The Wayro route from Fray Bentos to Chuy is 386 miles (622 km), about 8 h 38 min of driving without stops.
Full advisory: Uruguay. Advisory issued: Uruguay July 28, 2026; checked October 10, 2026.
On the roads, the State Department says:
- Uruguay: “If you are in an accident involving injury, stay in place until a police officer arrives.”
| Distance | 386 mi (622 km) |
|---|---|
| Drive time without stops | 8 h 38 min |
| Main roads, in order | I-B |
| Departments on the route | Río Negro, Soriano, Colonia, San José, Canelones, Maldonado, Rocha |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 15.5 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 9 |
How the Fray Bentos to Chuy drive plays out
I-B (6 mi) carries about 2% of the 386 miles. It runs through 7 departments: Río Negro, Soriano, Colonia, San José, Canelones, Maldonado, Rocha. Of the 9 stops listed below, 4 are within a mile of the road.
The route from Fray Bentos to Chuy, road by road
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | Department |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–100 | 100 | Río Negro, Soriano |
| connecting roads | 100–101 | 1 | Soriano |
| local roads | 101–137 | 36 | Colonia, San José |
| connecting roads | 137–140 | 3 | San José |
| local roads | 140–207 | 67 | San José, Canelones |
| connecting roads | 207–208 | 1 | Canelones |
| local roads | 208–236 | 28 | Canelones, Maldonado |
| I-B | 236–242 | 6 | Maldonado |
| local roads | 242–386 | 144 | Maldonado, Rocha |
- Mile 19 of this route: Río Negro → Soriano (department line)
- Mile 101 of this route: Soriano → Colonia (department line)
- Mile 118 of this route: Colonia → San José (department line)
- Mile 162 of this route: San José → Canelones (department line)
- Mile 231 of this route: Canelones → Maldonado (department line)
- Mile 288 of this route: Maldonado → Rocha (department line)
Places worth a stop between Fray Bentos and Chuy
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Cathedral of Mercedes (mile 21), Cathedral of San José de Mayo (mile 137), Observatorio Astronómico del CURE (mile 304), Santa Teresa National Park (mile 364)
- Nature and outdoors: Cerro Pan de Azúcar Native Wildlife Breeding Station (mile 242), Laguna José Ignacio (mile 276), Santa Teresa National Park (mile 364)
- Museums and history: Cathedral of Mercedes (mile 21), Calera Real del Dacá (mile 21), Cathedral of San José de Mayo (mile 137), Iglesia de Cristo Obrero y Nuestra Señora de Lourdes (mile 208)
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.
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.
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.
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.
Santa Teresa National Park
Santa Teresa National Park on Rocha's coast was created to frame the colonial Santa Teresa Fortress; its grounds hold more than two million planted trees from five continents, a greenhouse and native wetland and woodland wildlife.
Parque Nacional Laguna Negra
In Rocha department, Laguna Negra National Park protects the waters of Laguna Negra, the Potrerillo de Santa Teresa biological station and part of Santa Teresa National Park north of Route 9.
More drives to Chuy
- Minas to Chuy
- Montevideo to Chuy
- Durazno to Chuy
- Colonia del Sacramento to Chuy
- Carmelo to Chuy
- Mercedes, Uruguay to Chuy
From Fray Bentos to other places in Uruguay
- Fray Bentos to Conchillas
- Fray Bentos to Veinticinco de Agosto
- Fray Bentos to Atlántida
- Fray Bentos to Fray Marcos
- Fray Bentos to Alejandro Gallinal
- Fray Bentos to Piriápolis
Frequently asked questions
How long is the drive from Fray Bentos to Chuy?
About 8 h 38 min of driving without stops, over 386 miles.
How far is Chuy from Fray Bentos by car?
About 386 miles (622 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.
What does the U.S. travel advisory say about the Fray Bentos to Chuy drive?
The U.S. State Department rates Uruguay Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution. Read the full advisory before you go.
Where can you stop on the way from Fray Bentos to Chuy?
Closest to the road: Cathedral of Mercedes (cathedral, mile 21, 0.7 mi from the route); Observatorio Astronómico del CURE (astronomical observatory, mile 304, 0.4 mi from the route); Santa Teresa National Park (national park, mile 364, 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.