Plan on about 4 h 29 min of driving for the 220-mile (354 km) trip from La Plata to Mercedes, Uruguay, before any 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: “If you are in an accident involving injury, stay in place until a police officer arrives.”
| Distance | 220 mi (354 km) |
|---|---|
| Drive time without stops | 4 h 29 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 |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 8.8 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 8 |
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.
Driving La Plata to Mercedes: the shape of the trip
RN12 (47 mi) and RN9 (39 mi) carry about 39% of the 220 miles. The first 201 miles are in Argentina; the last 19 are in Uruguay. It runs through 5 regions: Buenos Aires, Ciudad de Buenos Aires, Entre Ríos, Río Negro, Soriano. Of the 8 stops listed below, 3 are within a mile of the road.
The route from La Plata to Mercedes, 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 | 201–220 | 19 | Río Negro, Soriano |
- 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)
Breaking up the drive: stops between La Plata and Mercedes
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Our Lady of Mercy Church (mile 35), Buenos Aires Japanese Gardens (mile 39), Museo Malvinas e Islas del Atlántico Sur (mile 42)
- Nature and outdoors: Buenos Aires Japanese Gardens (mile 39), Ciervo de los Pantanos National Park (mile 77)
- Museums and history: Our Lady of Mercy Church (mile 35), St. George Antiochian Orthodox Cathedral, Buenos Aires (mile 39), Museo Malvinas e Islas del Atlántico Sur (mile 42), Museo Histórico Cornelio de Saavedra (mile 45), Museo Pueyrredon (mile 48), Gualeguaychú Cathedral (mile 178)
Our Lady of Mercy Church
Our Lady of Mercy Church is a Catholic church on Calle Reconquista in Buenos Aires, Argentina.
Buenos Aires Japanese Gardens
Run by the Japanese Argentine Cultural Foundation, the Buenos Aires Japanese Gardens are a public space ranked among the largest Japanese gardens outside Japan.
St. George Antiochian Orthodox Cathedral, Buenos Aires
St. George Antiochian Orthodox Cathedral serves as the cathedral of the Archdiocese of Buenos Aires and All Argentina under the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Antioch.
Museo Malvinas e Islas del Atlántico Sur
Opened in June 2014 by the Argentine government, the Malvinas and South Atlantic Islands Museum stands on the former Navy Mechanics School grounds in Buenos Aires.
Museo Histórico Cornelio de Saavedra
Inside Parque General Paz on Avenida Crisólogo Larralde, the Cornelio de Saavedra Historical Museum is a history museum of the City of Buenos Aires.
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.
Ciervo de los Pantanos National Park
Marsh deer give their name to Ciervo de los Pantanos National Park, a Ramsar Site in Campana, Buenos Aires province, where waterbirds are abundant.
Gualeguaychú Cathedral
St. Joseph's Cathedral, also called Gualeguaychú Cathedral, is the mother church of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Gualeguaychú in Argentina.
When you get to 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 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 does it take to drive from La Plata to Mercedes, Uruguay?
About 4 h 29 min of driving without stops, over 220 miles.
What is the driving distance from La Plata to Mercedes, Uruguay?
About 220 miles (354 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 Mercedes 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 Mercedes 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.
Which highways go from La Plata to Mercedes?
In order: RN1, AV1-N, RN9, RP6, RN12, RN14 and RN136. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
What are good stops between La Plata and Mercedes?
Closest to the road: Our Lady of Mercy Church (church, mile 35, 0.3 mi from the route); Buenos Aires Japanese Gardens (japanese garden, mile 39, 0.5 mi from the route); Museo Malvinas e Islas del Atlántico Sur (museum, mile 42, 0.4 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.