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Trip from Torrance, CA to Riverside, 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 15m

Distance

60.7 mi

98 km

Drive Score

7/10

Good drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$14

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 18 min
4 AM
1h 10m ★
6 AM
1h 16m
8 AM
1h 28m
10 AM
1h 20m
12 PM
1h 19m
3 PM
1h 20m
5 PM
1h 27m
8 PM
1h 12m

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

city in Los Angeles County, California, United States

Torrance, CA

Wikimedia Commons

county seat of Riverside County, California, United States

Riverside, CA

Wikimedia Commons

Trip Overview

Torrance, CA to Riverside, CA is 60.7 miles and takes about 1h 15m via Riverside Freeway, Artesia Freeway, and Gardena Freeway, with a fuel budget near $14 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This route stays within the Pacific Coast region, making it a straightforward connection between two Southern California cities. It's a common commuter corridor, so expect typical urban and suburban traffic patterns. With its relatively short duration and focus on major freeways, this trip is best suited for a single-day excursion when you need to get from point A to point B efficiently.

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
Riverside Freeway 35.2 mi 40m
Artesia Freeway 13.1 mi 15m
Gardena Freeway 4.9 mi 5m
Torrance Boulevard 3.3 mi 5m
Harbor Freeway 1.6 mi 1m
Magnolia Avenue 1.1 mi 2m
Madison Street 0.5 mi 1m
South Figueroa Street 0.2 mi <1m
Longest stretch: Riverside Freeway — 35.2 mi, about 40m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Torrance, CA and Riverside, CA.

1

Start on Opal Street

206 ft · 15 sec · Opal Street
2

Turn left onto Maple Avenue

300 ft · 13 sec · Maple Avenue
3

Turn right onto Torrance Boulevard

3.3 mi · 5 min · Torrance Boulevard
Use the left lane.
4

Turn left onto US 6 Hist

0.2 mi · 24 sec · South Figueroa Street
Use the left lane.
5

Turn left

0.2 mi · 25 sec
Toward I 110 North: Los Angeles Use the left lane.
6

Merge onto I 110

1.6 mi · 1 min · Harbor Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7

Take the exit

0.4 mi · 55 sec
Toward CA 91 East Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8

Merge onto CA 91

4.9 mi · 5 min · Gardena Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9

Continue on CA 91

13 mi · 15 min · Artesia Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10

Continue on CA 91

8.8 mi · 10 min · Riverside Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11

Keep slight right at fork onto CA 91

26 mi · 30 min · Riverside Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12

Take the exit

0.2 mi · 35 sec
Exit 60 Toward Madison Street Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13

Turn left onto Madison Street

0.5 mi · 1 min · Madison Street
Use the left lane.
14

Turn right onto Magnolia Avenue

1.1 mi · 2 min · Magnolia Avenue
15

Turn right

102 ft · 8 sec
16

At end of road, turn left

181 ft · 13 sec
17

Arrive at destination

Where to Stop

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

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Anaheim, CA

30 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

Anaheim, CA to Riverside, CA

34.4 mi · 44m

Pacing Suggestions

Downey, CA

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 13 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Anaheim, CA

Meal break

The midpoint is around 30.4 miles from Torrance, 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 13

5 decision points cluster between mile 0.1 and 58.9 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.

6
0.1 mi into trip | ~0m in | Torrance Boulevard

Turn right onto Torrance Boulevard

Lane positioning matters here

Use the left lane.
8
3.5 mi into trip | ~6m in

Turn left toward I 110 North: Los Angeles

Lane positioning matters here

Use the left lane. Toward I 110 North: Los Angeles
6
5.3 mi into trip | ~9m in

Take the exit toward CA 91 East

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

Use the straight / slight right lanes. Toward CA 91 East
6
32.5 mi into trip | ~40m in | CA 91 / Riverside Freeway

Keep slight right at fork onto CA 91 / Riverside Freeway

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
58.9 mi into trip | ~1h 11m in

Take the exit toward Madison Street

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

Use the straight / slight right lanes. Exit 60 Toward Madison Street

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$13.95 one way

$27.90 round trip

$5.84/gal 25.4 MPG avg 21 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $6.02 $14.38 $28.75
premium $6.18 $14.76 $29.52
diesel $5.61 $13.40 $26.80

No toll roads detected on this route.

Drive Cost (one way)

Fuel

$14

Estimated CO2 emission: 21.2 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $6 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 18.2 0 $6.37 $2.91
Efficient EV 15.2 0 $5.31 $2.43
EV Truck/SUV 24.3 0 $8.50 $3.88

Gas CO2

21 kg

EV CO2

7 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.

Forecast as of Apr 19, 2026

Origin

Torrance, CA

Morning in Torrance on Tuesday

Local time

6:23 AM

PDT

Current temp

55°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Riverside, CA

Morning in Riverside on Tuesday

Local time

6:23 AM

PDT

Current temp

70°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

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 15m 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 drive is predominantly highway cruising, with 90% of the 60.7 miles on freeways. You'll spend most of your time on the Riverside Freeway, Artesia Freeway, and Gardena Freeway. The longest continuous stretch on a single highway is 35.2 miles on the Riverside Freeway. Expect frequent exits and merging traffic as you navigate the urban and suburban environments.

90% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
17 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 35.2 mi on Riverside Freeway.

How Hard Is This Drive?

8/10

This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Riverside Freeway and Artesia Freeway. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 0.1 miles in near Torrance Boulevard.

Driving Effort 8/10

Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers

Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.

This drive requires moderate attention. Across 60.7 miles you will encounter 13 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 0.1 miles (Torrance Boulevard): Lane positioning matters here; at 3.5 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 5.3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.

About the Cities

Starting in Torrance, CA

Full guide →

Torrance is a city in the South Bay region of Los Angeles County, in Southern California. Even though it is one of the larger suburbs of Los Angeles (147,000 residents in 2020), it is overlooked by the throngs of tourists that visit LA. Torrance is often called "Japan's 48th Prefecture" due to its large Japanese population, and large Korean and other immigrant populations give the city a very global feel. Visitors wanting a quieter Los Angeles experience will do well to visit Torrance.

Top landmarks

  • Western Museum of Flight — aviation museum in Torrance, California
  • Toyota USA Automobile Museum — automobile museum in Torrance, California

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 1h 15m. Total distance: 60.7 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

1h 15m drive, comfortable solo distance.

EV Driver

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

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (90%). Some complex stretches to watch for.

Frequently Asked Questions

The longest stretch is about 35.2 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 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 0.1 miles (Torrance Boulevard): Lane positioning matters here; at 3.5 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 5.3 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 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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