The Wayro route from La Plata to Maldonado, Uruguay is 462 miles (743 km), about 9 h 34 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: “Illumination, pavement markings, and road surfaces for secondary roads can be poor.”
| Total distance | 462 mi (743 km) |
|---|---|
| Drive time without stops | 9 h 34 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 |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 18.5 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 Maldonado
RN12 (47 mi) and RN9 (39 mi) carry about 19% of the 462 miles. The first 201 miles are in Argentina; the last 261 are in Uruguay. It runs through 9 regions: Buenos Aires, Ciudad de Buenos Aires, Entre Ríos, Río Negro, Soriano, Colonia, San José, Canelones, Maldonado. Of the 9 stops listed below, 6 are within a mile of the road.
The route from La Plata to Maldonado, 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 | 338–434 | 96 | San José, Canelones, Maldonado |
| I-B | 434–455 | 21 | Maldonado |
| local roads | 455–462 | 7 | Maldonado |
- 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)
Where to stop on the way to Maldonado
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): ARA Uruguay (mile 35), Torre Monumental (mile 36), Evita Museum (mile 39), Japanese Garden, Belén de Escobar (mile 68), Cathedral of Mercedes (mile 219), Teatro Macció (mile 336)
- Nature and outdoors: Japanese Garden, Belén de Escobar (mile 68), Cerro Pan de Azúcar Native Wildlife Breeding Station (mile 442)
- Museums and history: ARA Uruguay (mile 35), Torre Monumental (mile 36), Evita Museum (mile 39), Gualeguaychú Cathedral (mile 178), Cathedral of Mercedes (mile 219), Iglesia de Cristo Obrero y Nuestra Señora de Lourdes (mile 406)
ARA Uruguay
Berthed at Puerto Madero in Buenos Aires, the corvette ARA Uruguay is a museum ship built in England and serving in the Argentine navy from 1874 until 1926.
Torre Monumental
Formerly called Torre de los Ingleses, Torre Monumental is a clock tower in the Retiro area of Buenos Aires, standing in Plaza Fuerza Aérea Argentina.
Evita Museum
In Palermo, Buenos Aires, at 2988 Lafinur Street, the Evita Museum covers the life and legacy of Eva Duarte de Perón and her work through the Eva Perón Foundation.
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.
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
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.
In Maldonado itself
Laguna del Diario
Close to Maldonado and Punta del Este, Laguna del Diario is a lagoon where the first settlement of Maldonado was built in 1755, before the town moved to its present site in 1757.
Museum of the Sea
Opened in 1996 in La Barra, Maldonado, the Museum of the Sea is a natural history museum of about 2,300 square meters split into four large halls.
García Uriburu Collection Museum
García Uriburu Collection Museum (Museo Colección García Uriburu) is a museum collection in the city of Maldonado, Uruguay.
More drives to Maldonado
- Salto to Maldonado
- Buenos Aires to Maldonado, Uruguay
- Rosario, Argentina to Maldonado, Uruguay
- Santa Fe to Maldonado, Uruguay
- Paraná to Maldonado, Uruguay
- Concordia to Maldonado, 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 Maldonado, Uruguay?
About 9 h 34 min of driving without stops, over 462 miles.
How far is Maldonado, Uruguay from La Plata by car?
About 462 miles (743 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 Maldonado 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 Maldonado, 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 Maldonado?
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.
What are good stops between La Plata and Maldonado?
Closest to the road: ARA Uruguay (museum ship, mile 35, 0.1 mi from the route); Torre Monumental (monument, mile 36, 0.2 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.