By road, Chapecó and Salto, Uruguay are about 552 miles (888 km) apart, or roughly 12 h 40 min of driving. You cross from Brazil into Uruguay at about mile 460.
- Level 4: Do Not Travel in Brazil: Within 100 miles (160 km) of Brazil's land borders with Bolivia, Colombia, Guyana, French Guiana, Paraguay, Peru, Suriname, and Venezuela. This drive passes within 100 miles of the border with Paraguay.
- Level 4: Do Not Travel in Brazil: informal housing developments (favelas, vilas, comunidades or conglomerados).
This route passes through or near an area the State Department rates Do Not Travel. Read the full advisory before you plan this drive: 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: “If you are in an accident involving injury, stay in place until a police officer arrives.”
| Distance | 552 mi (888 km) |
|---|---|
| Drive time without stops | 12 h 40 min |
| Main roads, in order | SC-480 → ERS-406 → ERS-324 → BR-386 → ERS-569 → BR-158 → BR-285 → BR-472 |
| Border crossing | about mile 460, Brazil → Uruguay |
| Regions on the route | Santa Catarina, Rio Grande do Sul, Artigas, Salto |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 22.1 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 5 |
The border on the way to Salto
The route crosses at about mile 460, from Rio Grande do Sul into Artigas. 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 Chapecó to Salto
BR-472 (155 mi) and BR-285 (154 mi) carry about 56% of the 552 miles. The first 460 miles are in Brazil; the last 92 are in Uruguay. It runs through 4 regions: Santa Catarina, Rio Grande do Sul, Artigas, Salto. Of the 5 stops listed below, 1 are within a mile of the road.
The route from Chapecó to Salto, road by road
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | Region |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–3 | 3 | Santa Catarina |
| SC-480 | 3–17 | 14 | Santa Catarina, Rio Grande do Sul |
| ERS-406 | 17–34 | 17 | Rio Grande do Sul |
| ERS-324 | 34–77 | 43 | Rio Grande do Sul |
| connecting roads | 77–79 | 2 | Rio Grande do Sul |
| BR-386 | 79–82 | 3 | Rio Grande do Sul |
| ERS-569 | 82–106 | 24 | Rio Grande do Sul |
| connecting roads | 106–109 | 3 | Rio Grande do Sul |
| BR-158 | 109–143 | 34 | Rio Grande do Sul |
| connecting roads | 143–144 | 1 | Rio Grande do Sul |
| BR-285 | 144–169 | 25 | Rio Grande do Sul |
| local roads | 169–173 | 4 | Rio Grande do Sul |
| BR-285 | 173–302 | 129 | Rio Grande do Sul |
| BR-472 | 302–457 | 155 | Rio Grande do Sul |
| connecting roads | 457–459 | 2 | Rio Grande do Sul |
| local roads | 459–552 | 93 | Rio Grande do Sul, Artigas, Salto |
- Mile 14 of this route: Santa Catarina → Rio Grande do Sul (region line)
- Mile 460 of this route: Rio Grande do Sul → Artigas (international border)
- Mile 499 of this route: Artigas → Salto (region line)
Breaking up the drive: stops between Chapecó and Salto
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Parque Estadual do Espinilho (mile 454)
- Nature and outdoors: Parque Estadual do Papagaio-Charão (Ex-Parque Est. Rondinha) (mile 75), Parque Estadual do Espinilho (mile 454)
- Museums and history: Museu Municipal Senador Pinheiro Machado (mile 237), João Goulart's House (mile 303), St. Ann Cathedral, Uruguaiana (mile 412)
Parque Estadual do Papagaio-Charão (Ex-Parque Est. Rondinha)
Created in 1982 on 1,000 hectares, this Rio Grande do Sul state park (formerly Rondinha Forest Park) protects a transition between savanna and araucaria forest, home to the threatened red-spectacled parrot and the Butia paraguayensis palm.
Museu Municipal Senador Pinheiro Machado
In São Luiz Gonzaga, this municipal museum occupies the house where Senator José Gomes Pinheiro Machado lived after returning from law school in São Paulo.
João Goulart's House
João Goulart's House in São Borja, Rio Grande do Sul, is a 1927 house where the former Brazilian president lived during his childhood and youth.
St. Ann Cathedral, Uruguaiana
Uruguaiana's St. Ann Cathedral grew out of the parish of Santana, created in 1846 together with the town, and was built between 1861 and 1874.
Parque Estadual do Espinilho
Created in 1975 and expanded in 2002 to about 1,617 hectares, Espinilho State Park is a protected area in Barra do Quaraí, in the far southwest of Rio Grande do Sul.
When you get to Salto
Teatro Larrañaga
Teatro Larrañaga is the main performing arts venue in the city of Salto, Uruguay.
Museo del Centro Cultural Casa Horacio Quiroga
In Salto, the Museo del Centro Cultural Casa Horacio Quiroga (Casa Quiroga) tells the life and work of writer Horacio Quiroga inside a house that was one of his family's summer homes.
Cathedral of Salto
The Cathedral Basilica of Saint John the Baptist is Salto's main Catholic church and has been the seat of the local diocese since 1939.
More drives to Salto
- Montevideo to Salto
- Buenos Aires to Salto, Uruguay
- Córdoba, Argentina to Salto, Uruguay
- Rosario, Argentina to Salto, Uruguay
- Mar del Plata to Salto, Uruguay
- Santa Fe to Salto, Uruguay
More drives from Chapecó
- Chapecó to Ourinhos
- Chapecó to Itapetininga
- Chapecó to Itanhaém
- Chapecó to Tatuí
- Chapecó to Botucatu
- Chapecó to Cubatão
Continue Your Adventure
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to drive from Chapecó to Salto, Uruguay?
About 12 h 40 min of driving without stops, over 552 miles.
What is the driving distance from Chapecó to Salto, Uruguay?
About 552 miles (888 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 Chapecó to Salto drive cross the border?
At about mile 460, from Brazil into Uruguay.
What do U.S. citizens need to drive from Chapecó 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 Chapecó to Salto, Uruguay?
The U.S. State Department rates Brazil Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; Uruguay Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution. Parts of this route are in or near areas rated Level 4: Do Not Travel (Brazil: Within 100 miles (160 km) of Brazil's land borders with Bolivia, Colombia, Guyana, French Guiana, Paraguay, Peru, Suriname, and Venezuela). Read the full advisory before you go.
Which highways go from Chapecó to Salto?
In order: SC-480, ERS-406, ERS-324, BR-386, ERS-569, BR-158, BR-285 and BR-472. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
What are good stops between Chapecó and Salto?
Closest to the road: Museu Municipal Senador Pinheiro Machado (museum, mile 237, 1 mi from the route); St. Ann Cathedral, Uruguaiana (cathedral, mile 412, 2 mi from the route); Parque Estadual do Espinilho (state park, mile 454, 1 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.