Plan on about 8 h 38 min of driving for the 424-mile (683 km) trip from Concordia to Rocha, Uruguay, before any stops. You cross from Argentina into Uruguay at about mile 81, at the Colón–Paysandú 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: “Illumination, pavement markings, and road surfaces for secondary roads can be poor.”
| Total distance | 424 mi (683 km) |
|---|---|
| Time at the wheel, no stops | 8 h 38 min |
| Main roads, in order | RN14 → RN135 → I-B |
| Border crossing | about mile 81, Argentina → Uruguay (the Colón–Paysandú bridge) |
| Regions on the route | Entre Ríos, Paysandú, Río Negro, Flores, San José, Canelones, Maldonado, Rocha |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 17.0 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 8 |
Crossing from Argentina into Uruguay
The route crosses at about mile 81, at the Colón–Paysandú bridge, from Entre Ríos into Paysandú. 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 Rocha: the shape of the trip
RN14 (65 mi) and RN135 (9 mi) carry about 17% of the 424 miles. The first 81 miles are in Argentina; the last 343 are in Uruguay. It runs through 8 regions: Entre Ríos, Paysandú, Río Negro, Flores, San José, Canelones, Maldonado, Rocha. Of the 8 stops listed below, 3 are within a mile of the road.
The route from Concordia to Rocha, road by road
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | Region |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–4 | 4 | Entre Ríos |
| connecting roads | 4–6 | 2 | Entre Ríos |
| RN14 | 6–71 | 65 | Entre Ríos |
| RN135 | 71–80 | 9 | Entre Ríos |
| local roads | 80–354 | 274 | Entre Ríos, Paysandú, Río Negro, Flores, San José, Canelones, Maldonado |
| I-B | 354–359 | 5 | Maldonado |
| connecting roads | 359–360 | 1 | Maldonado |
| local roads | 360–424 | 64 | Maldonado, Rocha |
- Mile 81 of this route: Entre Ríos → Paysandú (international border)
- Mile 114 of this route: Paysandú → Río Negro (region line)
- Mile 168 of this route: Río Negro → Flores (region line)
- Mile 230 of this route: Flores → San José (region line)
- Mile 280 of this route: San José → Canelones (region line)
- Mile 349 of this route: Canelones → Maldonado (region line)
- Mile 406 of this route: Maldonado → Rocha (region line)
Stops between Concordia and Rocha
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): El Palmar National Park (mile 42), Reserva de Flora y fauna Dr. Rodolfo Tálice (mile 198), Teatro Politeama (mile 290)
- Nature and outdoors: El Palmar National Park (mile 42), Reserva de Flora y fauna Dr. Rodolfo Tálice (mile 198), Cerro Pan de Azúcar Native Wildlife Breeding Station (mile 360), Laguna José Ignacio (mile 394)
- Museums and history: Nuestra Señora del Rosario y San Benito de Palermo, Paysandú (mile 88), Cathedral of San José de Mayo (mile 260), Iglesia de Cristo Obrero y Nuestra Señora de Lourdes (mile 326)
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.
Nuestra Señora del Rosario y San Benito de Palermo, Paysandú
Paysandú's Catholic parish church of Our Lady of the Rosary and St. Benedict of Palermo was named a minor basilica in 1949 and remains an active parish of the city.
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.
Cathedral of San José de Mayo
The main Catholic church of San José de Mayo, the Cathedral Basilica of St. Joseph has been the diocesan seat since 1955, a minor basilica since 1957 and Uruguay's national shrine of Saint Joseph.
Teatro Politeama
Canelones' Teatro Politeama opened in 1921 and reopened in 2014 as the Complejo Cultural Politeama Teatro Atahualpa del Cioppo. Uruguay declared the theater a National Historic Monument in 2022.
Iglesia de Cristo Obrero y Nuestra Señora de Lourdes
Engineer Eladio Dieste's Church of Christ the Worker in Estación Atlántida, inaugurated in 1960, joined UNESCO's World Heritage List in 2021. Look for its wavy brick walls and roof, an openwork brick bell tower and an underground baptistery.
Cerro Pan de Azúcar Native Wildlife Breeding Station
Near Piriápolis in Maldonado, this breeding station for native wildlife on Cerro Pan de Azúcar is surrounded by native vegetation and offers guided visits, including a native wildlife trail and a path up the hill.
Laguna José Ignacio
In Uruguay's Maldonado Department, Laguna José Ignacio is a coastal lagoon kept apart from the Atlantic Ocean by a sandbank.
When you get to Rocha
Teatro 25 de Mayo
Rocha's Teatro 25 de Mayo opened in 1910 as an Italian-style theater in the eclectic style, with room for about 400 people. Now a cultural complex, it is a stop on the city's self-guided heritage walk.
Observatorio Astronómico del CURE
Run by the University of the Republic's eastern campus (CURE), this small observatory in Rocha opened in 2016 and uses a 30 cm reflector telescope under a motorized dome for teaching, research and public outreach.
More drives to Rocha
- Montevideo to Rocha
- Tacuarembó to Rocha
- Salto to Rocha
- Rivera to Rocha
- Buenos Aires to Rocha, Uruguay
- Rosario, Argentina to Rocha, Uruguay
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 Rocha, Uruguay?
About 8 h 38 min of driving without stops, over 424 miles.
What is the driving distance from Concordia to Rocha, Uruguay?
About 424 miles (683 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 Rocha drive cross the border?
At about mile 81, from Argentina into Uruguay, at the Colón–Paysandú 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.)
Is it safe to drive from Concordia to Rocha, Uruguay?
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 Rocha?
In order: RN14, RN135 and I-B. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
What are good stops between Concordia and Rocha?
Closest to the road: El Palmar National Park (national park of Argentina, mile 42, 0.2 mi from the route); Reserva de Flora y fauna Dr. Rodolfo Tálice (botanical garden, mile 198, 0.1 mi from the route); Teatro Politeama (theater, mile 290, 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.