Corrientes to Santa Cruz do Sul, Brazil is about 557 road miles (896 km): roughly 11 h 36 min at the wheel if you don't stop. You cross from Argentina into Brazil at about mile 231, at Paso de los Libres–Uruguaiana.
- 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.”
| Total distance | 557 mi (896 km) |
|---|---|
| Drive time without stops | 11 h 36 min |
| Main roads, in order | RN12 → RN123 → RN14 → RN117 → BR-290 → BR-158 → RSC-287 |
| Border crossing | about mile 231, Argentina → Brazil (Paso de los Libres–Uruguaiana) |
| Regions on the route | Corrientes, Rio Grande do Sul |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 22.3 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 8 |
Border crossing: what to bring for Brazil
The route crosses at about mile 231, 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 Brazil | If 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 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, 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.
On the road from Corrientes to Santa Cruz do Sul
BR-290 (165 mi) and RN123 (113 mi) carry about 50% of the 557 miles. The first 231 miles are in Argentina; the last 326 are in Brazil. It runs through 2 regions: Corrientes, Rio Grande do Sul. Of the 8 stops listed below, 3 are within a mile of the road.
The route from Corrientes to Santa Cruz do Sul, road by road
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | Region |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–4 | 4 | Corrientes |
| RN12 | 4–103 | 99 | Corrientes |
| RN123 | 103–216 | 113 | Corrientes |
| RN14 | 216–221 | 5 | Corrientes |
| connecting roads | 221–222 | 1 | Corrientes |
| RN117 | 222–229 | 7 | Corrientes |
| BR-290 | 229–394 | 165 | Corrientes, Rio Grande do Sul |
| BR-158 | 394–470 | 76 | Rio Grande do Sul |
| connecting roads | 470–475 | 5 | Rio Grande do Sul |
| RSC-287 | 475–554 | 79 | Rio Grande do Sul |
| local roads | 554–557 | 3 | Rio Grande do Sul |
- Mile 231 of this route: Corrientes → Rio Grande do Sul (international border)
Places worth a stop between Corrientes and Santa Cruz do Sul
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Itá Pucú (mile 158), St. Ann Cathedral, Uruguaiana (mile 231), Museum Vincente Pallotti (mile 466)
- Nature and outdoors: Iberá National Park (mile 62), Itá Pucú (mile 158)
- Museums and history: Itá Pucú (mile 158), St. Ann Cathedral, Uruguaiana (mile 231), Museum Vincente Pallotti (mile 466), Educational Museum Gama D'Eça (mile 469), Aristides Carlos Rodrigues Museum (mile 532)
Iberá National Park
In the northeastern province of Corrientes, Iberá National Park borders the 5,530 square-kilometer Iberá Provincial Park to the southeast.
Itá Pucú
St. Ann Cathedral, Uruguaiana
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
- Santa Maria, Brazil to Santa Cruz do Sul
- Ponta Grossa to Santa Cruz do Sul
- Curitiba to Santa Cruz do Sul
- Paranaguá to Santa Cruz do Sul
- Joinville to Santa Cruz do Sul
- Itajaí to Santa Cruz do Sul
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
Frequently asked questions
How long is the drive from Corrientes to Santa Cruz do Sul, Brazil?
About 11 h 36 min of driving without stops, over 557 miles.
What is the driving distance from Corrientes to Santa Cruz do Sul, Brazil?
About 557 miles (896 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 Santa Cruz do Sul drive cross the border?
At about mile 231, from Argentina into Brazil, at Paso de los Libres–Uruguaiana.
What do U.S. citizens need to drive from Corrientes 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.)
Is it safe to drive from Corrientes to Santa Cruz do Sul, Brazil?
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.
What roads does the drive from Corrientes to Santa Cruz do Sul use?
In order: RN12, RN123, 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 Corrientes and Santa Cruz do Sul?
Closest to the road: Itá Pucú (natural monument, mile 158, 1 mi from the route); St. Ann Cathedral, Uruguaiana (cathedral, mile 231, 0.6 mi from the route); Museum Vincente Pallotti (museum, mile 466, 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.