By road, Buenos Aires and Fray Bentos, Uruguay are about 172 miles (277 km) apart, or roughly 3 h 32 min of driving. You cross from Argentina into Uruguay at about mile 167, 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: “Illumination, pavement markings, and road surfaces for secondary roads can be poor.”
| Distance by road | 172 mi (277 km) |
|---|---|
| Time at the wheel, no stops | 3 h 32 min |
| Main roads, in order | AV1-N → RN9 → RP6 → RN12 → RN14 → RN136 |
| Border crossing | about mile 167, Argentina → Uruguay (the Gualeguaychú–Fray Bentos bridge) |
| Regions on the route | Ciudad de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Entre Ríos, Río Negro |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 6.9 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 8 |
Getting across the Argentina–Uruguay border
The route crosses at about mile 167, 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.
On the road from Buenos Aires to Fray Bentos
RN12 (47 mi) and RN9 (40 mi) carry about 51% of the 172 miles. The first 167 miles are in Argentina; the last 5 are in Uruguay. It runs through 4 regions: Ciudad de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Entre Ríos, Río Negro. Of the 8 stops listed below, 3 are within a mile of the road.
Roads you'll take from Buenos Aires to Fray Bentos
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | Region |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–2 | 2 | Ciudad de Buenos Aires |
| AV1-N | 2–8 | 6 | Ciudad de Buenos Aires |
| connecting roads | 8–10 | 2 | Ciudad de Buenos Aires |
| RN9 | 10–50 | 40 | Ciudad de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires |
| RP6 | 50–55 | 5 | Buenos Aires |
| RN12 | 55–102 | 47 | Buenos Aires, Entre Ríos |
| RN14 | 102–138 | 36 | Entre Ríos |
| local roads | 138–145 | 7 | Entre Ríos |
| RN136 | 145–164 | 19 | Entre Ríos |
| connecting roads | 164–167 | 3 | Entre Ríos |
| local roads | 167–172 | 5 | Río Negro |
- Mile 11 of this route: Ciudad de Buenos Aires → Buenos Aires (region line)
- Mile 72 of this route: Buenos Aires → Entre Ríos (region line)
- Mile 167 of this route: Entre Ríos → Río Negro (international border)
What to see on the way from Buenos Aires to Fray Bentos
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Parque de la Memoria (mile 7), Temaikèn (mile 33), Japanese Garden, Belén de Escobar (mile 34)
- Nature and outdoors: Parque de la Memoria (mile 7), Japanese Garden, Belén de Escobar (mile 34), Ciervo de los Pantanos National Park (mile 42)
- Museums and history: Sarmiento Historical Museum (mile 7), Carnacini House Museum (mile 12), Museo del Estudio Jurídico (mile 14), Gualeguaychú Cathedral (mile 144)
- With kids: Temaikèn (mile 33)
Sarmiento Historical Museum
In the Belgrano neighborhood of Buenos Aires, the Sarmiento Historical Museum covers the Generation of '80 and the life of President Domingo Faustino Sarmiento, with sections on Nicolás Avellaneda and the 1880 federalization.
Parque de la Memoria
Facing the Río de la Plata at the northern end of Buenos Aires' Belgrano section, Parque de la Memoria is a public memorial to the victims of Argentina's 1976–1983 military regime.
Carnacini House Museum
Painter Ceferino Carnacini lived for fifty years in the house that is now the Carnacini House Museum (Museo Casa Carnacini), a municipal art museum in Villa Ballester, Argentina.
Museo del Estudio Jurídico
Founded in 2015, the Museo del Estudio Jurídico sits on 9 de Julio Street in the commercial center of San Isidro, Argentina.
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.
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.
Ciervo de los Pantanos National Park
About 2,500 hectares of wetlands in Campana, Buenos Aires province, are protected as Ciervo de los Pantanos National Park. It's a Ramsar Site and home to the marsh deer and plenty of waterbirds.
Gualeguaychú Cathedral
St. Joseph's Cathedral, also called Gualeguaychú Cathedral, serves as the cathedral church of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Gualeguaychú in Argentina.
Once you reach Fray Bentos
Miguel Young Theatre, Fray Bentos
The Miguel Young Theatre in Fray Bentos, Uruguay, was built in 1913 to plans by Antonio Llambías de Olivar.
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.
Museo Luis Alberto Solari
Museo Luis Alberto Solari is a fine arts museum in Fray Bentos, capital of Uruguay's Río Negro department, welcoming the general public, students and foreign visitors.
More drives to Fray Bentos
- Florida, Uruguay to Fray Bentos
- Minas to Fray Bentos
- Rivera to Fray Bentos
- Rocha to Fray Bentos
- Melo to Fray Bentos
- Rosario, Argentina to Fray Bentos, Uruguay
More drives from Buenos Aires
- Buenos Aires to Magdalena
- Buenos Aires to Ayacucho, Argentina
- Buenos Aires to Sierra de La Ventana
- Buenos Aires to Luján
- Buenos Aires to San Antonio de Areco
- Buenos Aires to Arrecifes
Continue Your Adventure
Frequently asked questions
How long is the drive from Buenos Aires to Fray Bentos, Uruguay?
About 3 h 32 min of driving without stops, over 172 miles.
How far is Fray Bentos, Uruguay from Buenos Aires by car?
About 172 miles (277 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 Buenos Aires to Fray Bentos drive cross the border?
At about mile 167, from Argentina into Uruguay, at the Gualeguaychú–Fray Bentos bridge.
What do U.S. citizens need to drive from Buenos Aires 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.)
What does the U.S. travel advisory say about the Buenos Aires to Fray Bentos drive?
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.
What roads does the drive from Buenos Aires to Fray Bentos use?
In order: AV1-N, RN9, RP6, RN12, RN14 and RN136. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
What are good stops between Buenos Aires and Fray Bentos?
Closest to the road: Parque de la Memoria (memorial park, mile 7, 0.5 mi from the route); Temaikèn (zoo, mile 33, 0.6 mi from the route); Japanese Garden, Belén de Escobar (japanese garden, mile 34, 0.2 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.