Plan on about 7 h 15 min of driving for the 272-mile (438 km) trip from Artigas to Mercedes, Uruguay, before any stops.
Full advisory: Uruguay. Advisory issued: Uruguay July 28, 2026; checked October 10, 2026.
On the roads, the State Department says:
- Uruguay: “Illumination, pavement markings, and road surfaces for secondary roads can be poor.”
| Distance by road | 272 mi (438 km) |
|---|---|
| Time at the wheel, no stops | 7 h 15 min |
| Departments on the route | Artigas, Salto, Paysandú, Río Negro, Soriano |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 10.9 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 4 |
What the drive from Artigas to Mercedes is like
It runs through 5 departments: Artigas, Salto, Paysandú, Río Negro, Soriano. Of the 4 stops listed below, 2 are within a mile of the road.
Artigas to Mercedes: the road sequence
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | Department |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–272 | 272 | Artigas, Salto, Paysandú, Río Negro, Soriano |
- Mile 54 of this route: Artigas → Salto (department line)
- Mile 133 of this route: Salto → Paysandú (department line)
- Mile 215 of this route: Paysandú → Río Negro (department line)
- Mile 269 of this route: Río Negro → Soriano (department line)
Breaking up the drive: stops between Artigas and Mercedes
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Termas del Daymán (mile 131), Termas del Guaviyú (mile 160)
- Nature and outdoors: Termas del Daymán (mile 131), Termas del Guaviyú (mile 160)
- Museums and history: Cathedral of Salto (mile 127), Nuestra Señora del Rosario y San Benito de Palermo, Paysandú (mile 198)
Cathedral of Salto
The Cathedral Basilica of Saint John the Baptist is Salto's main Catholic church and has been the seat of the local diocese since 1939.
Termas del Daymán
Termas del Daymán is a hot springs center on the banks of the Daymán River, about 10 kilometers from the city of Salto.
Termas del Guaviyú
Next to Guaviyú Creek at kilometer 432 of Route 3 in Paysandú department, Termas del Guaviyú is a hot spring complex in northwestern Uruguay.
Nuestra Señora del Rosario y San Benito de Palermo, Paysandú
Paysandú's Catholic parish church of Our Lady of the Rosary and St. Benedict of Palermo was named a minor basilica in 1949 and remains an active parish of the city.
Once you reach Mercedes
Cathedral of Mercedes
Since 1960, the Diocese of Mercedes has had its seat at the Cathedral of Our Lady of Mercy, the main Catholic church in this Uruguayan city.
Calera Real del Dacá
On the eastern edge of Mercedes beside the Dacá stream, the ruins of the Calera Real lime works date to 1722 and are considered the region's first industrial site; recent works added visitor circuits, lighting and interpretive signs.
Alejandro Berro Paleontology Museum
In a 19th-century building in Mercedes' Parque Castillo Mauá, this paleontology museum opened in 1946 around the collection of naturalist Alejandro Berro; a well-preserved glyptodon shell found on a nearby riverbank is a highlight.
More drives to Mercedes
- Salto to Mercedes, Uruguay
- Rivera to Mercedes, Uruguay
- Montevideo to Mercedes, Uruguay
- Melo to Mercedes, Uruguay
- Buenos Aires to Mercedes, Uruguay
- Córdoba, Argentina to Mercedes, Uruguay
From Artigas to other places in Uruguay
- Artigas to Carmelo
- Artigas to Colonia del Sacramento
- Artigas to Conchillas
- Artigas to Nueva Helvecia
- Artigas to Veinticinco de Agosto
- Artigas to Florida, Uruguay
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to drive from Artigas to Mercedes, Uruguay?
About 7 h 15 min of driving without stops, over 272 miles.
What is the driving distance from Artigas to Mercedes, Uruguay?
About 272 miles (438 km) on the Wayro route. Other map services may show a few miles more or less, depending on where they start and end in each city.
What does the U.S. travel advisory say about the Artigas to Mercedes drive?
The U.S. State Department rates Uruguay Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution. Read the full advisory before you go.
What are good stops between Artigas and Mercedes?
Closest to the road: Termas del Daymán (hot spring, mile 131, 0.2 mi from the route); Termas del Guaviyú (hot spring, mile 160, 0.6 mi from the route); Nuestra Señora del Rosario y San Benito de Palermo, Paysandú (basilica, mile 198, 2 mi from the route). All stops are described above.
How we put this guide together
Wayro calculates the route from OpenStreetMap road data; mile numbers are positions along this route, not highway markers, and "from the route" distances are straight-line, so the real detour depends on access roads. Stops are chosen from parks, natural sites, museums, historic sites and attractions close to the route: at least one strong stop for each stretch of the drive, then the best-known places nearest the road, up to nine in all. Places that are closed, private or not open to visitors are removed. Place descriptions are written by the Wayro team from official park, museum, tourism and government websites and other published sources. Safety levels and entry rules were checked against the U.S. Department of State on October 10, 2026. Conditions change, so check the linked sources before you travel.
Route data © OpenStreetMap contributors.