By road, La Plata and Fray Bentos, Uruguay are about 207 miles (333 km) apart, or roughly 4 h 14 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: “Several of the main highways are particularly accident-ridden.”
| Distance | 207 mi (333 km) |
|---|---|
| Time at the wheel, no stops | 4 h 14 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 |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 8.3 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 9 |
Border crossing: what to bring for 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.
The La Plata–Fray Bentos drive in a few lines
RN12 (47 mi) and RN9 (39 mi) carry about 42% of the 207 miles. The first 201 miles are in Argentina; the last 6 are in Uruguay. It runs through 4 regions: Buenos Aires, Ciudad de Buenos Aires, Entre Ríos, Río Negro. Of the 9 stops listed below, 5 are within a mile of the road.
Road-by-road breakdown: La Plata to Fray Bentos
| 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 | 198–202 | 4 | Entre Ríos, Río Negro |
| local roads | 202–207 | 5 | Río Negro |
- 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)
Breaking up the drive: stops between La Plata and Fray Bentos
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Héctor Carlos Janson Historic and Numismatics Museum (mile 35), AMALITA Collection (mile 35), El Rosedal De Palermo (mile 39), ESMA Museum and Site of Memory – Former Clandestine Center of Detention, Torture and Extermination (mile 43), Japanese Garden, Belén de Escobar (mile 68)
- Nature and outdoors: El Rosedal De Palermo (mile 39), Parque Natural Municipal Ribera Norte (mile 48), Japanese Garden, Belén de Escobar (mile 68)
- Museums and history: Héctor Carlos Janson Historic and Numismatics Museum (mile 35), AMALITA Collection (mile 35), Museo Casa de Rogelio Yrurtia (mile 42), ESMA Museum and Site of Memory – Former Clandestine Center of Detention, Torture and Extermination (mile 43), Museo Pueyrredon (mile 48), Gualeguaychú Cathedral (mile 178)
Héctor Carlos Janson Historic and Numismatics Museum
Run by Argentina's Central Bank, this Buenos Aires museum shows coins, banknotes, medals and documents in the former Stock Exchange building in the San Nicolás district.
AMALITA Collection
Officially the Amalia Lacroze de Fortabat Art Collection, the AMALITA Collection is an art museum in Buenos Aires.
El Rosedal De Palermo
Part of Parque Tres de Febrero in Palermo, the Rosedal covers 3.4 hectares with about 18,000 rose bushes, busts of 26 poets and writers, a Greek-style bridge and an Andalusian patio.
Museo Casa de Rogelio Yrurtia
Sculptor Rogelio Yrurtia once lived in this house in the Belgrano district of Buenos Aires, which now operates as a museum dedicated to him.
ESMA Museum and Site of Memory – Former Clandestine Center of Detention, Torture and Extermination
Set in Buenos Aires on the former Navy Mechanics School grounds, one of the largest clandestine detention, torture and extermination centers of the last dictatorship, this site museum was declared UNESCO World Heritage in 2023.
Museo Pueyrredon
In Acassuso, in the San Isidro district of Buenos Aires Province, this municipal history museum bears the name of Brigadier General Juan Martín de Pueyrredón.
Parque Natural Municipal Ribera Norte
On the Río de la Plata shore in Acassuso, San Isidro, Ribera Norte is a municipal nature park protecting green space within greater Buenos Aires.
Japanese Garden, Belén de Escobar
Landscape engineer Yasuo Inomata designed this Japanese garden in Belén de Escobar in 1969, and the local Japanese community donated it to the city. Red, white and spotted koi swim in its 1,000-square-meter pond.
Gualeguaychú Cathedral
In Gualeguaychú, Argentina, the Roman Catholic diocese has its cathedral church at St. Joseph's, also known as Gualeguaychú Cathedral.
Arriving in Fray Bentos
Miguel Young Theatre, Fray Bentos
The Miguel Young Theatre in Fray Bentos, Uruguay, was built in 1913 to plans by Antonio Llambías de Olivar.
Museo Luis Alberto Solari
Museo Luis Alberto Solari is a fine arts museum in Fray Bentos, capital of Uruguay's Río Negro department, welcoming the general public, students and foreign visitors.
Frigorífico Anglo del Uruguay
The former Anglo meatpacking plant on the Uruguay River at Fray Bentos began shipping frozen meat in 1924, on the site where Liebig exported meat extract and corned beef from 1865. It is part of a UNESCO World Heritage landscape inscribed in 2015.
More drives to Fray Bentos
- Florida, Uruguay to Fray Bentos
- Minas to Fray Bentos
- Rivera to Fray Bentos
- Rocha to Fray Bentos
- Melo to Fray Bentos
- Buenos Aires to Fray Bentos, Uruguay
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 Fray Bentos, Uruguay?
About 4 h 14 min of driving without stops, over 207 miles.
How far is Fray Bentos, Uruguay from La Plata by car?
About 207 miles (333 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 Fray Bentos 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 Fray Bentos, 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 Fray Bentos?
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 Fray Bentos?
Closest to the road: AMALITA Collection (art museum, mile 35, 0.3 mi from the route); ESMA Museum and Site of Memory – Former Clandestine Center of Detention, Torture and Extermination (museum, mile 43, 0.1 mi from the route); Japanese Garden, Belén de Escobar (japanese garden, mile 68, 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.