By road, Buenos Aires and Rivera, Uruguay are about 420 miles (676 km) apart, or roughly 8 h 44 min of driving. You cross from Argentina into Uruguay at about mile 205, at the Colón–Paysandú 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.”
| Total distance | 420 mi (676 km) |
|---|---|
| Time at the wheel, no stops | 8 h 44 min |
| Main roads, in order | AV1-N → RN9 → RP6 → RN12 → RN14 → RN135 |
| Border crossing | about mile 205, Argentina → Uruguay (the Colón–Paysandú bridge) |
| Regions on the route | Ciudad de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Entre Ríos, Paysandú, Salto, Tacuarembó, Rivera |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 16.8 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 8 |
Crossing from Argentina into Uruguay
The route crosses at about mile 205, at the Colón–Paysandú bridge, from Entre Ríos into Paysandú. 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.
How the Buenos Aires to Rivera drive plays out
RN14 (93 mi) and RN12 (47 mi) carry about 33% of the 420 miles. The first 205 miles are in Argentina; the last 215 are in Uruguay. It runs through 7 regions: Ciudad de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Entre Ríos, Paysandú, Salto, Tacuarembó, Rivera. Of the 8 stops listed below, 4 are within a mile of the road.
Road-by-road breakdown: Buenos Aires to Rivera
| 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 | 102–195 | 93 | Entre Ríos |
| connecting roads | 195–196 | 1 | Entre Ríos |
| RN135 | 196–203 | 7 | Entre Ríos |
| local roads | 203–420 | 217 | Entre Ríos, Paysandú, Salto, Tacuarembó, Rivera |
- 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 205 of this route: Entre Ríos → Paysandú (international border)
- Mile 313 of this route: Paysandú → Salto (region line)
- Mile 319 of this route: Salto → Paysandú (region line)
- Mile 329 of this route: Paysandú → Tacuarembó (region line)
- Mile 372 of this route: Tacuarembó → Rivera (region line)
Breaking up the drive: stops between Buenos Aires and Rivera
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Temaikèn (mile 33), Museo Carlos Gardel (mile 334), Cathedral of Tacuarembó (mile 352), Zoológico Municipal Dr. Mauricio López Lomba (mile 354)
- Nature and outdoors: Pozo Hondo (mile 332)
- Museums and history: Sarmiento Historical Museum (mile 7), Carnacini House Museum (mile 12), Quinta Los Ombúes (mile 14), Museo Carlos Gardel (mile 334), Cathedral of Tacuarembó (mile 352)
- With kids: Temaikèn (mile 33), Zoológico Municipal Dr. Mauricio López Lomba (mile 354)
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.
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.
Quinta Los Ombúes
In the historic center of San Isidro, Buenos Aires Province, Quinta Los Ombúes is a museum and historic site set in an old colonial-style country house.
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.
Pozo Hondo
Pozo Hondo is a waterfall in Uruguay's Tacuarembó department, located between the towns of Valle Edén and Tambores.
Museo Carlos Gardel
Dedicated to the life and work of Carlos Gardel, this museum is in Valle Edén, Tacuarembó department, 21 kilometers from the city of Tacuarembó.
Cathedral of Tacuarembó
Saint Fructuosus Cathedral is the main Catholic church of Tacuarembó, Uruguay, and has been the seat of the local diocese since 1960.
Zoológico Municipal Dr. Mauricio López Lomba
Reachable from Route 5 at kilometer 390, the Mauricio López Lomba reserve is a wildlife reserve in the city of Tacuarembó, Uruguay.
More drives to Rivera
- Montevideo to Rivera
- Maldonado to Rivera
- Rosario, Argentina to Rivera, Uruguay
- Santa Fe to Rivera, Uruguay
- La Plata to Rivera, Uruguay
- San Nicolás de los Arroyos to Rivera, 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 does it take to drive from Buenos Aires to Rivera, Uruguay?
About 8 h 44 min of driving without stops, over 420 miles.
What is the driving distance from Buenos Aires to Rivera, Uruguay?
About 420 miles (676 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 Rivera drive cross the border?
At about mile 205, from Argentina into Uruguay, at the Colón–Paysandú 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.)
Is it safe to drive from Buenos Aires to Rivera, 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 Buenos Aires to Rivera?
In order: AV1-N, RN9, RP6, RN12, RN14 and RN135. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
Where can you stop on the way from Buenos Aires to Rivera?
Closest to the road: Temaikèn (zoo, mile 33, 0.6 mi from the route); Museo Carlos Gardel (museum, mile 334, 0.4 mi from the route); Zoológico Municipal Dr. Mauricio López Lomba (zoo, mile 354, 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.