The Wayro route from Caxias do Sul to Alejandro Gallinal, Uruguay is 498 miles (802 km), about 12 h 32 min of driving without stops. You cross from Brazil into Uruguay at about mile 315.
- 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: “Use caution when walking or driving at night.”
- Uruguay: “Several of the main highways are particularly accident-ridden.”
| Total distance | 498 mi (802 km) |
|---|---|
| Time at the wheel, no stops | 12 h 32 min |
| Main roads, in order | BR-116 → ERS-452 → ERS-122 → ERS-240 |
| Border crossing | about mile 315, Brazil → Uruguay |
| Regions on the route | Rio Grande do Sul, Cerro Largo, Treinta y Tres, Lavalleja, Florida |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 19.9 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 8 |
Getting across the Brazil–Uruguay border
The route crosses at about mile 315, from Rio Grande do Sul into Cerro Largo. 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.
How the Caxias do Sul to Alejandro Gallinal drive plays out
BR-116 (208 mi) and ERS-452 (17 mi) carry about 45% of the 498 miles. The first 315 miles are in Brazil; the last 183 are in Uruguay. It runs through 5 regions: Rio Grande do Sul, Cerro Largo, Treinta y Tres, Lavalleja, Florida. Of the 8 stops listed below, 2 are within a mile of the road.
The route from Caxias do Sul to Alejandro Gallinal, road by road
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | Region |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–2 | 2 | Rio Grande do Sul |
| BR-116 | 2–13 | 11 | Rio Grande do Sul |
| ERS-452 | 13–30 | 17 | Rio Grande do Sul |
| connecting roads | 30–31 | 1 | Rio Grande do Sul |
| ERS-122 | 31–48 | 17 | Rio Grande do Sul |
| ERS-240 | 48–57 | 9 | Rio Grande do Sul |
| BR-116 | 57–170 | 113 | Rio Grande do Sul |
| local roads | 170–229 | 59 | Rio Grande do Sul |
| BR-116 | 229–313 | 84 | Rio Grande do Sul |
| connecting roads | 313–314 | 1 | Rio Grande do Sul |
| local roads | 314–498 | 184 | Rio Grande do Sul, Cerro Largo, Treinta y Tres, Lavalleja, Florida |
- Mile 315 of this route: Rio Grande do Sul → Cerro Largo (international border)
- Mile 342 of this route: Cerro Largo → Treinta y Tres (region line)
- Mile 413 of this route: Treinta y Tres → Lavalleja (region line)
- Mile 462 of this route: Lavalleja → Florida (region line)
What to see on the way from Caxias do Sul to Alejandro Gallinal
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Arquivo Histórico e Museu de Canoas (mile 70), Parque Histórico General Bento Gonçalves (mile 170)
- Nature and outdoors: Jacuí Delta State Park (mile 82)
- Museums and history: Casa da Feitoria Velha - Atual Museu do Imigrante (mile 58), Arquivo Histórico e Museu de Canoas (mile 70), Museu da Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (mile 77), Museu do Trabalho (mile 77), Estância das Pedras Brancas (mile 90), Parque Histórico General Bento Gonçalves (mile 170)
Casa da Feitoria Velha - Atual Museu do Imigrante
The Casa da Feitoria in São Leopoldo, in the Rio dos Sinos valley, housed a royal hemp-linen farm from 1788 until March 1824 and is also known as the Casa do Imigrante.
Arquivo Histórico e Museu de Canoas
Canoas's history museum and archive keeps photos, newspapers, maps, documents, audiovisual material and objects that tell the story of the city in Rio Grande do Sul.
Museu da Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul
The Museu da UFRGS is an interdisciplinary university museum in Porto Alegre covering science, technology, history, society, art, and culture, with activities for the general public.
Museu do Trabalho
Founded in 1982 on Rua dos Andradas in Porto Alegre, Museu do Trabalho is a private museum and cultural center with machines, photographs and documents on the lives of companies and workers.
Jacuí Delta State Park
Created in 1976, Jacuí Delta State Park (Parque Estadual Delta do Jacuí) protects the delta between Porto Alegre, Canoas, Eldorado do Sul and nearby towns, where fishers from Ilha da Pintada still practice traditional fishing.
Estância das Pedras Brancas
Estância das Pedras Brancas is a historic ranch tied to the history of Rio Grande do Sul and the town of Guaíba. Its first owner was Antônio Ferreira Leitão.
Parque Histórico General Bento Gonçalves
Created by state decree in 1972 and linked to Rio Grande do Sul's culture department, this historic park stands on the old Sesmaria do Cristal, land once granted to the father of Farroupilha leader Bento Gonçalves da Silva.
Quebrada de los Cuervos
Crossed by the Yerbal Chico creek, the Quebrada de los Cuervos is a ravine in Treinta y Tres department and a natural protected area in Uruguay.
More drives to Alejandro Gallinal
- Nueva Helvecia to Alejandro Gallinal
- Colonia del Sacramento to Alejandro Gallinal
- Carmelo to Alejandro Gallinal
- Mercedes, Uruguay to Alejandro Gallinal
- Tacuarembó to Alejandro Gallinal
- Paysandú to Alejandro Gallinal
More drives from Caxias do Sul
- Caxias do Sul to Francisco Beltrão
- Caxias do Sul to Campo Mourão
- Caxias do Sul to Santa Maria, Brazil
- Caxias do Sul to Paranaguá
- Caxias do Sul to Itajaí
- Caxias do Sul to Blumenau
Frequently asked questions
How long is the drive from Caxias do Sul to Alejandro Gallinal, Uruguay?
About 12 h 32 min of driving without stops, over 498 miles.
How far is Alejandro Gallinal, Uruguay from Caxias do Sul by car?
About 498 miles (802 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 Caxias do Sul to Alejandro Gallinal drive cross the border?
At about mile 315, from Brazil into Uruguay.
What do U.S. citizens need to drive from Caxias do Sul 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 Caxias do Sul to Alejandro Gallinal drive?
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 Caxias do Sul to Alejandro Gallinal?
In order: BR-116, ERS-452, ERS-122 and ERS-240. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
Where can you stop on the way from Caxias do Sul to Alejandro Gallinal?
Closest to the road: Arquivo Histórico e Museu de Canoas (museum, mile 70, 0.1 mi from the route); Estância das Pedras Brancas (historic estate, mile 90, 2 mi from the route); Parque Histórico General Bento Gonçalves (museum, mile 170, 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.