By road, Concepción, Chile and Barreal, Argentina are about 525 miles (845 km) apart, or roughly 11 h 9 min of driving. You cross from Chile into Argentina at about mile 400, at the Cristo Redentor crossing.
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: “Secondary and mountain roads may be poorly maintained, poorly lit, and may lack guardrails.”
- Argentina: “Gas stations are often far apart and not always easily identified from the main roadway.”
| Distance by road | 525 mi (845 km) |
|---|---|
| Time at the wheel, no stops | 11 h 9 min |
| Main roads, in order | E-57 → E-61 → RN7 → RN149 |
| Border crossing | about mile 400, Chile → Argentina (the Cristo Redentor crossing) |
| Regions on the route | Bío-Bío, Ñuble, Maule, Libertador General Bernardo O'Higgins, Región Metropolitana de Santiago, Valparaíso, Mendoza, San Juan |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 21.0 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 8 |
Getting across the Chile–Argentina border
The route crosses at about mile 400, at the Cristo Redentor crossing, from Valparaíso into Mendoza. 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.
On the road from Concepción to Barreal
RN149 (70 mi) and RN7 (55 mi) carry about 24% of the 525 miles. The first 400 miles are in Chile; the last 125 are in Argentina. It runs through 8 regions: Bío-Bío, Ñuble, Maule, Libertador General Bernardo O'Higgins, Región Metropolitana de Santiago, Valparaíso, Mendoza, San Juan. Of the 8 stops listed below, 2 are within a mile of the road.
The route from Concepción to Barreal, road by road
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | Region |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–314 | 314 | Bío-Bío, Ñuble, Maule, Libertador General Bernardo O'Higgins, Región Metropolitana de Santiago |
| connecting roads | 314–316 | 2 | Región Metropolitana de Santiago |
| local roads | 316–353 | 37 | Región Metropolitana de Santiago, Valparaíso |
| E-57 | 353–357 | 4 | Valparaíso |
| connecting roads | 357–359 | 2 | Valparaíso |
| E-61 | 359–365 | 6 | Valparaíso |
| local roads | 365–400 | 35 | Valparaíso |
| RN7 | 400–455 | 55 | Mendoza |
| RN149 | 455–525 | 70 | Mendoza, San Juan |
- Mile 30 of this route: Bío-Bío → Ñuble (region line)
- Mile 92 of this route: Ñuble → Maule (region line)
- Mile 204 of this route: Maule → Libertador General Bernardo O'Higgins (region line)
- Mile 275 of this route: Libertador General Bernardo O'Higgins → Región Metropolitana de Santiago (region line)
- Mile 344 of this route: Región Metropolitana de Santiago → Valparaíso (region line)
- Mile 400 of this route: Valparaíso → Mendoza (international border)
- Mile 494 of this route: Mendoza → San Juan (region line)
Breaking up the drive: stops between Concepción and Barreal
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Christ the Redeemer of the Andes (mile 400), Puente del Inca (mile 411)
- Nature and outdoors: El Leoncito National Park (mile 510)
- Museums and history: Puente viejo de Confluencia (mile 40), St. Bartholomew Cathedral, Chillán (mile 62), Paine Memorial (mile 285), Firefighters Museum of Santiago (mile 310), Puente del Inca (mile 411)
Puente viejo de Confluencia
A national monument, the old Confluencia bridge is a 521-meter wooden viaduct over the Ñuble River between Chillán and Portezuelo, named after the adjacent town and now used only by pedestrians.
St. Bartholomew Cathedral, Chillán
Chillán Cathedral, dedicated to St. Bartholomew, is the seat of the Diocese of Chillán and stands in the city center opposite the Plaza de Armas, at Arauco and Libertad streets.
Teatro Regional del Maule
Known as the TRM, the Teatro Regional del Maule in Talca opened on September 5, 2005, and its main hall seats 1,028 people.
Paine Memorial
About twenty miles south of Santiago, the Paine Memorial in the rural community of Paine honors local residents who were abducted or unlawfully arrested and then killed under the Pinochet dictatorship.
Firefighters Museum of Santiago
In central Santiago, the Firefighters Museum (Museo de Bomberos de Santiago) shares the history and values of the Santiago Fire Department.
Christ the Redeemer of the Andes
High in the Andes at 3,832 meters on the Argentina–Chile border, Christ the Redeemer of the Andes was unveiled on March 13, 1904, to mark the peaceful settlement of a border dispute between the two countries.
Puente del Inca
Puente del Inca is a natural rock arch spanning the Las Cuevas River, a tributary of the Mendoza River. It stands beside the village of the same name in Las Heras Department, Mendoza Province.
El Leoncito National Park
Created in 2002 in San Juan Province, El Leoncito National Park protects Central Andean Puna and Southern Andean steppe habitats along with historical and paleontological sites.
More drives to Barreal
- Mendoza to Barreal
- Capilla del Monte to Barreal
- Villa Carlos Paz to Barreal
- Córdoba, Argentina to Barreal
- Viña del Mar to Barreal, Argentina
- Valparaíso to Barreal, Argentina
More drives from Concepción
- Concepción, Chile to Curicó
- Concepción, Chile to Santa Cruz, Chile
- Concepción, Chile to Pichilemu
- Concepción, Chile to El Colorado
- Concepción, Chile to Valle Nevado
- Concepción, Chile to Los Andes
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to drive from Concepción, Chile to Barreal, Argentina?
About 11 h 9 min of driving without stops, over 525 miles.
How far is Barreal, Argentina from Concepción, Chile by car?
About 525 miles (845 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 Concepción to Barreal drive cross the border?
At about mile 400, from Chile into Argentina, at the Cristo Redentor crossing.
What do U.S. citizens need to drive from Concepción 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.)
Is it safe to drive from Concepción, Chile to Barreal, Argentina?
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 Concepción to Barreal?
In order: E-57, E-61, RN7 and RN149. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
Where can you stop on the way from Concepción to Barreal?
Closest to the road: Puente viejo de Confluencia (historic monument, mile 40, 1 mi from the route); Christ the Redeemer of the Andes (statue, mile 400, 0.9 mi from the route); Puente del Inca (historic bridge, mile 411, 0.4 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.