The Wayro route from La Plata to Alejandro Gallinal, Uruguay is 436 miles (702 km), about 9 h 24 min of driving without stops. You cross from Argentina into Uruguay at about mile 201, 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 in Argentina tend to be aggressive, especially in Buenos Aires, and often ignore traffic regulations.”
- Uruguay: “Several of the main highways are particularly accident-ridden.”
| Distance | 436 mi (702 km) |
|---|---|
| Drive time without stops | 9 h 24 min |
| Main roads, in order | RN1 → AV1-N → RN9 → RP6 → RN12 → RN14 → RN136 |
| Border crossing | about mile 201, Argentina → Uruguay (the Gualeguaychú–Fray Bentos bridge) |
| Regions on the route | Buenos Aires, Ciudad de Buenos Aires, Entre Ríos, Río Negro, Soriano, Colonia, San José, Canelones, Florida |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 17.4 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 9 |
Crossing from Argentina into Uruguay
The route crosses at about mile 201, 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 La Plata to Alejandro Gallinal
RN12 (47 mi) and RN9 (39 mi) carry about 20% of the 436 miles. The first 201 miles are in Argentina; the last 235 are in Uruguay. It runs through 9 regions: Buenos Aires, Ciudad de Buenos Aires, Entre Ríos, Río Negro, Soriano, Colonia, San José, Canelones, Florida. Of the 9 stops listed below, 4 are within a mile of the road.
The route from La Plata to Alejandro Gallinal, road by road
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | Region |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–3 | 3 | Buenos Aires |
| RN1 | 3–33 | 30 | Buenos Aires, Ciudad de Buenos Aires |
| local roads | 33–37 | 4 | Ciudad de Buenos Aires |
| AV1-N | 37–42 | 5 | Ciudad de Buenos Aires |
| connecting roads | 42–45 | 3 | Ciudad de Buenos Aires |
| RN9 | 45–84 | 39 | Buenos Aires |
| connecting roads | 84–85 | 1 | Buenos Aires |
| RP6 | 85–89 | 4 | Buenos Aires |
| RN12 | 89–136 | 47 | Buenos Aires, Entre Ríos |
| RN14 | 136–173 | 37 | Entre Ríos |
| local roads | 173–179 | 6 | Entre Ríos |
| RN136 | 179–198 | 19 | Entre Ríos |
| connecting roads | 198–201 | 3 | Entre Ríos |
| local roads | 201–298 | 97 | Río Negro, Soriano |
| connecting roads | 298–299 | 1 | Soriano |
| local roads | 299–335 | 36 | Colonia, San José |
| connecting roads | 335–338 | 3 | San José |
| local roads | 338–436 | 98 | San José, Canelones, Florida |
- Mile 29 of this route: Buenos Aires → Ciudad de Buenos Aires (region line)
- Mile 45 of this route: Ciudad de Buenos Aires → Buenos Aires (region line)
- Mile 107 of this route: Buenos Aires → Entre Ríos (region line)
- Mile 201 of this route: Entre Ríos → Río Negro (international border)
- Mile 217 of this route: Río Negro → Soriano (region line)
- Mile 299 of this route: Soriano → Colonia (region line)
- Mile 316 of this route: Colonia → San José (region line)
- Mile 360 of this route: San José → Canelones (region line)
- Mile 372 of this route: Canelones → Florida (region line)
What to see on the way from La Plata to Alejandro Gallinal
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Museo Banco Provincia (mile 35), Museo de Informática de la República Argentina (mile 36), Cathedral of Mercedes (mile 219), Cathedral of San José de Mayo (mile 336)
- Nature and outdoors: Bernardino Rivadavia Natural Sciences Argentine Museum (mile 39)
- Museums and history: Museo Banco Provincia (mile 35), Museo de Informática de la República Argentina (mile 36), Bernardino Rivadavia Natural Sciences Argentine Museum (mile 39), Sarmiento Historical Museum (mile 41), San Isidro Cathedral (mile 48), Gualeguaychú Cathedral (mile 178), Cathedral of Mercedes (mile 219), Cathedral of San José de Mayo (mile 336), Cathedral of Florida (mile 391)
- With kids: Bernardino Rivadavia Natural Sciences Argentine Museum (mile 39)
Museo Banco Provincia
The Banco Provincia Museum is at Sarmiento 364 in Buenos Aires's microcentro, an area full of banks and financial institutions.
Museo de Informática de la República Argentina
Founded in 2010 and run by the ICATEC Foundation, this Buenos Aires museum preserves Argentina's computing heritage and the memory of the country's computing pioneers.
Bernardino Rivadavia Natural Sciences Argentine Museum
Located in the Caballito neighborhood of Buenos Aires, the Bernardino Rivadavia Natural Sciences Argentine Museum is a public museum devoted to the natural sciences.
Sarmiento Historical Museum
In the Belgrano neighborhood of Buenos Aires, the Sarmiento Historical Museum covers the Generation of '80 and the life of President Domingo Faustino Sarmiento, with sections on Nicolás Avellaneda and the 1880 federalization.
San Isidro Cathedral
Main church of the Diocese of San Isidro, this cathedral stands on Del Libertador Avenue opposite Plaza Mitre, in the historic quarter of San Isidro in Buenos Aires province.
Gualeguaychú Cathedral
In Gualeguaychú, Argentina, the Roman Catholic diocese has its cathedral church at St. Joseph's, also known as Gualeguaychú Cathedral.
Cathedral of Mercedes
Since 1960, the Diocese of Mercedes has had its seat at the Cathedral of Our Lady of Mercy, the main Catholic church in this Uruguayan city.
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.
Cathedral of Florida
Florida's cathedral basilica is also Uruguay's national shrine of the Virgin of the Thirty-Three, the country's patroness, and keeps the original image; look for its bronze door by sculptor José Belloni and his son Stelio, stained glass and domes.
More drives to Alejandro Gallinal
- Nueva Helvecia to Alejandro Gallinal
- Colonia del Sacramento to Alejandro Gallinal
- Carmelo to Alejandro Gallinal
- Mercedes, Uruguay to Alejandro Gallinal
- Tacuarembó to Alejandro Gallinal
- Paysandú to Alejandro Gallinal
More drives from La Plata
- La Plata to Tigre
- La Plata to Luján
- La Plata to San Antonio de Areco
- La Plata to Arrecifes
- La Plata to Pergamino
- La Plata to Martínez
Continue Your Adventure
Frequently asked questions
How long is the drive from La Plata to Alejandro Gallinal, Uruguay?
About 9 h 24 min of driving without stops, over 436 miles.
How far is Alejandro Gallinal, Uruguay from La Plata by car?
About 436 miles (702 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 La Plata to Alejandro Gallinal drive cross the border?
At about mile 201, from Argentina into Uruguay, at the Gualeguaychú–Fray Bentos bridge.
What do U.S. citizens need to drive from La Plata 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 La Plata to Alejandro Gallinal, 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 La Plata to Alejandro Gallinal?
In order: RN1, AV1-N, RN9, RP6, RN12, RN14 and RN136. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
Where can you stop on the way from La Plata to Alejandro Gallinal?
Closest to the road: Museo Banco Provincia (museum, mile 35, 0.3 mi from the route); Museo de Informática de la República Argentina (computer museum, mile 36, 0.3 mi from the route); Cathedral of Mercedes (cathedral, mile 219, 0.7 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.