By road, Bella Unión and Magdalena, Argentina are about 431 miles (694 km) apart, or roughly 8 h 1 min of driving. You cross from Uruguay into Argentina at about mile 88, at Concordia–Salto.
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: “Traffic fatalities are high in Uruguay.”
- Argentina: “Drivers in Argentina tend to be aggressive, especially in Buenos Aires, and often ignore traffic regulations.”
| Distance by road | 431 mi (694 km) |
|---|---|
| Drive time without stops | 8 h 1 min |
| Main roads, in order | RNA015 → RN14 → RN12 → RP6 → RN9 → AV1-N → RN1 → RP11 |
| Border crossing | about mile 88, Uruguay → Argentina (Concordia–Salto) |
| Regions on the route | Artigas, Salto, Entre Ríos, Buenos Aires, Ciudad de Buenos Aires |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 17.3 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 9 |
Getting across the Uruguay–Argentina border
The route crosses at about mile 88, at Concordia–Salto, from Salto 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.
How the Bella Unión to Magdalena drive plays out
RN14 (166 mi) and RN12 (48 mi) carry about 50% of the 431 miles. The first 88 miles are in Uruguay; the last 343 are in Argentina. It runs through 5 regions: Artigas, Salto, Entre Ríos, Buenos Aires, Ciudad de Buenos Aires. Of the 9 stops listed below, 8 are within a mile of the road.
Bella Unión to Magdalena: the road sequence
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | Region |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–88 | 88 | Artigas, Salto |
| RNA015 | 88–99 | 11 | Entre Ríos |
| RN14 | 99–265 | 166 | Entre Ríos |
| RN12 | 265–313 | 48 | Entre Ríos, Buenos Aires |
| RP6 | 313–318 | 5 | Buenos Aires |
| RN9 | 318–357 | 39 | Buenos Aires |
| connecting roads | 357–359 | 2 | Ciudad de Buenos Aires |
| AV1-N | 359–366 | 7 | Ciudad de Buenos Aires |
| connecting roads | 366–369 | 3 | Ciudad de Buenos Aires |
| RN1 | 369–400 | 31 | Ciudad de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires |
| RP11 | 400–431 | 31 | Buenos Aires |
- Mile 37 of this route: Artigas → Salto (region line)
- Mile 88 of this route: Salto → Entre Ríos (international border)
- Mile 296 of this route: Entre Ríos → Buenos Aires (region line)
- Mile 357 of this route: Buenos Aires → Ciudad de Buenos Aires (region line)
- Mile 374 of this route: Ciudad de Buenos Aires → Buenos Aires (region line)
Places worth a stop between Bella Unión and Magdalena
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Termas de Salto Grande (mile 87), El Palmar National Park (mile 142), Temaikèn (mile 334), El Rosedal De Palermo (mile 363), Eduardo Sívori Museum (mile 363), Teatro Nacional Cervantes (mile 367), Museum of Foreign Debt (mile 367), Museo de Astronomía y Geofísica (mile 402)
- Nature and outdoors: Termas de Salto Grande (mile 87), El Palmar National Park (mile 142), El Rosedal De Palermo (mile 363)
- Museums and history: Eduardo Sívori Museum (mile 363), Museum of Foreign Debt (mile 367), Basílica del Sagrado Corazón (mile 402), Museo de Astronomía y Geofísica (mile 402)
- With kids: Temaikèn (mile 334)
Termas de Salto Grande
On the Uruguayan shore of the Salto Grande dam's lake in Salto department, Termas de Salto Grande is a hot spring complex.
El Palmar National Park
Set off National Route 14 in Entre Ríos, between Colón and Concordia, El Palmar National Park protects groves of yatay palms along with gallery forest, savanna and grassland.
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.
El Rosedal De Palermo
Part of Parque Tres de Febrero in Palermo, the Rosedal covers 3.4 hectares with about 18,000 rose bushes, busts of 26 poets and writers, a Greek-style bridge and an Andalusian patio.
Eduardo Sívori Museum
Named after painter Eduardo Sívori, this municipal museum of plastic arts in Buenos Aires opened in 1938.
Teatro Nacional Cervantes
The Teatro Nacional Cervantes in Buenos Aires is Argentina's national stage, a theater for drama and comedy.
Museum of Foreign Debt
Inside the University of Buenos Aires Faculty of Economic Sciences, the Museum of Foreign Debt is a public museum showing how foreign debt has shaped Argentina's economic development.
Basílica del Sagrado Corazón
The Basílica del Sagrado Corazón stands in La Plata at 58 and 9 streets and Diagonal 73, belongs to the Archdiocese of La Plata, and hosted the city's first Mass for deaf people.
Museo de Astronomía y Geofísica
Run by the National University of La Plata's astronomy and geophysics school, the Museo de Astronomía y Geofísica was created in 1997 and opened its permanent exhibit in 2001.
More drives to Magdalena
- Necochea to Magdalena
- Adrogué to Magdalena
- Tigre to Magdalena
- Buenos Aires to Magdalena
- Luján to Magdalena
- San Antonio de Areco to Magdalena
More drives from Bella Unión
- Bella Unión to Veinticinco de Agosto
- Bella Unión to Fray Marcos
- Bella Unión to Piriápolis
- Bella Unión to Atlántida
- Bella Unión to Alejandro Gallinal
- Bella Unión to Barra de Valizas
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to drive from Bella Unión to Magdalena, Argentina?
About 8 h 1 min of driving without stops, over 431 miles.
What is the driving distance from Bella Unión to Magdalena, Argentina?
About 431 miles (694 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 Bella Unión to Magdalena drive cross the border?
At about mile 88, from Uruguay into Argentina, at Concordia–Salto.
What do U.S. citizens need to drive from Bella Unión 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 Bella Unión to Magdalena, 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 Bella Unión to Magdalena?
In order: RNA015, RN14, RN12, RP6, RN9, AV1-N, RN1 and RP11. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
What are good stops between Bella Unión and Magdalena?
Closest to the road: El Palmar National Park (national park of Argentina, mile 142, 0.2 mi from the route); Teatro Nacional Cervantes (theater, mile 367, 0.2 mi from the route); Museo de Astronomía y Geofísica (museum, mile 402, 0.3 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.