Concordia to Santa Cruz do Sul, Brazil: Border, Route & Stops

By admin, 13 October, 2026

Concordia to Santa Cruz do Sul, Brazil is about 487 road miles (784 km): roughly 9 h 57 min at the wheel if you don't stop. You cross from Argentina into Brazil at about mile 161, at Paso de los Libres–Uruguaiana.

U.S. State Department travel advisory: Argentina — Level 1, Exercise Normal Precautions; Brazil — Level 2, Exercise Increased Caution
  • Level 4: Do Not Travel in Brazil: informal housing developments (favelas, vilas, comunidades or conglomerados).

Full advisory: Argentina, Brazil. Advisory issued: Argentina July 10, 2026; Brazil August 31, 2026; checked October 10, 2026.

On the roads, the State Department says:

  • Argentina: “Drivers should prepare in advance when taking long road trips and make sure to have adequate insurance coverage.”
  • Brazil: “Flooding makes some roads through the Amazon impassable for much of the year.”
St. Ann Cathedral, UruguaianaMuseum Vincente PallottiEducational Museum Gama D'EçaPlanetário Professor José Mariano da Rocha FilhoAqueduto de CandeláriaAristides Carlos Rodrigues MuseumArgentina–Brazil borderConcordiaSanta Cruz do Sul
Route from Concordia to Santa Cruz do Sul with the 6 stops listed below (blue dots) and the approximate Argentina–Brazil border crossing (red square).
Total distance487 mi (784 km)
Drive time without stops9 h 57 min
Main roads, in orderRPA05 → RN14 → RN117 → BR-290 → BR-158 → RSC-287
Border crossingabout mile 161, Argentina → Brazil (Paso de los Libres–Uruguaiana)
Regions on the routeEntre Ríos, Corrientes, Rio Grande do Sul
Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg)about 19.5 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic
Stops listed below6

Border crossing: what to bring for Brazil

The route crosses at about mile 161, at Paso de los Libres–Uruguaiana, from Corrientes into Rio Grande do Sul. Plan on two checks on each side: immigration for your passport and customs for the car.

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 BrazilIf you'll stay more than 180 days and drive, carry an Inter-American Driving Permit with 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 ArgentinaA valid U.S. license usually works; an International Driving Permit is recommended.
Rental carCross 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, Brazil (updated August 06, 2026); U.S. State Department, Argentina (updated July 16, 2026). Checked October 10, 2026; rules change, so confirm before you go.

Driving Concordia to Santa Cruz do Sul: the shape of the trip

BR-290 (164 mi) and RN14 (145 mi) carry about 63% of the 487 miles. The first 161 miles are in Argentina; the last 326 are in Brazil. It runs through 3 regions: Entre Ríos, Corrientes, Rio Grande do Sul. Of the 6 stops listed below, 2 are within a mile of the road.

The route from Concordia to Santa Cruz do Sul, road by road

RoadRoute miles (from–to)Length, miRegion
local roads0–33Entre Ríos
RPA053–63Entre Ríos
connecting roads6–71Entre Ríos
RN147–152145Entre Ríos, Corrientes
connecting roads152–1531Corrientes
RN117153–1607Corrientes
BR-290160–324164Corrientes, Rio Grande do Sul
BR-158324–40076Rio Grande do Sul
connecting roads400–4055Rio Grande do Sul
RSC-287405–48479Rio Grande do Sul
local roads484–4873Rio Grande do Sul
  • Mile 59 of this route: Entre Ríos → Corrientes (region line)
  • Mile 161 of this route: Corrientes → Rio Grande do Sul (international border)

Stops between Concordia and Santa Cruz do Sul

  • Right off the route (under 1 mile): St. Ann Cathedral, Uruguaiana (mile 161), Museum Vincente Pallotti (mile 396)
  • Museums and history: St. Ann Cathedral, Uruguaiana (mile 161), Museum Vincente Pallotti (mile 396), Educational Museum Gama D'Eça (mile 400), Aristides Carlos Rodrigues Museum (mile 462)

St. Ann Cathedral, Uruguaiana

Mile 161 · Cathedral · 0.6 mi from the route

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.

Museum Vincente Pallotti

Mile 396 · Museum · 0.2 mi from the route

On Avenida Presidente Vargas in Santa Maria, Rio Grande do Sul, the Vicente Pallotti Museum shares a complex with Palotina College.

Educational Museum Gama D'Eça

Mile 400 · Didactic museum · 1 mi from the route

The Gama D'Eça Educational Museum sits at Rua do Acampamento 81 in central Santa Maria, Rio Grande do Sul.

Planetário Professor José Mariano da Rocha Filho

Mile 405 · Planetarium · 1 mi from the route

Founded in 1971 at the Federal University of Santa Maria, this planetarium seats 120 people and has used a Digistar 4 digital projector since 2011.

Aqueduto de Candelária

Mile 462 · Aqueduct · 1 mi from the route

In Candelária, Rio Grande do Sul, the Aqueduto de Candelária stands in the Linha Curitiba area. It was commissioned by João Kochenborger, one of the first German immigrants to reach the municipality, in 1862.

Aristides Carlos Rodrigues Museum

Mile 462 · Museum · 1 mi from the route

In the town of Candelária, Rio Grande do Sul, the Aristides Carlos Rodrigues Museum is part of the Paleorrota Geopark and offers information about the region.

Arriving in Santa Cruz do Sul

St. John the Baptist Cathedral, Santa Cruz do Sul

Cathedral · in Santa Cruz do Sul

Facing Getúlio Vargas Square in central Santa Cruz do Sul, St. John the Baptist Cathedral is the city's Roman Catholic cathedral.

More drives to Santa Cruz do Sul

More drives from Concordia

Frequently asked questions

How long is the drive from Concordia to Santa Cruz do Sul, Brazil?

About 9 h 57 min of driving without stops, over 487 miles.

What is the driving distance from Concordia to Santa Cruz do Sul, Brazil?

About 487 miles (784 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 Santa Cruz do Sul drive cross the border?

At about mile 161, from Argentina into Brazil, at Paso de los Libres–Uruguaiana.

What do U.S. citizens need to drive from Concordia into Brazil?

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. If you'll stay more than 180 days and drive, carry an Inter-American Driving Permit with your U.S. license. (U.S. State Department, updated August 06, 2026.)

What does the U.S. travel advisory say about the Concordia to Santa Cruz do Sul drive?

The U.S. State Department rates Argentina Level 1: Exercise Normal Precautions; Brazil Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution. Read the full advisory before you go.

Which highways go from Concordia to Santa Cruz do Sul?

In order: RPA05, RN14, RN117, BR-290, BR-158 and RSC-287. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.

What are good stops between Concordia and Santa Cruz do Sul?

Closest to the road: St. Ann Cathedral, Uruguaiana (cathedral, mile 161, 0.6 mi from the route); Museum Vincente Pallotti (museum, mile 396, 0.2 mi from the route); Aristides Carlos Rodrigues Museum (museum, mile 462, 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.