The Wayro route from Caxias do Sul to Trinidad, Uruguay is 559 miles (899 km), about 12 h 38 min of driving without stops. You cross from Brazil into Uruguay at about mile 336.
- 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: “Road maintenance is inadequate in many areas.”
- Uruguay: “Traffic fatalities are high in Uruguay.”
| Total distance | 559 mi (899 km) |
|---|---|
| Drive time without stops | 12 h 38 min |
| Main roads, in order | ERS-122 → RSC-453 → VRS-313 → RSC-287 → BR-158 → BR-290 |
| Border crossing | about mile 336, Brazil → Uruguay |
| Regions on the route | Rio Grande do Sul, Rivera, Tacuarembó, Durazno, Flores |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 22.4 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 9 |
The border on the way to Trinidad
The route crosses at about mile 336, from Rio Grande do Sul into Rivera. 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 Trinidad drive plays out
BR-158 (135 mi) and RSC-287 (95 mi) carry about 41% of the 559 miles. The first 336 miles are in Brazil; the last 223 are in Uruguay. It runs through 5 regions: Rio Grande do Sul, Rivera, Tacuarembó, Durazno, Flores. Of the 9 stops listed below, 5 are within a mile of the road.
Road-by-road breakdown: Caxias do Sul to Trinidad
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | Region |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–1 | 1 | Rio Grande do Sul |
| ERS-122 | 1–5 | 4 | Rio Grande do Sul |
| RSC-453 | 5–10 | 5 | Rio Grande do Sul |
| local roads | 10–14 | 4 | Rio Grande do Sul |
| VRS-313 | 14–23 | 9 | Rio Grande do Sul |
| connecting roads | 23–24 | 1 | Rio Grande do Sul |
| RSC-453 | 24–83 | 59 | Rio Grande do Sul |
| RSC-287 | 83–178 | 95 | Rio Grande do Sul |
| connecting roads | 178–183 | 5 | Rio Grande do Sul |
| local roads | 183–187 | 4 | Rio Grande do Sul |
| BR-158 | 187–258 | 71 | Rio Grande do Sul |
| BR-290 | 258–272 | 14 | Rio Grande do Sul |
| BR-158 | 272–336 | 64 | Rio Grande do Sul |
| local roads | 336–533 | 197 | Rivera, Tacuarembó, Durazno |
| connecting roads | 533–536 | 3 | Durazno |
| local roads | 536–559 | 23 | Durazno, Flores |
- Mile 336 of this route: Rio Grande do Sul → Rivera (international border)
- Mile 385 of this route: Rivera → Tacuarembó (region line)
- Mile 495 of this route: Tacuarembó → Durazno (region line)
- Mile 539 of this route: Durazno → Flores (region line)
Places worth a stop between Caxias do Sul and Trinidad
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Museu da Uva e do Vinho Primo Slomp (mile 7), Catedral de Nuestra Señora de la Concepción (mile 185), Museum Vincente Pallotti (mile 186), Cathedral of Tacuarembó (mile 405), Casa de Rivera, Durazno (mile 534)
- Nature and outdoors: Salto Ventoso (mile 12)
- Museums and history: Museu da Uva e do Vinho Primo Slomp (mile 7), Aristides Carlos Rodrigues Museum (mile 121), Catedral de Nuestra Señora de la Concepción (mile 185), Museum Vincente Pallotti (mile 186), Cathedral of Tacuarembó (mile 405), Casa de Rivera, Durazno (mile 534)
Museu da Uva e do Vinho Primo Slomp
A few kilometers from central Caxias do Sul, in the Forqueta district, the Museu da Uva e do Vinho Primo Slomp is a history museum themed on grapes and wine.
Salto Ventoso
Salto Ventoso is a waterfall in Farroupilha, Brazil, and a tourist attraction of regional importance.
Aristides Carlos Rodrigues Museum
In the town of Candelária, Rio Grande do Sul, the Aristides Carlos Rodrigues Museum is part of the Paleorrota Geopark and offers information about the region.
Aqueduto de Candelária
In Candelária, Rio Grande do Sul, the Aqueduto de Candelária stands in the Linha Curitiba area. It was commissioned by João Kochenborger, one of the first German immigrants to reach the municipality, in 1862.
Planetário Professor José Mariano da Rocha Filho
Founded in 1971 at the Federal University of Santa Maria, this planetarium seats 120 people and has used a Digistar 4 digital projector since 2011.
Catedral de Nuestra Señora de la Concepción
Seat of the Archdiocese of Santa Maria in Rio Grande do Sul, this eclectic cathedral mixes neo-Baroque and neoclassical styles; construction started in 1902 under parish priest Caetano Pagliuca, and it opened in 1909.
Museum Vincente Pallotti
On Avenida Presidente Vargas in Santa Maria, Rio Grande do Sul, the Vicente Pallotti Museum shares a complex with Palotina College.
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.
Casa de Rivera, Durazno
Facing Plaza Independencia in Durazno, the Casa de Fructuoso Rivera (Casa de Rivera) is one of the town's main heritage sites and now houses the department's historical museum.
When you get to Trinidad
Reserva de Flora y fauna Dr. Rodolfo Tálice
Off Route 3 near Trinidad, the Dr. Rodolfo Tálice Ecopark (Reserva de Flora y Fauna Dr. Rodolfo Talice) is a fenced wildlife reserve where axis deer, greater rheas and pampas deer roam free alongside other species.
More drives to Trinidad
- Montevideo to Trinidad, Uruguay
- Minas to Trinidad, Uruguay
- Artigas to Trinidad, Uruguay
- Treinta y Tres to Trinidad, Uruguay
- Buenos Aires to Trinidad, Uruguay
- Córdoba, Argentina to Trinidad, 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
Continue Your Adventure
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to drive from Caxias do Sul to Trinidad, Uruguay?
About 12 h 38 min of driving without stops, over 559 miles.
What is the driving distance from Caxias do Sul to Trinidad, Uruguay?
About 559 miles (899 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 Trinidad drive cross the border?
At about mile 336, 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 Trinidad 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 Trinidad use?
In order: ERS-122, RSC-453, VRS-313, RSC-287, BR-158 and BR-290. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
What are good stops between Caxias do Sul and Trinidad?
Closest to the road: Museu da Uva e do Vinho Primo Slomp (museum, mile 7, 0.4 mi from the route); Museum Vincente Pallotti (museum, mile 186, 0.1 mi from the route); Casa de Rivera, Durazno (historic house museum, mile 534, 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.