By road, Atlántida and Martínez, Argentina are about 366 miles (589 km) apart, or roughly 7 h 39 min of driving. You cross from Uruguay into Argentina at about mile 213, at the Gualeguaychú–Fray Bentos bridge.
Full advisory: Uruguay, Argentina. Advisory issued: Uruguay July 28, 2026; Argentina July 10, 2026; checked October 10, 2026.
On the roads, the State Department says:
- Uruguay: “Several of the main highways are particularly accident-ridden.”
- Argentina: “Drivers in Argentina tend to be aggressive, especially in Buenos Aires, and often ignore traffic regulations.”
| Distance | 366 mi (589 km) |
|---|---|
| Time at the wheel, no stops | 7 h 39 min |
| Main roads, in order | RN136 → RN14 → RN12 → RP6 → RN9 |
| Border crossing | about mile 213, Uruguay → Argentina (the Gualeguaychú–Fray Bentos bridge) |
| Regions on the route | Canelones, San José, Colonia, Soriano, Río Negro, Entre Ríos, Buenos Aires |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 14.6 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 9 |
Crossing from Uruguay into Argentina
The route crosses at about mile 213, at the Gualeguaychú–Fray Bentos bridge, from Río Negro into Entre Ríos. Plan on two checks on each side: immigration for your passport and customs for the car.
| Entering Argentina (U.S. citizens) | No visa needed for visits of 90 days or less. Passport: must be valid when you enter; leave a blank page for the entry and exit stamps. |
|---|---|
| Driving in Argentina | A valid U.S. license usually works; an International Driving Permit is recommended. |
| Entering Uruguay (U.S. citizens) | No visa needed for visits of 90 days or less. Passport: must be valid for 6 months beyond your arrival date. |
| Driving in Uruguay | You can drive on your U.S. license. |
| The car, entering Argentina | Argentine customs (ARCA) registers the car's temporary entry. Bring the title or registration, liability insurance valid in Argentina and, if you don't own the car, a power of attorney signed before a notary. A rental car needs the rental company's MERCOSUR circulation authorization (ACM), and the company must be registered with Argentine customs. |
| Rental car | Cross only if the rental company authorizes it in writing and gives you the papers for the border; ask before you book. |
Sources: U.S. State Department, Argentina (updated July 16, 2026); U.S. State Department, Uruguay (updated August 13, 2026); ARCA (Argentine customs). Checked October 10, 2026; rules change, so confirm before you go.
On the road from Atlántida to Martínez
RN12 (47 mi) and RN14 (36 mi) carry about 23% of the 366 miles. The first 213 miles are in Uruguay; the last 153 are in Argentina. It runs through 7 regions: Canelones, San José, Colonia, Soriano, Río Negro, Entre Ríos, Buenos Aires. Of the 9 stops listed below, 5 are within a mile of the road.
Which roads connect Atlántida and Martínez
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | Region |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–40 | 40 | Canelones |
| connecting roads | 40–43 | 3 | Canelones |
| local roads | 43–74 | 31 | Canelones, San José |
| connecting roads | 74–77 | 3 | San José |
| local roads | 77–113 | 36 | San José, Colonia |
| connecting roads | 113–114 | 1 | Colonia |
| local roads | 114–211 | 97 | Soriano, Río Negro |
| connecting roads | 211–213 | 2 | Río Negro |
| RN136 | 213–232 | 19 | Entre Ríos |
| local roads | 232–239 | 7 | Entre Ríos |
| RN14 | 239–275 | 36 | Entre Ríos |
| RN12 | 275–322 | 47 | Entre Ríos, Buenos Aires |
| RP6 | 322–327 | 5 | Buenos Aires |
| connecting roads | 327–328 | 1 | Buenos Aires |
| RN9 | 328–363 | 35 | Buenos Aires |
| local roads | 363–366 | 3 | Buenos Aires |
- Mile 53 of this route: Canelones → San José (region line)
- Mile 96 of this route: San José → Colonia (region line)
- Mile 114 of this route: Colonia → Soriano (region line)
- Mile 195 of this route: Soriano → Río Negro (region line)
- Mile 213 of this route: Río Negro → Entre Ríos (international border)
- Mile 306 of this route: Entre Ríos → Buenos Aires (region line)
Stops between Atlántida and Martínez
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Teatro Politeama (mile 42), Museo Departamental de San José (mile 76), Teatro Macció (mile 76), Japanese Garden, Belén de Escobar (mile 344), Temaikèn (mile 345)
- Nature and outdoors: Ciervo de los Pantanos National Park (mile 336), Japanese Garden, Belén de Escobar (mile 344)
- Museums and history: Museo Departamental de San José (mile 76), Alejandro Berro Paleontology Museum (mile 196), Gualeguaychú Cathedral (mile 233)
- With kids: Temaikèn (mile 345)
Teatro Politeama
Canelones' Teatro Politeama opened in 1921 and reopened in 2014 as the Complejo Cultural Politeama Teatro Atahualpa del Cioppo. Uruguay declared the theater a National Historic Monument in 2022.
Museo Departamental de San José
Set in central San José de Mayo, the Museo Departamental de San José is a history and fine arts museum that also runs a library, archives and cultural programs.
Teatro Macció
San José de Mayo's Teatro Bartolomé Macció is a traditional theater, regarded as the city's most important building architecturally and declared a Historic Monument of Uruguay in 1984.
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.
Frigorífico Anglo del Uruguay
Part of a UNESCO World Heritage landscape inscribed in 2015, the old Anglo meatpacking plant stands on the Uruguay River at Fray Bentos, where frozen meat shipments began in 1924.
Gualeguaychú Cathedral
In Gualeguaychú, Argentina, the Roman Catholic diocese has its cathedral church at St. Joseph's, also known as Gualeguaychú Cathedral.
Ciervo de los Pantanos National Park
Marsh deer give their name to Ciervo de los Pantanos National Park, a Ramsar Site in Campana, Buenos Aires province, where waterbirds are abundant.
Japanese Garden, Belén de Escobar
Landscape engineer Yasuo Inomata designed this Japanese garden in Belén de Escobar in 1969, and the local Japanese community donated it to the city. Red, white and spotted koi swim in its 1,000-square-meter pond.
Temaikèn
Temaikèn is a zoo in Belén de Escobar, outside Buenos Aires, and the only zoo in Argentina accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums.
Once you reach Martínez
Museo Pueyrredon
In Acassuso, in the San Isidro district of Buenos Aires Province, this municipal history museum bears the name of Brigadier General Juan Martín de Pueyrredón.
Parque Natural Municipal Ribera Norte
On the Río de la Plata shore in Acassuso, San Isidro, Ribera Norte is a municipal nature park protecting green space within greater Buenos Aires.
ESMA Museum and Site of Memory – Former Clandestine Center of Detention, Torture and Extermination
Set in Buenos Aires on the former Navy Mechanics School grounds, one of the largest clandestine detention, torture and extermination centers of the last dictatorship, this site museum was declared UNESCO World Heritage in 2023.
More drives to Martínez
- La Plata to Martínez
- Berisso to Martínez
- Chascomús to Martínez
- Ayacucho, Argentina to Martínez
- Villa Gesell to Martínez
- Mar del Plata to Martínez
More drives from Atlántida
Frequently asked questions
How long is the drive from Atlántida to Martínez, Argentina?
About 7 h 39 min of driving without stops, over 366 miles.
What is the driving distance from Atlántida to Martínez, Argentina?
About 366 miles (589 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.
Where does the Atlántida to Martínez drive cross the border?
At about mile 213, from Uruguay into Argentina, at the Gualeguaychú–Fray Bentos bridge.
What do U.S. citizens need to drive from Atlántida into Argentina?
No visa needed for visits of 90 days or less. Passport: must be valid when you enter; leave a blank page for the entry and exit stamps. A valid U.S. license usually works; an International Driving Permit is recommended. (U.S. State Department, updated July 16, 2026.)
What does the U.S. travel advisory say about the Atlántida to Martínez drive?
The U.S. State Department rates Uruguay Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; Argentina Level 1: Exercise Normal Precautions. Read the full advisory before you go.
What roads does the drive from Atlántida to Martínez use?
In order: RN136, RN14, RN12, RP6 and RN9. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
What are good stops between Atlántida and Martínez?
Closest to the road: Teatro Politeama (theater, mile 42, 0.2 mi from the route); Japanese Garden, Belén de Escobar (japanese garden, mile 344, 0.2 mi from the route); Temaikèn (zoo, mile 345, 0.6 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.