By road, Concordia and Colonia del Sacramento, Uruguay are about 280 miles (450 km) apart, or roughly 6 h 9 min of driving. You cross from Argentina into Uruguay at about mile 149, at the Gualeguaychú–Fray Bentos bridge.
Full advisory: Argentina, Uruguay. Advisory issued: Argentina July 10, 2026; Uruguay July 28, 2026; checked October 10, 2026.
On the roads, the State Department says:
- Argentina: “Gas stations are often far apart and not always easily identified from the main roadway.”
- Uruguay: “If you are in an accident involving injury, stay in place until a police officer arrives.”
| Distance by road | 280 mi (450 km) |
|---|---|
| Drive time without stops | 6 h 9 min |
| Main roads, in order | RN14 → RP20 → RN136 |
| Border crossing | about mile 149, Argentina → Uruguay (the Gualeguaychú–Fray Bentos bridge) |
| Regions on the route | Entre Ríos, Río Negro, Soriano, Colonia |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 11.2 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 9 |
The border on the way to Colonia del Sacramento
The route crosses at about mile 149, at the Gualeguaychú–Fray Bentos bridge, from Entre Ríos into Río Negro. 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 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. |
| 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, Argentina (updated July 16, 2026). Checked October 10, 2026; rules change, so confirm before you go.
Driving Concordia to Colonia del Sacramento: the shape of the trip
RN14 (113 mi) and RN136 (19 mi) carry about 47% of the 280 miles. The first 149 miles are in Argentina; the last 131 are in Uruguay. It runs through 4 regions: Entre Ríos, Río Negro, Soriano, Colonia. Of the 9 stops listed below, 2 are within a mile of the road.
Which roads connect Concordia and Colonia del Sacramento
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | Region |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–4 | 4 | Entre Ríos |
| connecting roads | 4–6 | 2 | Entre Ríos |
| RN14 | 6–119 | 113 | Entre Ríos |
| RP20 | 119–127 | 8 | Entre Ríos |
| RN136 | 127–146 | 19 | Entre Ríos |
| connecting roads | 146–149 | 3 | Entre Ríos |
| local roads | 149–167 | 18 | Río Negro, Soriano |
| connecting roads | 167–170 | 3 | Soriano |
| local roads | 170–280 | 110 | Soriano, Colonia |
- Mile 149 of this route: Entre Ríos → Río Negro (international border)
- Mile 165 of this route: Río Negro → Soriano (region line)
- Mile 219 of this route: Soriano → Colonia (region line)
Places worth a stop between Concordia and Colonia del Sacramento
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): El Palmar National Park (mile 42), Museo Municipal Profesor Roselli (mile 219)
- Nature and outdoors: El Palmar National Park (mile 42), Agraciada Beach (mile 216), Anchorena Presidential Estate (mile 266)
- Museums and history: Gualeguaychú Cathedral (mile 127), Alejandro Berro Paleontology Museum (mile 163), Calera Real del Dacá (mile 167), Museo Municipal Profesor Roselli (mile 219), Museo del Carmen (mile 234)
El Palmar National Park
Set off National Route 14 in Entre Ríos, between Colón and Concordia, El Palmar National Park protects groves of yatay palms along with gallery forest, savanna and grassland.
Gualeguaychú Cathedral
St. Joseph's Cathedral, also called Gualeguaychú Cathedral, is the mother church of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Gualeguaychú in Argentina.
Alejandro Berro Paleontology Museum
In a 19th-century building in Mercedes' Parque Castillo Mauá, this paleontology museum opened in 1946 around the collection of naturalist Alejandro Berro; a well-preserved glyptodon shell found on a nearby riverbank is a highlight.
Calera Real del Dacá
On the eastern edge of Mercedes beside the Dacá stream, the ruins of the Calera Real lime works date to 1722 and are considered the region's first industrial site; recent works added visitor circuits, lighting and interpretive signs.
Agraciada Beach
On the eastern bank of the Uruguay River in Soriano department, Agraciada Beach is a historic beach area facing Argentina's Entre Ríos province.
Museo Municipal Profesor Roselli
Nueva Palmira's municipal museum, also known as the Museo Roselli, is named for its first director, Professor Francisco Lucas Rosselli.
Teatro Uamá
Teatro Uamá is a theater in the city of Carmelo, in Uruguay's Colonia department, regarded as the town's leading cultural institution.
Museo del Carmen
Facing Plaza Artigas in Carmelo, the Archivo y Museo del Carmen belongs to the local Carmelo parish and holds religious and historical collections.
Anchorena Presidential Estate
Located in Colonia Department, 208 km from Montevideo, the Anchorena Presidential Estate is a national park that also serves as a rest residence for Uruguay's president.
When you get to Colonia del Sacramento
Museo del Origami
Set in the historic district of Colonia del Sacramento, Museo del Origami is a nonprofit museum devoted to the art of paper folding and part of Uruguay's national museum system.
Colonia del Sacramento Lighthouse
Erected in 1857 on the ruins of the Saint Francis Xavier convent, the Colonia del Sacramento Lighthouse stands in the town's historic district in Uruguay.
Museo Paleontológico Profesor Armando Calcaterra
In the Real de San Carlos area of Colonia del Sacramento, Museo Paleontológico Profesor Armando Calcaterra shows about 1,600 pieces, including fossil vertebrates and invertebrates and Indigenous artifacts.
More drives to Colonia del Sacramento
- Mercedes, Uruguay to Colonia del Sacramento
- Paysandú to Colonia del Sacramento
- Tacuarembó to Colonia del Sacramento
- Salto to Colonia del Sacramento
- Rivera to Colonia del Sacramento
- Artigas to Colonia del Sacramento
More drives from Concordia
- Concordia to Tigre
- Concordia to Adrogué
- Concordia to Arrecifes
- Concordia to Berisso
- Concordia to Magdalena
- Concordia to Chascomús
Continue Your Adventure
Frequently asked questions
How long is the drive from Concordia to Colonia del Sacramento, Uruguay?
About 6 h 9 min of driving without stops, over 280 miles.
How far is Colonia del Sacramento, Uruguay from Concordia by car?
About 280 miles (450 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 Concordia to Colonia del Sacramento drive cross the border?
At about mile 149, from Argentina into Uruguay, at the Gualeguaychú–Fray Bentos bridge.
What do U.S. citizens need to drive from Concordia 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 Concordia to Colonia del Sacramento drive?
The U.S. State Department rates Argentina Level 1: Exercise Normal Precautions; Uruguay Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution. Read the full advisory before you go.
Which highways go from Concordia to Colonia del Sacramento?
In order: RN14, RP20 and RN136. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
What are good stops between Concordia and Colonia del Sacramento?
Closest to the road: El Palmar National Park (national park of Argentina, mile 42, 0.2 mi from the route); Museo Municipal Profesor Roselli (museum, mile 219, 0.7 mi from the route); Teatro Uamá (theater, mile 234, 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.