By road, Bagé and Paysandú, Uruguay are about 318 miles (512 km) apart, or roughly 7 h 19 min of driving. You cross from Brazil into Uruguay at about mile 101.
- Level 4: Do Not Travel in Brazil: informal housing developments (favelas, vilas, comunidades or conglomerados).
Full advisory: Brazil, Uruguay. Advisory issued: Brazil August 31, 2026; Uruguay July 28, 2026; checked October 10, 2026.
On the roads, the State Department says:
- Brazil: “Drivers must have their daytime running lights on during the day and headlights on at night on Federal Highways.”
- Uruguay: “Illumination, pavement markings, and road surfaces for secondary roads can be poor.”
| Distance | 318 mi (512 km) |
|---|---|
| Time at the wheel, no stops | 7 h 19 min |
| Main roads, in order | RSC-473 → BR-293 |
| Border crossing | about mile 101, Brazil → Uruguay |
| Regions on the route | Rio Grande do Sul, Rivera, Tacuarembó, Paysandú, Salto |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 12.7 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 4 |
Border crossing: what to bring for Uruguay
The route crosses at about mile 101, from Rio Grande do Sul into Rivera. Plan on two checks on each side: immigration for your passport and customs for the car.
| 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. |
| Entering Brazil (U.S. citizens) | Visa required: apply and get approved before you travel; travelers without visas can't enter. Passport: must be valid for one month at entry, with a blank page for each stamp. |
| Driving in Brazil | If you'll stay more than 180 days and drive, carry an Inter-American Driving Permit with your U.S. license. |
| 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, Uruguay (updated August 13, 2026); U.S. State Department, Brazil (updated August 06, 2026). Checked October 10, 2026; rules change, so confirm before you go.
How the Bagé to Paysandú drive plays out
BR-293 (95 mi) and RSC-473 (4 mi) carry about 31% of the 318 miles. The first 101 miles are in Brazil; the last 217 are in Uruguay. It runs through 5 regions: Rio Grande do Sul, Rivera, Tacuarembó, Paysandú, Salto. Of the 4 stops listed below, 3 are within a mile of the road.
Which roads connect Bagé and Paysandú
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | Region |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–2 | 2 | Rio Grande do Sul |
| RSC-473 | 2–6 | 4 | Rio Grande do Sul |
| BR-293 | 6–101 | 95 | Rio Grande do Sul |
| local roads | 101–170 | 69 | Rivera, Tacuarembó |
| connecting roads | 170–172 | 2 | Tacuarembó |
| local roads | 172–318 | 146 | Tacuarembó, Paysandú, Salto |
- Mile 101 of this route: Rio Grande do Sul → Rivera (international border)
- Mile 150 of this route: Rivera → Tacuarembó (region line)
- Mile 194 of this route: Tacuarembó → Paysandú (region line)
- Mile 203 of this route: Paysandú → Salto (region line)
- Mile 209 of this route: Salto → Paysandú (region line)
Where to stop on the way to Paysandú
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Cathedral of Tacuarembó (mile 170), Museo de Geociencias (mile 170), Museo Carlos Gardel (mile 187)
- Nature and outdoors: Pozo Hondo (mile 189)
- Museums and history: Cathedral of Tacuarembó (mile 170), Museo de Geociencias (mile 170), Museo Carlos Gardel (mile 187)
Cathedral of Tacuarembó
Saint Fructuosus Cathedral is the main Catholic church of Tacuarembó, Uruguay, and has been the seat of the local diocese since 1960.
Museo de Geociencias
Museo Carlos Gardel
Dedicated to the life and work of Carlos Gardel, this museum is in Valle Edén, Tacuarembó department, 21 kilometers from the city of Tacuarembó.
Pozo Hondo
Pozo Hondo is a waterfall in Uruguay's Tacuarembó department, located between the towns of Valle Edén and Tambores.
When you get to Paysandú
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.
Teatro Florencio Sánchez
In the city of Paysandú, Teatro Florencio Sánchez is a theater and movie house that has been declared a national historic monument of Uruguay.
More drives to Paysandú
- Rivera to Paysandú
- Montevideo to Paysandú
- Buenos Aires to Paysandú, Uruguay
- Mar del Plata to Paysandú, Uruguay
- La Plata to Paysandú, Uruguay
- Berisso to Paysandú, Uruguay
More drives from Bagé
- Bagé to Erechim
- Bagé to Tubarão
- Bagé to Francisco Beltrão
- Bagé to Chuí
- Bagé to Mercedes, Uruguay
- Bagé to Durazno, Uruguay
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to drive from Bagé to Paysandú, Uruguay?
About 7 h 19 min of driving without stops, over 318 miles.
What is the driving distance from Bagé to Paysandú, Uruguay?
About 318 miles (512 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 Bagé to Paysandú drive cross the border?
At about mile 101, from Brazil into Uruguay.
What do U.S. citizens need to drive from Bagé into Uruguay?
No visa needed for visits of 90 days or less. Passport: must be valid for 6 months beyond your arrival date. You can drive on your U.S. license. (U.S. State Department, updated August 13, 2026.)
Is it safe to drive from Bagé to Paysandú, Uruguay?
The U.S. State Department rates Brazil Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; Uruguay Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution. Read the full advisory before you go.
Which highways go from Bagé to Paysandú?
In order: RSC-473 and BR-293. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
Where can you stop on the way from Bagé to Paysandú?
Closest to the road: Cathedral of Tacuarembó (cathedral, mile 170, 0.6 mi from the route); Museo de Geociencias (museum, mile 170, 0.7 mi from the route); Museo Carlos Gardel (museum, mile 187, 0.4 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.