Barra de Valizas to Martínez, Argentina is about 505 road miles (813 km): roughly 10 h 55 min at the wheel if you don't stop. You cross from Uruguay into Argentina at about mile 352, 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: “Illumination, pavement markings, and road surfaces for secondary roads can be poor.”
- Argentina: “Drivers in Argentina tend to be aggressive, especially in Buenos Aires, and often ignore traffic regulations.”
| Distance by road | 505 mi (813 km) |
|---|---|
| Drive time without stops | 10 h 55 min |
| Main roads, in order | I-B → RN136 → RN14 → RN12 → RP6 → RN9 |
| Border crossing | about mile 352, Uruguay → Argentina (the Gualeguaychú–Fray Bentos bridge) |
| Regions on the route | Rocha, Maldonado, Canelones, San José, Colonia, Soriano, Río Negro, Entre Ríos, Buenos Aires |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 20.2 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 9 |
The border on the way to Martínez
The route crosses at about mile 352, 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.
Driving Barra de Valizas to Martínez: the shape of the trip
RN12 (47 mi) and RN14 (37 mi) carry about 17% of the 505 miles. The first 352 miles are in Uruguay; the last 153 are in Argentina. It runs through 9 regions: Rocha, Maldonado, Canelones, San José, Colonia, Soriano, Río Negro, Entre Ríos, Buenos Aires. Of the 9 stops listed below, 4 are within a mile of the road.
The route from Barra de Valizas to Martínez, road by road
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | Region |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–111 | 111 | Rocha, Maldonado |
| I-B | 111–117 | 6 | Maldonado |
| local roads | 117–134 | 17 | Maldonado, Canelones |
| connecting roads | 134–135 | 1 | Canelones |
| local roads | 135–179 | 44 | Canelones |
| connecting roads | 179–182 | 3 | Canelones |
| local roads | 182–213 | 31 | Canelones, San José |
| connecting roads | 213–216 | 3 | San José |
| local roads | 216–252 | 36 | San José, Colonia |
| connecting roads | 252–254 | 2 | Colonia, Soriano |
| local roads | 254–350 | 96 | Soriano, Río Negro |
| connecting roads | 350–353 | 3 | Río Negro, Entre Ríos |
| RN136 | 353–372 | 19 | Entre Ríos |
| local roads | 372–378 | 6 | Entre Ríos |
| RN14 | 378–415 | 37 | Entre Ríos |
| RN12 | 415–462 | 47 | Entre Ríos, Buenos Aires |
| RP6 | 462–467 | 5 | Buenos Aires |
| RN9 | 467–502 | 35 | Buenos Aires |
| local roads | 502–505 | 3 | Buenos Aires |
- Mile 65 of this route: Rocha → Maldonado (region line)
- Mile 123 of this route: Maldonado → Canelones (region line)
- Mile 192 of this route: Canelones → San José (region line)
- Mile 235 of this route: San José → Colonia (region line)
- Mile 253 of this route: Colonia → Soriano (region line)
- Mile 334 of this route: Soriano → Río Negro (region line)
- Mile 352 of this route: Río Negro → Entre Ríos (international border)
- Mile 445 of this route: Entre Ríos → Buenos Aires (region line)
Places worth a stop between Barra de Valizas and Martínez
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Teatro Politeama (mile 181), Cathedral of Mercedes (mile 332), Japanese Garden, Belén de Escobar (mile 483), Temaikèn (mile 484)
- Nature and outdoors: La Sirena Beach (mile 7), Laguna José Ignacio (mile 77), Cerro Pan de Azúcar Native Wildlife Breeding Station (mile 111), Japanese Garden, Belén de Escobar (mile 483)
- Museums and history: Iglesia de Cristo Obrero y Nuestra Señora de Lourdes (mile 145), Cathedral of Mercedes (mile 332)
- With kids: Temaikèn (mile 484)
La Sirena Beach
About 2.5 km north of Aguas Dulces, La Sirena is one of Uruguay's two official naturist beaches, backed by vegetated dunes, small marshes, lagoons and pine and acacia woods where coastal birds are common.
Laguna José Ignacio
In Uruguay's Maldonado Department, Laguna José Ignacio is a coastal lagoon kept apart from the Atlantic Ocean by a sandbank.
Cerro Pan de Azúcar Native Wildlife Breeding Station
Near Piriápolis in Maldonado, this breeding station for native wildlife on Cerro Pan de Azúcar is surrounded by native vegetation and offers guided visits, including a native wildlife trail and a path up the hill.
Iglesia de Cristo Obrero y Nuestra Señora de Lourdes
Wavy brick walls and a rippling brick roof define this church in Estación Atlántida, along with an openwork brick bell tower and a baptistery set underground. Engineer Eladio Dieste designed it, and it opened in 1960.
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.
Cathedral of Mercedes
Dedicated to Our Lady of Mercy, this cathedral is the main Catholic church of Mercedes, Uruguay, and has been the seat of the Diocese of Mercedes since 1960.
Frigorífico Anglo del Uruguay
Liebig exported meat extract and corned beef from this spot on the Uruguay River at Fray Bentos starting in 1865. In 1924, the Anglo plant began shipping frozen meat from the same site.
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
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.
San Isidro Cathedral
Main church of the Diocese of San Isidro, this cathedral stands on Del Libertador Avenue opposite Plaza Mitre, in the historic quarter of San Isidro in Buenos Aires province.
Museo Malvinas e Islas del Atlántico Sur
Opened in June 2014 by the Argentine government, the Malvinas and South Atlantic Islands Museum stands on the former Navy Mechanics School grounds in Buenos Aires.
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
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to drive from Barra de Valizas to Martínez, Argentina?
About 10 h 55 min of driving without stops, over 505 miles.
How far is Martínez, Argentina from Barra de Valizas by car?
About 505 miles (813 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 Barra de Valizas to Martínez drive cross the border?
At about mile 352, from Uruguay into Argentina, at the Gualeguaychú–Fray Bentos bridge.
What do U.S. citizens need to drive from Barra de Valizas 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.)
Is it safe to drive from Barra de Valizas to Martínez, Argentina?
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.
Which highways go from Barra de Valizas to Martínez?
In order: I-B, RN136, RN14, RN12, RP6 and RN9. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
What are good stops between Barra de Valizas and Martínez?
Closest to the road: Teatro Politeama (theater, mile 181, 0.2 mi from the route); Japanese Garden, Belén de Escobar (japanese garden, mile 483, 0.4 mi from the route); Temaikèn (zoo, mile 484, 0.5 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.