Plan on about 12 h 5 min of driving for the 542-mile (873 km) trip from Bento Gonçalves to Trinidad, Uruguay, before any stops. You cross from Brazil into Uruguay at about mile 319.
- 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: “Driving on Brazil’s roads poses significant risks.”
- Uruguay: “Several of the main highways are particularly accident-ridden.”
| Distance by road | 542 mi (873 km) |
|---|---|
| Drive time without stops | 12 h 5 min |
| Main roads, in order | BR-470 → RSC-453 → RSC-287 → BR-158 → BR-290 |
| Border crossing | about mile 319, Brazil → Uruguay |
| Regions on the route | Rio Grande do Sul, Rivera, Tacuarembó, Durazno, Flores |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 21.7 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 8 |
The border on the way to Trinidad
The route crosses at about mile 319, 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.
On the road from Bento Gonçalves to Trinidad
BR-158 (134 mi) and RSC-287 (95 mi) carry about 42% of the 542 miles. The first 319 miles are in Brazil; the last 223 are in Uruguay. It runs through 5 regions: Rio Grande do Sul, Rivera, Tacuarembó, Durazno, Flores. Of the 8 stops listed below, 4 are within a mile of the road.
Road-by-road breakdown: Bento Gonçalves to Trinidad
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | Region |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–1 | 1 | Rio Grande do Sul |
| BR-470 | 1–7 | 6 | Rio Grande do Sul |
| RSC-453 | 7–67 | 60 | Rio Grande do Sul |
| RSC-287 | 67–162 | 95 | Rio Grande do Sul |
| connecting roads | 162–167 | 5 | Rio Grande do Sul |
| local roads | 167–171 | 4 | Rio Grande do Sul |
| BR-158 | 171–242 | 71 | Rio Grande do Sul |
| BR-290 | 242–256 | 14 | Rio Grande do Sul |
| BR-158 | 256–319 | 63 | Rio Grande do Sul |
| connecting roads | 319–320 | 1 | Rivera |
| local roads | 320–517 | 197 | Rivera, Tacuarembó, Durazno |
| connecting roads | 517–520 | 3 | Durazno |
| local roads | 520–542 | 22 | Durazno, Flores |
- Mile 319 of this route: Rio Grande do Sul → Rivera (international border)
- Mile 369 of this route: Rivera → Tacuarembó (region line)
- Mile 478 of this route: Tacuarembó → Durazno (region line)
- Mile 523 of this route: Durazno → Flores (region line)
Where to stop on the way to Trinidad
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Theatro Treze de Maio (mile 169), Museum Vincente Pallotti (mile 170), Museo de Artes Visuales de Tacuarembó (mile 389), Casa de Rivera, Durazno (mile 518)
- Nature and outdoors: Chorro de Agua Fría (mile 414)
- Museums and history: St. John the Baptist Cathedral, Santa Cruz do Sul (mile 81), Aristides Carlos Rodrigues Museum (mile 105), Museum Vincente Pallotti (mile 170), Museo de Artes Visuales de Tacuarembó (mile 389), Casa de Rivera, Durazno (mile 518)
St. John the Baptist Cathedral, Santa Cruz do Sul
Facing Getúlio Vargas Square in central Santa Cruz do Sul, St. John the Baptist Cathedral is the city's Roman Catholic cathedral.
Aristides Carlos Rodrigues Museum
In the town of Candelária, Rio Grande do Sul, the Aristides Carlos Rodrigues Museum is part of the Paleorrota Geopark and offers information about the region.
Aqueduto de Candelária
In Candelária, Rio Grande do Sul, the Aqueduto de Candelária stands in the Linha Curitiba area. It was commissioned by João Kochenborger, one of the first German immigrants to reach the municipality, in 1862.
Theatro Treze de Maio
Facing Praça Saldanha Marinho in central Santa Maria, Rio Grande do Sul, the Theatro Treze de Maio is a theater protected as a municipal heritage property.
Museum Vincente Pallotti
On Avenida Presidente Vargas in Santa Maria, Rio Grande do Sul, the Vicente Pallotti Museum shares a complex with Palotina College.
Museo de Artes Visuales de Tacuarembó
The Museum of Visual Arts of Tacuarembó (Museo de Artes Visuales) is a museum in the city of Tacuarembó, Uruguay.
Chorro de Agua Fría
In Uruguay's Tacuarembó Department, Chorro de Agua Fría is a waterfall that drops roughly 14 meters, the highest uninterrupted fall in the country.
Casa de Rivera, Durazno
Facing Plaza Independencia in Durazno, the Casa de Fructuoso Rivera (Casa de Rivera) is one of the town's main heritage sites and now houses the department's historical museum.
When you get to Trinidad
Reserva de Flora y fauna Dr. Rodolfo Tálice
Off Route 3 near Trinidad, the Dr. Rodolfo Tálice Ecopark (Reserva de Flora y Fauna Dr. Rodolfo Talice) is a fenced wildlife reserve where axis deer, greater rheas and pampas deer roam free alongside other species.
More drives to Trinidad
- Montevideo to Trinidad, Uruguay
- Minas to Trinidad, Uruguay
- Artigas to Trinidad, Uruguay
- Treinta y Tres to Trinidad, Uruguay
- Buenos Aires to Trinidad, Uruguay
- Córdoba, Argentina to Trinidad, Uruguay
More drives from Bento Gonçalves
- Bento Gonçalves to Guaíra
- Bento Gonçalves to Tubarão
- Bento Gonçalves to Santana do Livramento
- Bento Gonçalves to Chuí
- Bento Gonçalves to Mercedes, Argentina
- Bento Gonçalves to Maldonado, Uruguay
Continue Your Adventure
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to drive from Bento Gonçalves to Trinidad, Uruguay?
About 12 h 5 min of driving without stops, over 542 miles.
How far is Trinidad, Uruguay from Bento Gonçalves by car?
About 542 miles (873 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 Bento Gonçalves to Trinidad drive cross the border?
At about mile 319, from Brazil into Uruguay.
What do U.S. citizens need to drive from Bento Gonçalves 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 Bento Gonçalves to Trinidad, 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 Bento Gonçalves to Trinidad?
In order: BR-470, RSC-453, RSC-287, BR-158 and BR-290. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
Where can you stop on the way from Bento Gonçalves to Trinidad?
Closest to the road: Theatro Treze de Maio (theater, mile 169, 0.5 mi from the route); Museum Vincente Pallotti (museum, mile 170, 0.1 mi from the route); Casa de Rivera, Durazno (historic house museum, mile 518, 0.1 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.