Plan on about 11 h 32 min of driving for the 539-mile (867 km) trip from Criciúma to Artigas, Uruguay, before any stops. You cross from Brazil into Uruguay at about mile 538.
- Level 4: Do Not Travel in Brazil: informal housing developments (favelas, vilas, comunidades or conglomerados).
Full advisory: Brazil, Uruguay. Advisory issued: Brazil August 31, 2026; Uruguay July 28, 2026; checked October 10, 2026.
On the roads, the State Department says:
- Brazil: “Flooding makes some roads through the Amazon impassable for much of the year.”
- Uruguay: “Several of the main highways are particularly accident-ridden.”
| Distance by road | 539 mi (867 km) |
|---|---|
| Drive time without stops | 11 h 32 min |
| Main roads, in order | BR-101 → BR-290 → BR-116 → BR-158 → BR-293 |
| Border crossing | about mile 538, Brazil → Uruguay |
| Regions on the route | Santa Catarina, Rio Grande do Sul, Artigas |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 21.5 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 8 |
The border on the way to Artigas
The route crosses at about mile 538, from Rio Grande do Sul into Artigas. 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 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. |
| 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, Brazil (updated August 06, 2026). Checked October 10, 2026; rules change, so confirm before you go.
What the drive from Criciúma to Artigas is like
BR-290 (288 mi) and BR-101 (98 mi) carry about 72% of the 539 miles. The first 538 miles are in Brazil; the last 1 are in Uruguay. It runs through 3 regions: Santa Catarina, Rio Grande do Sul, Artigas. Of the 8 stops listed below, 3 are within a mile of the road.
Road-by-road breakdown: Criciúma to Artigas
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | Region |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–11 | 11 | Santa Catarina |
| BR-101 | 11–109 | 98 | Santa Catarina, Rio Grande do Sul |
| connecting roads | 109–111 | 2 | Rio Grande do Sul |
| BR-290 | 111–170 | 59 | Rio Grande do Sul |
| BR-116 | 170–180 | 10 | Rio Grande do Sul |
| BR-290 | 180–409 | 229 | Rio Grande do Sul |
| BR-158 | 409–470 | 61 | Rio Grande do Sul |
| BR-293 | 470–537 | 67 | Rio Grande do Sul |
| local roads | 537–539 | 2 | Rio Grande do Sul, Artigas |
- Mile 55 of this route: Santa Catarina → Rio Grande do Sul (region line)
- Mile 538 of this route: Rio Grande do Sul → Artigas (international border)
Stops between Criciúma and Artigas
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Morro de Osório Protected Area (mile 112), Museu Municipal Agostinho Martha (mile 157), Museu do Carvão (mile 204)
- Nature and outdoors: Guarita State Park (mile 59), Itapeva State Park (mile 59), Jacuí Delta State Park (mile 176)
- Museums and history: Museu Municipal Agostinho Martha (mile 157), Galeria Chaves (mile 171), Pinacoteca Barão de Santo Ângelo (mile 171), Museu do Carvão (mile 204)
Guarita State Park
Officially Parque Estadual José Lutzenberger, Guarita State Park in Rio Grande do Sul protects a promontory on the South Atlantic Ocean.
Itapeva State Park
Itapeva State Park is a protected area managed at the state level in Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil, one of the parks in the state system.
Morro de Osório Protected Area
Created in 1994, the Morro de Osório Environmental Protection Area is a municipal conservation unit of Osório, Rio Grande do Sul, originally covering about 6,896 acres.
Museu Municipal Agostinho Martha
At Rua Nossa Senhora dos Anjos 547 in central Gravataí, the Agostinho Martha Municipal Museum covers local history and art; it was created in 1974 and organized in 1981.
Galeria Chaves
Between Rua dos Andradas and Rua José Montaury in Porto Alegre's Historic Center, Galeria Chaves is a historic building that houses a shopping arcade.
Pinacoteca Barão de Santo Ângelo
The Pinacoteca Barão de Santo Ângelo holds an art collection of about 3,000 items at the Arts Institute of the Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul in Porto Alegre.
Jacuí Delta State Park
Created in 1976, Jacuí Delta State Park (Parque Estadual Delta do Jacuí) protects the delta between Porto Alegre, Canoas, Eldorado do Sul and nearby towns, where fishers from Ilha da Pintada still practice traditional fishing.
Museu do Carvão
In the town of Arroio dos Ratos, Rio Grande do Sul, the Museu do Carvão is a history museum set on Rua Professora Silvana Narvaez.
More drives to Artigas
- Paysandú to Artigas
- Montevideo to Artigas
- Maldonado to Artigas
- Córdoba, Argentina to Artigas, Uruguay
- Rosario, Argentina to Artigas, Uruguay
- La Plata to Artigas, Uruguay
More drives from Criciúma
- Criciúma to Camboriú
- Criciúma to Bento Gonçalves
- Criciúma to Jaraguá do Sul
- Criciúma to Paranaguá
- Criciúma to Francisco Beltrão
- Criciúma to Guarapuava
Continue Your Adventure
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to drive from Criciúma to Artigas, Uruguay?
About 11 h 32 min of driving without stops, over 539 miles.
What is the driving distance from Criciúma to Artigas, Uruguay?
About 539 miles (867 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 Criciúma to Artigas drive cross the border?
At about mile 538, from Brazil into Uruguay.
What do U.S. citizens need to drive from Criciúma 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 Criciúma to Artigas drive?
The U.S. State Department rates Brazil Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; Uruguay Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution. Read the full advisory before you go.
Which highways go from Criciúma to Artigas?
In order: BR-101, BR-290, BR-116, BR-158 and BR-293. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
What are good stops between Criciúma and Artigas?
Closest to the road: Morro de Osório Protected Area (environmental protection area, mile 112, 0.8 mi from the route); Museu Municipal Agostinho Martha (museum, mile 157, 0.6 mi from the route); Museu do Carvão (museum, mile 204, 0.9 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.