By road, Corrientes and Mercedes, Uruguay are about 470 miles (757 km) apart, or roughly 9 h 10 min of driving. You cross from Argentina into Uruguay at about mile 452, 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: “Illumination, pavement markings, and road surfaces for secondary roads can be poor.”
| Distance by road | 470 mi (757 km) |
|---|---|
| Drive time without stops | 9 h 10 min |
| Main roads, in order | RN12 → RN123 → RN119 → RN14 → RP20 → RN136 |
| Border crossing | about mile 452, Argentina → Uruguay (the Gualeguaychú–Fray Bentos bridge) |
| Regions on the route | Corrientes, Entre Ríos, Río Negro, Soriano |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 18.8 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 4 |
Crossing from Argentina into Uruguay
The route crosses at about mile 452, 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.
On the road from Corrientes to Mercedes
RN14 (206 mi) and RN12 (99 mi) carry about 65% of the 470 miles. The first 452 miles are in Argentina; the last 18 are in Uruguay. It runs through 4 regions: Corrientes, Entre Ríos, Río Negro, Soriano. Of the 4 stops listed below, 1 are within a mile of the road.
Which roads connect Corrientes and Mercedes
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | Region |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–4 | 4 | Corrientes |
| RN12 | 4–103 | 99 | Corrientes |
| RN123 | 103–148 | 45 | Corrientes |
| RN119 | 148–216 | 68 | Corrientes |
| connecting roads | 216–217 | 1 | Corrientes |
| RN14 | 217–423 | 206 | Corrientes, Entre Ríos |
| RP20 | 423–429 | 6 | Entre Ríos |
| RN136 | 429–449 | 20 | Entre Ríos |
| connecting roads | 449–452 | 3 | Entre Ríos |
| local roads | 452–470 | 18 | Río Negro, Soriano |
- Mile 254 of this route: Corrientes → Entre Ríos (region line)
- Mile 452 of this route: Entre Ríos → Río Negro (international border)
- Mile 468 of this route: Río Negro → Soriano (region line)
Breaking up the drive: stops between Corrientes and Mercedes
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): El Palmar National Park (mile 345)
- Nature and outdoors: Iberá National Park (mile 62), El Palmar National Park (mile 345)
- Museums and history: Gualeguaychú Cathedral (mile 430)
Iberá National Park
In the northeastern province of Corrientes, Iberá National Park borders the 5,530 square-kilometer Iberá Provincial Park to the southeast.
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.
Frigorífico Anglo del Uruguay
The former Anglo meatpacking plant on the Uruguay River at Fray Bentos began shipping frozen meat in 1924, on the site where Liebig exported meat extract and corned beef from 1865. It is part of a UNESCO World Heritage landscape inscribed in 2015.
Once you reach Mercedes
Cathedral of Mercedes
Dedicated to Our Lady of Mercy, this cathedral is the main Catholic church of Mercedes, Uruguay, and has been the seat of the Diocese of Mercedes since 1960.
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.
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.
More drives to Mercedes
- Salto to Mercedes, Uruguay
- Rivera to Mercedes, Uruguay
- Artigas to Mercedes, Uruguay
- Montevideo to Mercedes, Uruguay
- Melo to Mercedes, Uruguay
- Buenos Aires to Mercedes, Uruguay
More drives from Corrientes
- Corrientes to San Nicolás de los Arroyos
- Corrientes to Pergamino
- Corrientes to Arrecifes
- Corrientes to San Antonio de Areco
- Corrientes to Clorinda
- Corrientes to Catamarca
Continue Your Adventure
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to drive from Corrientes to Mercedes, Uruguay?
About 9 h 10 min of driving without stops, over 470 miles.
What is the driving distance from Corrientes to Mercedes, Uruguay?
About 470 miles (757 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 Corrientes to Mercedes drive cross the border?
At about mile 452, from Argentina into Uruguay, at the Gualeguaychú–Fray Bentos bridge.
What do U.S. citizens need to drive from Corrientes 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 Corrientes to Mercedes, 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.
What roads does the drive from Corrientes to Mercedes use?
In order: RN12, RN123, RN119, RN14, RP20 and RN136. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
What are good stops between Corrientes and Mercedes?
Closest to the road: Iberá National Park (national park, mile 62, 5 mi from the route); El Palmar National Park (national park of Argentina, mile 345, 0.1 mi from the route); Gualeguaychú Cathedral (cathedral, mile 430, 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.