The Wayro route from Caxias do Sul to Atlántida, Uruguay is 549 miles (883 km), about 12 h 41 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: “Illumination, pavement markings, and road surfaces for secondary roads can be poor.”
| Distance | 549 mi (883 km) |
|---|---|
| Drive time without stops | 12 h 41 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, Canelones |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 21.9 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.
On the road from Caxias do Sul to Atlántida
BR-116 (208 mi) and ERS-452 (17 mi) carry about 41% of the 549 miles. The first 315 miles are in Brazil; the last 234 are in Uruguay. It runs through 5 regions: Rio Grande do Sul, Cerro Largo, Treinta y Tres, Lavalleja, Canelones. Of the 8 stops listed below, 3 are within a mile of the road.
Roads you'll take from Caxias do Sul to Atlántida
| 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 | 314–549 | 235 | Rio Grande do Sul, Cerro Largo, Treinta y Tres, Lavalleja, Canelones |
- 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 523 of this route: Lavalleja → Canelones (region line)
Places worth a stop between Caxias do Sul and Atlántida
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Museu Histórico "Visconde de São Leopoldo" (mile 59), Arquivo Histórico e Museu de Canoas (mile 70), Parque Histórico General Bento Gonçalves (mile 170)
- Nature and outdoors: Salto del Penitente (mile 487), Parque nacional Arequita (mile 496)
- Museums and history: Casa da Feitoria Velha - Atual Museu do Imigrante (mile 58), Museu Histórico "Visconde de São Leopoldo" (mile 59), Arquivo Histórico e Museu de Canoas (mile 70), 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.
Museu Histórico "Visconde de São Leopoldo"
Dedicated to the history of São Leopoldo and German colonization in Rio Grande do Sul, the Museu Histórico Visconde de São Leopoldo keeps a collection of objects, images and documents about the settlers. It is a privately run museum.
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.
Porto Alegre Public Market
Porto Alegre's oldest public market, the Public Market downtown is a historic landmark and meeting point with many coffee shops and restaurants.
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.
Salto del Penitente
Parque nacional Arequita
Arequita National Park is a protected natural area in Lavalleja department, southeastern Uruguay, known for Cerro Arequita, its related rock formations and its biodiversity.
Once you reach Atlántida
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.
Laguna del Cisne
Near Salinas in Canelones, Laguna del Cisne is a subtropical lagoon of about 1.8 km², fed by a watershed of some 50 km², that has supplied drinking water to the Costa de Oro area since 1970.
More drives to Atlántida
- Paysandú to Atlántida
- Tacuarembó to Atlántida
- Rivera to Atlántida
- Artigas to Atlántida
- Bella Unión to Atlántida
- Durazno to Atlántida
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 does it take to drive from Caxias do Sul to Atlántida, Uruguay?
About 12 h 41 min of driving without stops, over 549 miles.
What is the driving distance from Caxias do Sul to Atlántida, Uruguay?
About 549 miles (883 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 Atlántida 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.)
Is it safe to drive from Caxias do Sul to Atlántida, 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.
What roads does the drive from Caxias do Sul to Atlántida use?
In order: BR-116, ERS-452, ERS-122 and ERS-240. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
What are good stops between Caxias do Sul and Atlántida?
Closest to the road: Museu Histórico "Visconde de São Leopoldo" (museum, mile 59, 0.5 mi from the route); Arquivo Histórico e Museu de Canoas (museum, mile 70, 0.1 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.