The Wayro route from Chillán to San Carlos de Bariloche, Argentina is 470 miles (756 km), about 9 h 34 min of driving without stops. You cross from Chile into Argentina at about mile 392, at Paso Cardenal Samoré.
Full advisory: Chile, Argentina. Advisory issued: Chile August 19, 2026; Argentina July 10, 2026; checked October 10, 2026.
On the roads, the State Department says:
- Chile: “There are minefields on Chile's borders with Peru and Bolivia, and Argentina in Patagonia. Stay on marked roads and trails in these areas.”
- Argentina: “Gas stations are often far apart and not always easily identified from the main roadway.”
| Distance by road | 470 mi (756 km) |
|---|---|
| Driving time, no stops | 9 h 34 min |
| Main roads, in order | T-87 → T-981-U → RN231 → RN40 → RP237 |
| Border crossing | about mile 392, Chile → Argentina (Paso Cardenal Samoré) |
| Regions on the route | Ñuble, Bío-Bío, La Araucanía, Los Ríos, Los Lagos, Neuquén, Río Negro |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 18.8 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 9 |
Getting across the Chile–Argentina border
The route crosses at about mile 392, at Paso Cardenal Samoré, from Los Lagos into Neuquén. Plan on two checks on each side: immigration for your passport and customs for the car.
| Entering Argentina (U.S. citizens) | No visa needed for visits of 90 days or less. Passport: must be valid when you enter; leave a blank page for the entry and exit stamps. |
|---|---|
| Driving in Argentina | A valid U.S. license usually works; an International Driving Permit is recommended. |
| Entering Chile (U.S. citizens) | No visa needed for 90 days or less on a tourist passport; you get a Tourist Card valid for up to 90 days. Passport: must be valid for your whole stay. |
| Driving in Chile | A valid U.S. license works for the length of your tourist permit, usually 90 days. |
| The car, entering Argentina | Argentine customs (ARCA) registers the car's temporary entry. Bring the title or registration, liability insurance valid in Argentina and, if you don't own the car, a power of attorney signed before a notary. A rental car needs the rental company's MERCOSUR circulation authorization (ACM), and the company must be registered with Argentine customs. |
| 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, Argentina (updated July 16, 2026); U.S. State Department, Chile (updated July 02, 2026); ARCA (Argentine customs). Checked October 10, 2026; rules change, so confirm before you go.
How the Chillán to San Carlos de Bariloche drive plays out
RN40 (53 mi) and T-981-U (21 mi) carry about 16% of the 470 miles. The first 392 miles are in Chile; the last 78 are in Argentina. It runs through 7 regions: Ñuble, Bío-Bío, La Araucanía, Los Ríos, Los Lagos, Neuquén, Río Negro. Of the 9 stops listed below, 5 are within a mile of the road.
Which roads connect Chillán and San Carlos de Bariloche
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | Region |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–311 | 311 | Ñuble, Bío-Bío, La Araucanía, Los Ríos |
| T-87 | 311–326 | 15 | Los Ríos |
| T-981-U | 326–347 | 21 | Los Ríos, Los Lagos |
| connecting roads | 347–348 | 1 | Los Lagos |
| local roads | 348–392 | 44 | Los Lagos, Los Ríos |
| RN231 | 392–411 | 19 | Neuquén |
| RN40 | 411–464 | 53 | Neuquén, Río Negro |
| RP237 | 464–468 | 4 | Río Negro |
| local roads | 468–470 | 2 | Río Negro |
- Mile 32 of this route: Ñuble → Bío-Bío (region line)
- Mile 104 of this route: Bío-Bío → La Araucanía (region line)
- Mile 251 of this route: La Araucanía → Los Ríos (region line)
- Mile 346 of this route: Los Ríos → Los Lagos (region line)
- Mile 370 of this route: Los Lagos → Los Ríos (region line)
- Mile 380 of this route: Los Ríos → Los Lagos (region line)
- Mile 392 of this route: Los Lagos → Neuquén (international border)
- Mile 458 of this route: Neuquén → Río Negro (region line)
Places worth a stop between Chillán and San Carlos de Bariloche
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Laja Falls (mile 51), Teatro Municipal de Collipulli (mile 113), Cerro Ñielol Natural Monument (mile 172), Puente Collilelfu (mile 273), Puente Chirre (mile 338)
- Nature and outdoors: Laja Falls (mile 51), Cerro Ñielol Natural Monument (mile 172), Puyehue National Park (mile 380), Los Arrayanes National Park (mile 425), Nahuel Huapi National Park (mile 436)
- Museums and history: St. Mary of the Angels Cathedral (mile 73), Puente Collilelfu (mile 273), Puente Chirre (mile 338)
Laja Falls
Beside Ruta 5 about 25 km from Los Ángeles, the Laja River pours over four cascades up to roughly 35 meters high, cut into basalt left by ancient lava flows from the Antuco volcano.
St. Mary of the Angels Cathedral
Los Ángeles Cathedral, formally the Cathedral of St. Mary of the Angels, is the Catholic cathedral of the Diocese of Santa María de Los Ángeles in Chile.
Teatro Municipal de Collipulli
Opened in 1942, the Teatro Municipal de Collipulli is a public cultural venue in this Malleco Province town in northern La Araucanía, and one of the commune's main architectural and cultural landmarks.
Cerro Ñielol Natural Monument
Inside the city of Temuco, Cerro Ñielol Natural Monument protects a hill that rises to 335 meters, the highest point in the city, in Chile's Araucanía Region.
Puente Collilelfu
Puente Collilelfu is a bridge in the Los Lagos commune of Valdivia province, in Chile's Los Ríos Region.
Puente Chirre
Built in reinforced concrete between 1940 and 1945 as a railroad bridge, Puente Chirre in Río Bueno now carries road traffic and was declared a National Monument in 2017.
Puyehue National Park
In the Andes across the Los Ríos and Los Lagos regions, Puyehue National Park takes in hot springs, volcanoes and evergreen forests. It was expanded in 1950 and 1981.
Los Arrayanes National Park
Covering the Quetrihué Peninsula on Nahuel Huapi Lake, 3 km from Villa La Angostura in Neuquén, Los Arrayanes National Park protects 17.53 square kilometers.
Nahuel Huapi National Park
Established in 1922 and reconfigured in 1934, Nahuel Huapi National Park surrounds Nahuel Huapi Lake in the foothills of the Patagonian Andes.
Once you reach San Carlos de Bariloche
Nahuel Huapi Lake
Between Río Negro and Neuquén provinces in northern Patagonia, Nahuel Huapi Lake is an Andean lake with many branches, peninsulas and islands.
Cathedral of Our Lady of Nahuel Huapi
Close to Nahuel Huapi Lake, the Cathedral of Our Lady of Nahuel Huapi is the main Catholic cathedral of San Carlos de Bariloche, set amid gardens on a large plot.
Bariloche Paleontological Association
Founded in 1977, the museum of the Bariloche Paleontological Association is a nonprofit that preserves and shares local and provincial fossil heritage in San Carlos de Bariloche.
More drives to San Carlos de Bariloche
- Comodoro Rivadavia to San Carlos de Bariloche
- Temuco to San Carlos de Bariloche, Argentina
- Puerto Montt to San Carlos de Bariloche, Argentina
- Concepción, Chile to San Carlos de Bariloche, Argentina
More drives from Chillán
- Chillán to Curicó
- Chillán to Santa Cruz, Chile
- Chillán to Pichilemu
- Chillán to El Colorado
- Chillán to Valle Nevado
- Chillán to Los Andes
Frequently asked questions
How long is the drive from Chillán to San Carlos de Bariloche, Argentina?
About 9 h 34 min of driving without stops, over 470 miles.
What is the driving distance from Chillán to San Carlos de Bariloche, Argentina?
About 470 miles (756 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 Chillán to San Carlos de Bariloche drive cross the border?
At about mile 392, from Chile into Argentina, at Paso Cardenal Samoré.
What do U.S. citizens need to drive from Chillán into Argentina?
No visa needed for visits of 90 days or less. Passport: must be valid when you enter; leave a blank page for the entry and exit stamps. A valid U.S. license usually works; an International Driving Permit is recommended. (U.S. State Department, updated July 16, 2026.)
What does the U.S. travel advisory say about the Chillán to San Carlos de Bariloche drive?
The U.S. State Department rates Chile Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; Argentina Level 1: Exercise Normal Precautions. Read the full advisory before you go.
Which highways go from Chillán to San Carlos de Bariloche?
In order: T-87, T-981-U, RN231, RN40 and RP237. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
What are good stops between Chillán and San Carlos de Bariloche?
Closest to the road: Teatro Municipal de Collipulli (theater, mile 113, 0.4 mi from the route); Cerro Ñielol Natural Monument (nature area, mile 172, 0.3 mi from the route); Puente Chirre (historic bridge, mile 338, 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.