Riverside

Understand

While Riverside might be perceived as a "suburb" of Los Angeles, its population of over 300,000 would make it a substantial city in its own right pretty much everywhere else and the twelfth largest in California. It is one of the centers of the Inland Empire and host to UC Riverside.

Get in

By plane

Riverside is part of the Inland Empire of Southern California. It is about a 17-mile drive from Ontario International Airport. This medium-sized airport has direct flights to many American cities (and Mexico), an uncrowded terminal, and generally easy freeway access. Travelers interested in flying into Ontario should probably look into Southwest Airlines which generally has reasonable prices. Flying into the other Los Angeles-area airports to reach Riverside is certainly possible, but not recommended. LAX, Burbank Airport, Long Beach Airport, and Orange County's John Wayne Airport are all about an hour's drive away; and that's without congestion, which isn't likely. If you have your own aircraft, Riverside Municipal Airport is centrally located and offers easy access to the city. No commercial passenger flights serve this airport.

After arriving at Ontario Airport, you can use Southern California's infamous freeway system to get to Riverside. Follow the signs for Interstate 10 East, then get on the I-15 South, and get on the CA-60 East. You will spend only about 2 miles on the I-15, so stay in the two right-hand lanes. After that interchange, you're only about 15 miles outside of the city.

It is possible to take public transport from Ontario International to Riverside. However, it is most certainly difficult. For non-drivers or frugal travelers, here's the information: Take the airport shuttle around to the Omnitrans bus stop on Airport Dr, and wait for the Omnitrans 61 bound for Ontario/Fontana. This will cost you $1.15, exact change only. If it is during commute hours on weekdays, get off at the Ontario Mills transit center, near the mall. Board a red Riverside Transit Agency route 204 bus headed towards "Riverside". It will cost you $2.25 and take about half an hour. If it is not during commute hours on the weekdays, buy an Omnitrans day pass ($3.50) on the #61 and ride it to Fontana Metrolink. From there, board either the #10 or #14 to San Bernardino, and get off downtown. Cross the street and board the #200 to Riverside. Either will eventually drop you off at the Downtown Riverside Bus Terminal.

By car

Riverside is located at the junction of CA-60, 91 and I-215, approximately 55 mi east of Los Angeles (1hr 13 min via Ca-60), 12 mi (11 min) south of San Bernardino on I-215, 55 mi (1hr 10 min on CA-60 and I-10) west of Palm Springs, and 114 mi (2hr 14min) northeast of San Diego (via Interstate 15 & 215):

• Interstate 10 (San Bernardino Freeway) does not directly go through or into Riverside. Travelers would have to exit from I-10 to I-215 (from San Bernardino); CA-60 (from Beaumont or anywhere east) or to I-15 (from Ontario or anywhere west) to get to Riverside.
• & From San Diego, go northbound on I-15 and then onto I-215 toward San Bernardino. Riverside is accessed from exits 30 ("Center St") to 36 ("Center St/Watkins") of 215. From I-15, Riverside is accessed from exit 103 ("Limonite Ave"). From the exit turn east on Limonite to get to Riverside.
• Pomona Freeway connects from Los Angeles to Beumont where it merges into I-10, though Ontario and Riverside. Riverside is accessed from exits 48 ("Valley Way ") in Jurupa Valley to the junction with I-215 north of Edgemont.
• Riverside Freeway connects the Inland Empire (at its junction with I-15 and 215) to Torrance through Santa Ana and Anaheim in Orange County. Getting to Riverside one can exit off of any exit ranging between exit 53 ("McKinley St") to its junction with the 215 and 60 at downtown Riverside.

By bus

There are no Greyhound or Megabus stops or stations in Riverside. The following are what's available to Riverside:

* 200 Travels along CA-91 between San Bernardino Metro Link Station/Downtown Transit Center; Riverside Metro Link Station, Anaheim ARCTIC/Metrolink Station and Disneyland. Nearest connections to Greyhound and other intercity services (to Barstow, Indio, Las Vegas, Palm Springs, Phoenix, San Diego, Long Beach, etc) are in San Bernardino and Anaheim * 204 Goes up to Montclair through Ontario and Ontario Mills Mall. Passenger transfer to Omnitrans #61 at Ontario Mills Mall to get to the Ontario Airport (closest airport to the area). * 205-206 travel along I-15 between the Corona Transit Center (at Main & Grand near the Jct of the 91 & the 15); through Murrieta and Lake Elsinore, to the Promenade Mall in Temecula.

By train

Riverside is a hub of the Metrolink commuter rail system, served by the Riverside, 91 and Inland Empire-Orange County lines on weekdays, and by the San Bernardino and Inland Empire-Orange County lines on weekends. The Metrolink station is about a mile outside of the city center, with ample parking. The only facilities available are public telephones and ticket machines- no restrooms. The station is served by RTA 1, 16, and CommuterLink 208, 210 and 212.

There is a second Metrolink station, Riverside-La Sierra, in the south of the city. It is served by the 91 and Inland Empire-Orange County lines on weekdays, and the Inland Empire-Orange County line only on weekends. It has the same facilities, and is served by RTA 12 and 15. The city utility has installed solar generating arrays over much of the parking lot.

Go Riverside–Downtown station

Amtrak serves the Downtown station with one trip per day on the long-distance Southwest Chief. Arrival from Los Angeles/Departure to Chicago is at 8:03PM each evening, and arrival from Chicago/Departure to Los Angeles is at 5:48AM each morning. Traveling to Riverside from out-of-area by rail is not convenient or cheap, but it can be done. Amtrak personnel are not available at Riverside station- if you are boarding the train in Riverside you must have advance reservations. (For spontaneous trips, this is as simple as a call to +1-800-USA-RAIL.) You may pick up your ticket from the Metrolink kiosks at the station, or from the staffed stations in Fullerton, Anaheim and Los Angeles. Amtrak California also runs four buses each day to the Riverside Downtown station, which connect to the Gold Runner in Bakersfield for train journeys to/from points north.

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Go Riverside–La Sierra station

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Get around

By car

Riverside is in Southern California and Southern Californians are slaves to the automobile. Most of the time, getting around in Riverside will involve some form of car, and traffic congestion can ruin your day, and the poor driving habits of some other drivers may make you want to pull your hair out.

The CA-60/I-215 runs along the north side of the city. (Confusingly, the two freeways merge at the Riverside 60/91/215 interchange and then split again at the Moreno Valley Interchange, which is still actually within the city limits.) The Market Street exit provides access to Downtown, the 3rd/Blaine and University exits allow easy entry into the University neighborhood, and the Martin Luther King exit will allow you run of the mostly-residential Canyon Crest area. If you proceed on the CA-60 just past the interchange, get off at Day Street and you'll arrive at one of two area malls, the Moreno Valley Mall. It isn't in Riverside proper, but many people shop there rather than brave city traffic to go to the Galleria at Tyler.

The CA-91 runs from its origins at the 60/215/91 interchange in the north of the city, and runs the length of Riverside, eventually extending into Corona, Orange County and terminating in Long Beach. Notable exits include University Ave., which borders Downtown, Central Ave., which is near the new, upscale Riverside Plaza, Tyler St., immediately next to the Galleria at Tyler mall, and La Sierra Ave., which is near the city's second Metrolink station, and Castle Park.

The major crosstown arteries are Arlington and Magnolia Avenues. Congestion on these streets is interminable, and travelers would be well-advised to use other routes. Jurupa Ave. largely parallels Arlington, and Indiana and Victoria avenues parallel Magnolia. Victoria avenue is lightly-used, and is quite scenic. If you're willing to drive slightly out of your way, it's well worth the extra distance to cruise among the city's old orange groves.

Public transport

While the vast majority in the city do use automobiles, there is public transit available in Riverside. The Riverside Transit Agency provides fixed-route bus service on around 15 routes in the city, as well as three express commuter services and a few new community-based trolley-bus routes. Trips up and down Magnolia Ave. on route 1, on University Ave on route 16, and on route 15 along Arlington Ave are relatively frequent, with 20, 30, and 40 minute headways, respectively. Weekends and other routes can cause more delay. The entire Riverside city bus service essentially stops running at 8PM; with a few routes running through 10PM. There is no service at night.

The Riverside bus system has two main hubs – the Downtown Terminal, and the Galleria at Tyler in the south of the city. Chances are you will have to travel to one of these transfer points to get anywhere in the city. Commuter express routes 204 and 216 stop at the Downtown Terminal with destinations of Montclair/Ontario and Orange County, and 216 and OCTA 794 stop at the Galleria, both headed towards Orange County. Local routes serve all surrounding areas.

Taxis have been known to congregate on Fairmount Ave. between the Greyhound and city bus terminals. This is helpful if you end up caught by the sudden unavailability of public transport at night. Trip planning is available on the web site, on Google Maps, and by calling +1-800-800-7821 M-F between 7AM and 7PM, and Sa Su 8AM and 5PM.

Taxis

Royal Taxi Cabs Riverside, +1 951-441-9962.

Learn

Place University of California, Riverside

📍 900 University Ave☎ +1 951-827-1012Checked Dec 2025

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Go next

Riverside is about an hour's drive away from the ocean, the mountains, and the desert. The Los Angeles County and Orange County beaches are accessible on the 60 and 91 freeways, respectively, with modest day use fees. Taking the 91 north to the I-215, then following signs for CA-30 and mountain resorts, will have you in the San Bernardino mountains in no time. Big Bear and its surroundings are a winter playground unparalleled in much of the Southwest. For summer fun, continue up the I-215 all the way until it hits CA-138, head west, and then turn left at CA-2 to go up into the Angeles National Forest. Multitudes of picnic areas and campgrounds dot this winding road between the high desert and Los Angeles. If you turn east at CA-138, you'll run into Silverwood Lake, a large reservoir with swimming and boating facilities.