Plan on about 11 h 57 min of driving for the 556-mile (894 km) trip from Berisso to Barra de Valizas, Uruguay, before any stops. You cross from Argentina into Uruguay at about mile 205, at the Gualeguaychú–Fray Bentos bridge.
Full advisory: Argentina, Uruguay. Advisory issued: Argentina July 10, 2026; Uruguay July 28, 2026; checked October 10, 2026.
On the roads, the State Department says:
- Argentina: “Drivers in Argentina tend to be aggressive, especially in Buenos Aires, and often ignore traffic regulations.”
- Uruguay: “If you are in an accident involving injury, stay in place until a police officer arrives.”
| Distance | 556 mi (894 km) |
|---|---|
| Driving time, no stops | 11 h 57 min |
| Main roads, in order | 114-05 → RN1 → AV1-N → RN9 → RP6 → RN12 → RN14 → RN136 → I-B |
| Border crossing | about mile 205, Argentina → Uruguay (the Gualeguaychú–Fray Bentos bridge) |
| Regions on the route | Buenos Aires, Ciudad de Buenos Aires, Entre Ríos, Río Negro, Soriano, Colonia, San José, Canelones, Maldonado, Rocha |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 22.2 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 9 |
Getting across the Argentina–Uruguay border
The route crosses at about mile 205, at the Gualeguaychú–Fray Bentos bridge, from Entre Ríos into Río Negro. 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 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. |
| 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, Argentina (updated July 16, 2026). Checked October 10, 2026; rules change, so confirm before you go.
What the drive from Berisso to Barra de Valizas is like
RN12 (47 mi) and RN9 (40 mi) carry about 16% of the 556 miles. The first 205 miles are in Argentina; the last 351 are in Uruguay. It runs through 10 regions: Buenos Aires, Ciudad de Buenos Aires, Entre Ríos, Río Negro, Soriano, Colonia, San José, Canelones, Maldonado, Rocha. Of the 9 stops listed below, 5 are within a mile of the road.
Berisso to Barra de Valizas: the road sequence
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | Region |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–1 | 1 | Buenos Aires |
| 114-05 | 1–4 | 3 | Buenos Aires |
| connecting roads | 4–7 | 3 | Buenos Aires |
| RN1 | 7–37 | 30 | Buenos Aires, Ciudad de Buenos Aires |
| local roads | 37–40 | 3 | Ciudad de Buenos Aires |
| AV1-N | 40–46 | 6 | Ciudad de Buenos Aires |
| connecting roads | 46–48 | 2 | Ciudad de Buenos Aires |
| RN9 | 48–88 | 40 | Ciudad de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires |
| RP6 | 88–93 | 5 | Buenos Aires |
| RN12 | 93–140 | 47 | Buenos Aires, Entre Ríos |
| RN14 | 140–176 | 36 | Entre Ríos |
| local roads | 176–183 | 7 | Entre Ríos |
| RN136 | 183–202 | 19 | Entre Ríos |
| connecting roads | 202–205 | 3 | Entre Ríos |
| local roads | 205–301 | 96 | Río Negro, Soriano |
| connecting roads | 301–302 | 1 | Soriano |
| local roads | 302–339 | 37 | Colonia, San José |
| connecting roads | 339–341 | 2 | San José |
| local roads | 341–437 | 96 | San José, Canelones, Maldonado |
| I-B | 437–443 | 6 | Maldonado |
| connecting roads | 443–444 | 1 | Maldonado |
| local roads | 444–556 | 112 | Maldonado, Rocha |
- Mile 33 of this route: Buenos Aires → Ciudad de Buenos Aires (region line)
- Mile 49 of this route: Ciudad de Buenos Aires → Buenos Aires (region line)
- Mile 110 of this route: Buenos Aires → Entre Ríos (region line)
- Mile 205 of this route: Entre Ríos → Río Negro (international border)
- Mile 221 of this route: Río Negro → Soriano (region line)
- Mile 302 of this route: Soriano → Colonia (region line)
- Mile 319 of this route: Colonia → San José (region line)
- Mile 364 of this route: San José → Canelones (region line)
- Mile 432 of this route: Canelones → Maldonado (region line)
- Mile 490 of this route: Maldonado → Rocha (region line)
Where to stop on the way to Barra de Valizas
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Museo de la Casa Rosada (mile 38), Museo de Informática de la República Argentina (mile 39), Temaikèn (mile 71), Cathedral of Mercedes (mile 222), Cathedral of San José de Mayo (mile 339)
- Nature and outdoors: Cerro Pan de Azúcar Native Wildlife Breeding Station (mile 444), La Sirena Beach (mile 549)
- Museums and history: Museo de la Casa Rosada (mile 38), Museo de Informática de la República Argentina (mile 39), Gualeguaychú Cathedral (mile 182), Cathedral of Mercedes (mile 222), Cathedral of San José de Mayo (mile 339), Iglesia de Cristo Obrero y Nuestra Señora de Lourdes (mile 409)
- With kids: Temaikèn (mile 71)
Museo de la Casa Rosada
Set in the old galleries of the Taylor Customs House in Buenos Aires, this museum opened in 2011 and displays about 10,000 historic pieces that belonged to Argentine presidents.
Museo de Informática de la República Argentina
Founded in 2010 and run by the ICATEC Foundation, this Buenos Aires museum preserves Argentina's computing heritage and the memory of the country's computing pioneers.
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.
Gualeguaychú Cathedral
In Gualeguaychú, Argentina, the Roman Catholic diocese has its cathedral church at St. Joseph's, also known as Gualeguaychú Cathedral.
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.
Cathedral of San José de Mayo
The main Catholic church of San José de Mayo, the Cathedral Basilica of St. Joseph has been the diocesan seat since 1955, a minor basilica since 1957 and Uruguay's national shrine of Saint Joseph.
Iglesia de Cristo Obrero y Nuestra Señora de Lourdes
Since 2021, UNESCO has counted Eladio Dieste's Church of Christ the Worker among its World Heritage Sites. The engineer's brick church in Estación Atlántida was inaugurated in 1960 and is known for its undulating walls and roof.
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.
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.
In Barra de Valizas itself
Parque nacional Cabo Polonio
Part of Uruguay's national protected areas system since 2009, Cabo Polonio National Park spans 25,820 hectares of coastline, ocean and offshore islands.
Cabo Polonio Lighthouse
Standing on the Cabo Polonio headland in Uruguay's Rocha department, this lighthouse looks out over the Atlantic Ocean and was built in 1881.
Dunes of Cabo Polonio
Inside Cabo Polonio National Park in Uruguay's Rocha department, a band of natural sand dunes runs along the Atlantic Ocean.
More drives to Barra de Valizas
- Maldonado to Barra de Valizas
- Montevideo to Barra de Valizas
- Veinticinco de Agosto to Barra de Valizas
- Nueva Helvecia to Barra de Valizas
- Colonia del Sacramento to Barra de Valizas
- Conchillas to Barra de Valizas
More drives from Berisso
- Berisso to Adrogué
- Berisso to Tigre
- Berisso to San Antonio de Areco
- Berisso to Arrecifes
- Berisso to Martínez
- Berisso to Colón, Argentina
Continue Your Adventure
Frequently asked questions
How long is the drive from Berisso to Barra de Valizas, Uruguay?
About 11 h 57 min of driving without stops, over 556 miles.
What is the driving distance from Berisso to Barra de Valizas, Uruguay?
About 556 miles (894 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 Berisso to Barra de Valizas drive cross the border?
At about mile 205, from Argentina into Uruguay, at the Gualeguaychú–Fray Bentos bridge.
What do U.S. citizens need to drive from Berisso 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 Berisso to Barra de Valizas, Uruguay?
The U.S. State Department rates Argentina Level 1: Exercise Normal Precautions; Uruguay Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution. Read the full advisory before you go.
Which highways go from Berisso to Barra de Valizas?
In order: 114-05, RN1, AV1-N, RN9, RP6, RN12, RN14, RN136 and I-B. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
What are good stops between Berisso and Barra de Valizas?
Closest to the road: Museo de la Casa Rosada (museum, mile 38, 0.3 mi from the route); Museo de Informática de la República Argentina (computer museum, mile 39, 0.3 mi from the route); Temaikèn (zoo, mile 71, 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.