Caxias do Sul to Maldonado, Uruguay is about 527 road miles (848 km): roughly 12 h 9 min at the wheel if you don't stop. You cross from Brazil into Uruguay at about mile 395.
- 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: “Drivers must have their daytime running lights on during the day and headlights on at night on Federal Highways.”
- Uruguay: “If you are in an accident involving injury, stay in place until a police officer arrives.”
| Total distance | 527 mi (848 km) |
|---|---|
| Time at the wheel, no stops | 12 h 9 min |
| Main roads, in order | BR-116 → ERS-452 → ERS-122 → ERS-240 → BR-392 → BR-471 |
| Border crossing | about mile 395, Brazil → Uruguay |
| Regions on the route | Rio Grande do Sul, Rocha, Maldonado |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 21.1 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 9 |
Getting across the Brazil–Uruguay border
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 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.
The Caxias do Sul–Maldonado drive in a few lines
BR-471 (138 mi) and BR-116 (124 mi) carry about 50% of the 527 miles. The first 395 miles are in Brazil; the last 132 are in Uruguay. It runs through 3 regions: Rio Grande do Sul, Rocha, Maldonado. Of the 9 stops listed below, 3 are within a mile of the road.
Road-by-road breakdown: Caxias do Sul to Maldonado
| 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 |
| connecting roads | 229–231 | 2 | Rio Grande do Sul |
| BR-392 | 231–257 | 26 | Rio Grande do Sul |
| BR-471 | 257–395 | 138 | Rio Grande do Sul |
| local roads | 395–517 | 122 | Rocha, Maldonado |
| connecting roads | 517–519 | 2 | Maldonado |
| local roads | 519–527 | 8 | Maldonado |
- Mile 395 of this route: Rio Grande do Sul → Rocha (international border)
- Mile 494 of this route: Rocha → Maldonado (region line)
Where to stop on the way to Maldonado
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Parque Histórico General Bento Gonçalves (mile 170), Santa Teresa National Park (mile 418), Observatorio Astronómico del CURE (mile 478)
- Nature and outdoors: Santa Teresa National Park (mile 418)
- Museums and history: Casa da Feitoria Velha - Atual Museu do Imigrante (mile 58), Casa de Cultura Mario Quintana (mile 77), Museu de História da Medicina do Rio Grande do Sul (mile 77), Parque Histórico General Bento Gonçalves (mile 170), Museu da Baronesa (mile 235)
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.
Casa de Cultura Mario Quintana
Housed in the former Hotel Majestic building in Porto Alegre, Casa de Cultura Mario Quintana is a cultural center; the hotel's heyday ran from the 1930s to the 1950s.
Museu de História da Medicina do Rio Grande do Sul
In Porto Alegre, the Museu de História da Medicina do Rio Grande do Sul preserves documents, medical instruments and other objects tracing the practice and evolution of medicine in the state.
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.
Theatro Sete de Abril
Opened in 1834 in Pelotas, Theatro Sete de Abril dates from the charqueada (salted beef) economic cycle, when Pelotas was among Brazil's wealthiest cities.
Museu da Baronesa
Opened in 1982 and run by the Pelotas city culture department, Museu da Baronesa occupies a building listed as municipal heritage in 1985.
Parque Nacional Laguna Negra
In Rocha department, Laguna Negra National Park protects the waters of Laguna Negra, the Potrerillo de Santa Teresa biological station and part of Santa Teresa National Park north of Route 9.
Santa Teresa National Park
Santa Teresa National Park on Rocha's coast was created to frame the colonial Santa Teresa Fortress; its grounds hold more than two million planted trees from five continents, a greenhouse and native wetland and woodland wildlife.
Observatorio Astronómico del CURE
Run by the University of the Republic's eastern campus (CURE), this small observatory in Rocha opened in 2016 and uses a 30 cm reflector telescope under a motorized dome for teaching, research and public outreach.
Once you reach Maldonado
Cathedral of Maldonado
The Cathedral of Saint Ferdinand is Maldonado's main Roman Catholic church and has been a cathedral since 1966, when the Diocese of Maldonado-Punta del Este was founded.
Museum of the Sea
Opened in 1996 in La Barra, Maldonado, the Museum of the Sea is a natural history museum of about 2,300 square meters split into four large halls.
García Uriburu Collection Museum
García Uriburu Collection Museum (Museo Colección García Uriburu) is a museum collection in the city of Maldonado, Uruguay.
More drives to Maldonado
- Salto to Maldonado
- Buenos Aires to Maldonado, Uruguay
- Rosario, Argentina to Maldonado, Uruguay
- Santa Fe to Maldonado, Uruguay
- Paraná to Maldonado, Uruguay
- La Plata to Maldonado, Uruguay
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 Maldonado, Uruguay?
About 12 h 9 min of driving without stops, over 527 miles.
What is the driving distance from Caxias do Sul to Maldonado, Uruguay?
About 527 miles (848 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 Maldonado 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 Maldonado 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 Maldonado?
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 Maldonado?
Closest to the road: Parque Histórico General Bento Gonçalves (museum, mile 170, 0.6 mi from the route); Santa Teresa National Park (national park, mile 418, 0.2 mi from the route); Observatorio Astronómico del CURE (astronomical observatory, mile 478, 0.3 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.