Plan on about 10 h 28 min of driving for the 527-mile (848 km) trip from Ituzaingó to Mercedes, Uruguay, before any stops. You cross from Argentina into Uruguay at about mile 508, 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: “Drivers should prepare in advance when taking long road trips and make sure to have adequate insurance coverage.”
- Uruguay: “Illumination, pavement markings, and road surfaces for secondary roads can be poor.”
| Total distance | 527 mi (848 km) |
|---|---|
| Drive time without stops | 10 h 28 min |
| Main roads, in order | RN12 → RN120 → RN14 → RP20 → RN136 |
| Border crossing | about mile 508, Argentina → Uruguay (the Gualeguaychú–Fray Bentos bridge) |
| Regions on the route | Corrientes, Entre Ríos, Río Negro, Soriano |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 21.1 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 4 |
The border on the way to Mercedes
The route crosses at about mile 508, 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.
Driving Ituzaingó to Mercedes: the shape of the trip
RN14 (422 mi) and RN120 (35 mi) carry about 87% of the 527 miles. The first 508 miles are in Argentina; the last 19 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.
Ituzaingó to Mercedes: the road sequence
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | Region |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–2 | 2 | Corrientes |
| RN12 | 2–21 | 19 | Corrientes |
| RN120 | 21–56 | 35 | Corrientes |
| RN14 | 56–478 | 422 | Corrientes, Entre Ríos |
| RP20 | 478–486 | 8 | Entre Ríos |
| RN136 | 486–505 | 19 | Entre Ríos |
| connecting roads | 505–508 | 3 | Entre Ríos |
| local roads | 508–527 | 19 | Río Negro, Soriano |
- Mile 310 of this route: Corrientes → Entre Ríos (region line)
- Mile 508 of this route: Entre Ríos → Río Negro (international border)
- Mile 524 of this route: Río Negro → Soriano (region line)
Places worth a stop between Ituzaingó and Mercedes
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): El Palmar National Park (mile 401)
- Nature and outdoors: El Palmar National Park (mile 401)
- Museums and history: Mission Nuestra Señora de la Asunción de Acaraguá y Mbororé (mile 160), Gualeguaychú Cathedral (mile 486)
Mission Nuestra Señora de la Asunción de Acaraguá y Mbororé
In the town of La Cruz, Corrientes, Mission Nuestra Señora de la Asunción de Acaraguá y Mbororé was one of the missions the Jesuits founded in their Province of Paraguay during Spanish colonial rule.
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
In Gualeguaychú, Argentina, the Roman Catholic diocese has its cathedral church at St. Joseph's, also known as Gualeguaychú Cathedral.
Frigorífico Anglo del Uruguay
Part of a UNESCO World Heritage landscape inscribed in 2015, the old Anglo meatpacking plant stands on the Uruguay River at Fray Bentos, where frozen meat shipments began in 1924.
Once you reach Mercedes
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.
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.
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 Ituzaingó
- Ituzaingó to Concepción, Paraguay
- Ituzaingó to Neuland, Paraguay
- Ituzaingó to Fray Bentos, Uruguay
- Ituzaingó to Trinidad, Uruguay
- Ituzaingó to Santa Cruz do Sul, Brazil
- Ituzaingó to Santana do Livramento, Brazil
Continue Your Adventure
Frequently asked questions
How long is the drive from Ituzaingó to Mercedes, Uruguay?
About 10 h 28 min of driving without stops, over 527 miles.
What is the driving distance from Ituzaingó to Mercedes, Uruguay?
About 527 miles (848 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 Ituzaingó to Mercedes drive cross the border?
At about mile 508, from Argentina into Uruguay, at the Gualeguaychú–Fray Bentos bridge.
What do U.S. citizens need to drive from Ituzaingó 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 Ituzaingó 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.
Which highways go from Ituzaingó to Mercedes?
In order: RN12, RN120, RN14, RP20 and RN136. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
Where can you stop on the way from Ituzaingó to Mercedes?
Closest to the road: Mission Nuestra Señora de la Asunción de Acaraguá y Mbororé (jesuit mission ruins, mile 160, 2 mi from the route); El Palmar National Park (national park of Argentina, mile 401, 0.1 mi from the route); Gualeguaychú Cathedral (cathedral, mile 486, 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.