Best Time to Drive from Palm Desert to Fontana

Right now (3:06 am PST): about 71 minutes via I-10 West.

Only 27% of this drive is measured by working traffic sensors right now. The rest is estimated from nearby sensors, typical speeds and street traffic, so times can be off. Why so few sensors work.

Typical drive time by departure time

Minutes from Palm Desert to Fontana by day and time you leave (local time)
Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	70	72	82	78	74	73	74	76	79	81	83	80	78	74	73	73	71
Tue	70	74	89	82	74	73	74	75	75	81	82	100	90	73	72	73	71
Wed	70	73	87	81	74	72	74	76	78	80	81	91	86	73	74	72	71
Thu	70	74	85	81	75	73	74	76	77	80	82	104	89	74	73	72	70
Fri	71	73	83	78	76	77	77	80	82	83	91	99	86	74	71	71	70
Sat	70	70	70	71	72	71	71	72	72	75	74	74	73	71	71	71	70
Sun	70	70	70	71	71	71	74	75	75	74	74	73	73	74	72	71	70

About this drive

On weekdays the 76-mile drive from Palm Desert to Fontana (via I-10 West) usually takes as little as 70 minutes and up to 104 minutes, when leaving around 4 pm on Thursdays. The fastest times to leave are before 6:30 am or after 6 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 77 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 5:30 pm on Sundays (75 minutes).

About 59 miles of it is freeway, where times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors, and about 17 miles surface streets (10 to 16 minutes on weekdays), estimated from how jammed the freeways around them are at that time. Drive times are measured from central Palm Desert to central Fontana along the route on the map. Starting or ending elsewhere in a big city can add or save several minutes.

Simulated from typical freeway speeds at each point of the drive for the time you would reach it, from every 5-minute reading we have recorded. We don't have sensors on surface streets yet, so the time on them is estimated from how congested the freeways around each end of the drive are at that time, in both directions: streets jam when the freeways do.

Questions

What is the best time to drive from Palm Desert to Fontana?

On weekdays, leave before 6:30 am or after 6 pm. The drive usually takes about 70 minutes then, versus up to 104 minutes at the worst times.

How long does it take to drive from Palm Desert to Fontana?

The 76-mile drive usually takes 70 to 104 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 77 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from Palm Desert to Fontana?

Leaving around 4 pm on Thursdays is usually slowest, about 104 minutes.

Freeways on this drive

I-10 West in Inland Empire (31 miles)

Inland Empire traffic right now · Inland Empire traffic tomorrow

More drives

Fontana to Palm Desert (return trip) · Palm Desert to Riverside · Palm Desert to Van Nuys · Palm Desert to San Bernardino · Palm Desert to Moreno Valley · Palm Desert to Corona · Palm Desert to Rialto · Palm Desert to Menifee

Open the live traffic map →

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	70	72	82	78	74	73	74	76	79	81	83	80	78	74	73	73	71
Tue	70	74	89	82	74	73	74	75	75	81	82	100	90	73	72	73	71
Wed	70	73	87	81	74	72	74	76	78	80	81	91	86	73	74	72	71
Thu	70	74	85	81	75	73	74	76	77	80	82	104	89	74	73	72	70
Fri	71	73	83	78	76	77	77	80	82	83	91	99	86	74	71	71	70
Sat	70	70	70	71	72	71	71	72	72	75	74	74	73	71	71	71	70
Sun	70	70	70	71	71	71	74	75	75	74	74	73	73	74	72	71	70

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	70	72	82	78	74	73	74	76	79	81	83	80	78	74	73	73	71
Tue	70	74	89	82	74	73	74	75	75	81	82	100	90	73	72	73	71
Wed	70	73	87	81	74	72	74	76	78	80	81	91	86	73	74	72	71
Thu	70	74	85	81	75	73	74	76	77	80	82	104	89	74	73	72	70
Fri	71	73	83	78	76	77	77	80	82	83	91	99	86	74	71	71	70
Sat	70	70	70	71	72	71	71	72	72	75	74	74	73	71	71	71	70
Sun	70	70	70	71	71	71	74	75	75	74	74	73	73	74	72	71	70

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	70	72	82	78	74	73	74	76	79	81	83	80	78	74	73	73	71
Tue	70	74	89	82	74	73	74	75	75	81	82	100	90	73	72	73	71
Wed	70	73	87	81	74	72	74	76	78	80	81	91	86	73	74	72	71
Thu	70	74	85	81	75	73	74	76	77	80	82	104	89	74	73	72	70
Fri	71	73	83	78	76	77	77	80	82	83	91	99	86	74	71	71	70
Sat	70	70	70	71	72	71	71	72	72	75	74	74	73	71	71	71	70
Sun	70	70	70	71	71	71	74	75	75	74	74	73	73	74	72	71	70