Caxias do Sul to Chuy, Uruguay Drive: Border Crossing & Stops

By admin, 13 October, 2026

The Wayro route from Caxias do Sul to Chuy, Uruguay is 396 miles (637 km), about 9 h 2 min of driving without stops. You cross from Brazil into Uruguay at about mile 395.

U.S. State Department travel advisory: Brazil — Level 2, Exercise Increased Caution; Uruguay — Level 2, Exercise Increased Caution
  • 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: “Flooding makes some roads through the Amazon impassable for much of the year.”
  • Uruguay: “If you are in an accident involving injury, stay in place until a police officer arrives.”
Casa da Feitoria Velha - Atual Museu do ImigranteArquivo Histórico e Museu de CanoasFarol Santander Porto AlegreMuseu da Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do SulJacuí Delta State ParkEstância das Pedras BrancasParque Histórico General Bento GonçalvesCatedral São Francisco de PaulaBrazil–Uruguay borderCaxias do SulChuy
Route from Caxias do Sul to Chuy with the 8 stops listed below (blue dots) and the approximate Brazil–Uruguay border crossing (red square).
Total distance396 mi (637 km)
Drive time without stops9 h 2 min
Main roads, in orderBR-116 → ERS-452 → ERS-122 → ERS-240 → BR-392 → BR-471
Border crossingabout mile 395, Brazil → Uruguay
Regions on the routeRio Grande do Sul, Rocha
Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg)about 15.8 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic
Stops listed below8

Crossing from Brazil into Uruguay

The route crosses at about mile 395, from Rio Grande do Sul into Rocha. 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 UruguayYou 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 BrazilIf you'll stay more than 180 days and drive, carry an Inter-American Driving Permit with your U.S. license.
Rental carCross 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.

Driving Caxias do Sul to Chuy: the shape of the trip

BR-471 (137 mi) and BR-116 (124 mi) carry about 66% of the 396 miles. The first 395 miles are in Brazil; the last 1 are in Uruguay. It runs through 2 regions: Rio Grande do Sul, Rocha. Of the 8 stops listed below, 2 are within a mile of the road.

Which roads connect Caxias do Sul and Chuy

RoadRoute miles (from–to)Length, miRegion
local roads0–22Rio Grande do Sul
BR-1162–1311Rio Grande do Sul
ERS-45213–3017Rio Grande do Sul
connecting roads30–311Rio Grande do Sul
ERS-12231–4817Rio Grande do Sul
ERS-24048–579Rio Grande do Sul
BR-11657–170113Rio Grande do Sul
local roads170–22959Rio Grande do Sul
connecting roads229–2312Rio Grande do Sul
BR-392231–25726Rio Grande do Sul
BR-471257–394137Rio Grande do Sul
local roads394–3962Rio Grande do Sul, Rocha
  • Mile 395 of this route: Rio Grande do Sul → Rocha (international border)

Places worth a stop between Caxias do Sul and Chuy

  • 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), Farol Santander Porto Alegre (mile 77), Museu da Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (mile 77), Estância das Pedras Brancas (mile 90), Parque Histórico General Bento Gonçalves (mile 170), Catedral São Francisco de Paula (mile 235)

Casa da Feitoria Velha - Atual Museu do Imigrante

Mile 58 · Museum · 3 mi from the route · side trip; actual detour depends on access roads

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

Mile 70 · Museum · 0.1 mi from the route

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.

Farol Santander Porto Alegre

Mile 77 · Museum · 3 mi from the route · side trip; actual detour depends on access roads

Formerly Santander Cultural, Farol Santander Porto Alegre is a cultural center run by Banco Santander in a historic building on Alfândega Square.

Museu da Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul

Mile 77 · Museum · 3 mi from the route · side trip; actual detour depends on access roads

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.

Jacuí Delta State Park

Mile 82 · State park · 3 mi from the route · side trip; actual detour depends on access roads

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

Mile 90 · Historic estate · 2 mi from the route

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

Mile 170 · Museum · 0.6 mi from the route

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.

Catedral São Francisco de Paula

Mile 235 · Cathedral · 2 mi from the route

Seat of the Archdiocese of Pelotas, the Catedral Metropolitana de Pelotas is a Catholic church in Rio Grande do Sul dedicated to Saint Francis of Paola.

More drives to Chuy

More drives from Caxias do Sul

Frequently asked questions

How long is the drive from Caxias do Sul to Chuy, Uruguay?

About 9 h 2 min of driving without stops, over 396 miles.

How far is Chuy, Uruguay from Caxias do Sul by car?

About 396 miles (637 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 Chuy drive cross the border?

At about mile 395, 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 Chuy 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.

What roads does the drive from Caxias do Sul to Chuy use?

In order: BR-116, ERS-452, ERS-122, ERS-240, BR-392 and BR-471. 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 Chuy?

Closest to the road: 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); Catedral São Francisco de Paula (cathedral, mile 235, 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.