa Fe Springs, CA
Late night in Santa Fe Springs on Tuesday
Local time
5:25 AM
PDT
Current temp
56°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Santa Fe Springs, 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 6m
Distance
55.4 mi
89 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$13
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 1m
★
6 AM
1h 7m
8 AM
1h 17m
10 AM
1h 10m
12 PM
1h 9m
3 PM
1h 11m
5 PM
1h 17m
8 PM
1h 3m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Santa Fe Springs, CA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Santa Fe Springs to San Bernardino is 55.4 miles and takes about 1 hour 6 minutes via San Bernardino Freeway, with a fuel budget near $13 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This drive stays entirely within California, connecting two points in the Pacific Coast region. With most of the trip on major freeways, it's a straightforward connection between these Southern California cities. Expect a mostly highway experience, making it a quick transit rather than a destination-focused tour.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| San Bernardino Freeway | 33.9 mi | 39m |
| San Gabriel River Freeway | 9.3 mi | 10m |
| I-10 Metro ExpressLanes | 9 mi | 9m |
| West 5th Street | 0.7 mi | 1m |
| Telegraph Road | 0.3 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
San Bernardino Freeway
— 33.9 mi, about 39m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Santa Fe Springs, CA and San Bernardino, CA.
1
Start on Telegraph Road
0.3 mi
·
50 sec
·
Telegraph Road
2
Take the ramp
0.3 mi
·
37 sec
Toward I 605 North
3
Merge onto I 605
9.3 mi
·
10 min
·
San Gabriel River Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
4
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
22 sec
Toward I 10 West, I 10 East: Los Angeles, San Bernardino
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
5
Keep slight right at fork
0.3 mi
·
41 sec
Toward I 10 East: San Bernardino
Use the slight right lane.
6
Merge onto I 10
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
San Bernardino Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Keep slight right at fork onto I 10
2.2 mi
·
2 min
·
San Bernardino Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Keep slight right at fork onto I 10
2.0 mi
·
2 min
·
San Bernardino Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Keep slight right at fork onto I 10
1.1 mi
·
1 min
·
San Bernardino Freeway
10
Keep slight right at fork onto I 10
1.5 mi
·
1 min
·
San Bernardino Freeway
Use the slight right lane.
11
Keep slight right at fork onto I 10
1.4 mi
·
1 min
·
San Bernardino Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Keep slight right at fork onto I 10
2.0 mi
·
2 min
·
San Bernardino Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13
Keep slight right at fork onto I 10
2.1 mi
·
2 min
·
San Bernardino Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
14
Keep slight right at fork onto I 10
4.0 mi
·
4 min
·
San Bernardino Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
15
Keep slight left at fork onto I 10 EXPR
9.0 mi
·
9 min
·
I-10 Metro ExpressLanes
Use the slight left lane.
16
Merge onto I 10
14 mi
·
16 min
·
San Bernardino Freeway
Use the slight right lane.
17
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
23 sec
Toward I 215: Riverside, San Bernardino, Barstow
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
18
Keep slight left at fork
0.9 mi
·
1 min
Toward I 215 North: San Bernardino, Barstow
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
19
Merge onto I 215
2.3 mi
·
2 min
·
San Bernardino Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
20
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
41 sec
Exit 44A
Toward 5th Street, Civic Center
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
21
Turn right onto West 5th Street
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
West 5th Street
Use the straight / left / right lanes.
22
Arrive at destination
West 5th Street
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
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.
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 27.7 miles from Santa Fe Springs, 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 205 decision points cluster between mile 9.9 and 54.4 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
7
9.9 mi into trip
|
~12m in
Take the exit toward I 10 West, I 10 East: Los Angeles, San Bernardino
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 10 West, I 10 East: Los Angeles, San B...
7
10.1 mi into trip
|
~12m in
Keep slight right at fork toward I 10 East: San Bernardino
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Toward I 10 East: San Bernardino
7
51.1 mi into trip
|
~59m 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...
8
51.3 mi into trip
|
~59m in
Keep slight left at fork toward I 215 North: San Bernardino, Barstow
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
Toward I 215 North: San Bernardino, Barstow
8
54.4 mi into trip
|
~1h 4m in
Take the exit toward 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 straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 44A
Toward 5th Street, Civic Center
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$12.73 one way
$25.47 round trip
$5.84/gal
25.4 MPG avg
19 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $6.02 | $13.12 | $26.24 |
| premium | $6.18 | $13.47 | $26.95 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $12.23 | $24.46 |
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 | 16.6 | 0 | $5.82 | $2.66 |
| Efficient EV | 13.9 | 0 | $4.85 | $2.22 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 22.2 | 0 | $7.76 | $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.
Destination
San Bernardino, CA
Late night in San Bernardino on Tuesday
Local time
5:25 AM
PDT
Current temp
71°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
53°F
Montclair, CA
28 mi in
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
15 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 6m 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 predominantly highway, with 94% of the 55.4 miles on freeways. You'll encounter your longest continuous stretch on the San Bernardino Freeway for 33.9 miles. The transition from freeway to surface roads will likely occur in the final few miles as you approach your destination. Expect frequent exits and traffic merging typical of urban freeway driving in California.
94% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
22 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 33.9 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 San Gabriel River Freeway. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 9.9 miles in.
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 55.4 miles you will encounter 20 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 9.9 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 10.1 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 51.1 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Elevation Profile
Gently rolling terrain
1,117 ft
134 ft
Total Climb
1,274 ft
Total Descent
357 ft
Highest Point
1,117 ft
~31.7 mi in
Elevation Range
982 ft
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 Santa Fe Springs, CA to San Bernardino, CA, road signs begin pointing toward Barstow along the way.
Barstow
51.1 mi in
|
~59m
About the Cities
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 6m. Total distance: 55.4 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 6m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (94%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 33.9 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 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 9.9 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 10.1 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 51.1 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, EIA for fuel prices, and USGS 3DEP for elevation. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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