By road, La Plata and Barra de Valizas, Uruguay are about 552 miles (888 km) apart, or roughly 11 h 51 min of driving. 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: “Illumination, pavement markings, and road surfaces for secondary roads can be poor.”
| Distance by road | 552 mi (888 km) |
|---|---|
| Driving time, no stops | 11 h 51 min |
| Main roads, in order | RN1 → AV1-N → RN9 → RP6 → RN12 → RN14 → RN136 → I-B |
| 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, Maldonado, Rocha |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 22.1 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 9 |
The border on the way to Barra de Valizas
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.
What the drive from La Plata to Barra de Valizas is like
RN12 (47 mi) and RN9 (39 mi) carry about 16% of the 552 miles. The first 201 miles are in Argentina; the last 351 are in Uruguay. It runs through 10 regions: Buenos Aires, Ciudad de Buenos Aires, Entre Ríos, Río Negro, Soriano, Colonia, San José, Canelones, Maldonado, Rocha. Of the 9 stops listed below, 4 are within a mile of the road.
Roads you'll take from La Plata to Barra de Valizas
| 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 | 338–434 | 96 | San José, Canelones, Maldonado |
| I-B | 434–439 | 5 | Maldonado |
| connecting roads | 439–440 | 1 | Maldonado |
| local roads | 440–552 | 112 | Maldonado, Rocha |
- 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 429 of this route: Canelones → Maldonado (region line)
- Mile 487 of this route: Maldonado → Rocha (region line)
Breaking up the drive: stops between La Plata and Barra de Valizas
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Basílica del Santísimo Sacramento (mile 35), Museo del Holocausto (mile 36), Cathedral of Mercedes (mile 219), Teatro Macció (mile 336)
- Nature and outdoors: Ciervo de los Pantanos National Park (mile 77), Cerro Pan de Azúcar Native Wildlife Breeding Station (mile 440), La Sirena Beach (mile 545)
- Museums and history: Basílica del Santísimo Sacramento (mile 35), Museo del Holocausto (mile 36), Gualeguaychú Cathedral (mile 178), Cathedral of Mercedes (mile 219), Iglesia de Cristo Obrero y Nuestra Señora de Lourdes (mile 406)
Basílica del Santísimo Sacramento
Consecrated in 1914, the Basílica del Santísimo Sacramento is a church at San Martín 1039 in the Retiro neighborhood of Buenos Aires.
Museo del Holocausto
Dedicated to keeping the memory of the Shoah alive, the Museo del Holocausto in Buenos Aires holds documents and personal objects donated by survivors who emigrated from Europe.
Ciervo de los Pantanos National Park
About 2,500 hectares of wetlands in Campana, Buenos Aires province, are protected as Ciervo de los Pantanos National Park. It's a Ramsar Site and home to the marsh deer and plenty of waterbirds.
Gualeguaychú Cathedral
St. Joseph's Cathedral, also called Gualeguaychú Cathedral, is the mother church of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Gualeguaychú in Argentina.
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.
Teatro Macció
San José de Mayo's Teatro Bartolomé Macció is a traditional theater, regarded as the city's most important building architecturally and declared a Historic Monument of Uruguay in 1984.
Iglesia de Cristo Obrero y Nuestra Señora de Lourdes
Since 2021, UNESCO has counted Eladio Dieste's Church of Christ the Worker among its World Heritage Sites. The engineer's brick church in Estación Atlántida was inaugurated in 1960 and is known for its undulating walls and roof.
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.
La Sirena Beach
About 2.5 km north of Aguas Dulces, La Sirena is one of Uruguay's two official naturist beaches, backed by vegetated dunes, small marshes, lagoons and pine and acacia woods where coastal birds are common.
In Barra de Valizas itself
Parque nacional Cabo Polonio
Part of Uruguay's national protected areas system since 2009, Cabo Polonio National Park spans 25,820 hectares of coastline, ocean and offshore islands.
Cabo Polonio Lighthouse
Standing on the Cabo Polonio headland in Uruguay's Rocha department, this lighthouse looks out over the Atlantic Ocean and was built in 1881.
Dunes of Cabo Polonio
Inside Cabo Polonio National Park in Uruguay's Rocha department, a band of natural sand dunes runs along the Atlantic Ocean.
More drives to Barra de Valizas
- Maldonado to Barra de Valizas
- Montevideo to Barra de Valizas
- Veinticinco de Agosto to Barra de Valizas
- Nueva Helvecia to Barra de Valizas
- Colonia del Sacramento to Barra de Valizas
- Conchillas to Barra de Valizas
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 Barra de Valizas, Uruguay?
About 11 h 51 min of driving without stops, over 552 miles.
What is the driving distance from La Plata to Barra de Valizas, Uruguay?
About 552 miles (888 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 Barra de Valizas 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.)
What does the U.S. travel advisory say about the La Plata to Barra de Valizas drive?
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.
What roads does the drive from La Plata to Barra de Valizas use?
In order: RN1, AV1-N, RN9, RP6, RN12, RN14, RN136 and I-B. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
Where can you stop on the way from La Plata to Barra de Valizas?
Closest to the road: Basílica del Santísimo Sacramento (basilica, mile 35, 0.3 mi from the route); Cathedral of Mercedes (cathedral, mile 219, 0.7 mi from the route); Teatro Macció (theater, mile 336, 0.8 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.