Luján to Chuy, Uruguay is about 531 road miles (854 km): roughly 11 h 31 min at the wheel if you don't stop. You cross from Argentina into Uruguay at about mile 147, 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 by road | 531 mi (854 km) |
|---|---|
| Drive time without stops | 11 h 31 min |
| Main roads, in order | RP47 → RP6 → RN12 → RN14 → RN136 → I-B |
| Border crossing | about mile 147, Argentina → Uruguay (the Gualeguaychú–Fray Bentos bridge) |
| Regions on the route | Buenos Aires, Entre Ríos, Río Negro, Soriano, Colonia, San José, Canelones, Maldonado, Rocha |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 21.2 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 9 |
Crossing from Argentina into Uruguay
The route crosses at about mile 147, 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 Luján to Chuy is like
RN12 (47 mi) and RN14 (37 mi) carry about 16% of the 531 miles. The first 147 miles are in Argentina; the last 384 are in Uruguay. It runs through 9 regions: Buenos Aires, Entre Ríos, Río Negro, Soriano, Colonia, San José, Canelones, Maldonado, Rocha. Of the 9 stops listed below, 3 are within a mile of the road.
Which roads connect Luján and Chuy
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | Region |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–1 | 1 | Buenos Aires |
| RP47 | 1–7 | 6 | Buenos Aires |
| connecting roads | 7–8 | 1 | Buenos Aires |
| RP6 | 8–35 | 27 | Buenos Aires |
| RN12 | 35–82 | 47 | Buenos Aires, Entre Ríos |
| RN14 | 82–119 | 37 | Entre Ríos |
| local roads | 119–126 | 7 | Entre Ríos |
| RN136 | 126–145 | 19 | Entre Ríos |
| connecting roads | 145–147 | 2 | Entre Ríos |
| local roads | 147–244 | 97 | Río Negro, Soriano |
| connecting roads | 244–245 | 1 | Soriano |
| local roads | 245–281 | 36 | Colonia, San José |
| connecting roads | 281–284 | 3 | San José |
| local roads | 284–351 | 67 | San José, Canelones |
| connecting roads | 351–352 | 1 | Canelones |
| local roads | 352–380 | 28 | Canelones, Maldonado |
| I-B | 380–386 | 6 | Maldonado |
| local roads | 386–531 | 145 | Maldonado, Rocha |
- Mile 53 of this route: Buenos Aires → Entre Ríos (region line)
- Mile 147 of this route: Entre Ríos → Río Negro (international border)
- Mile 163 of this route: Río Negro → Soriano (region line)
- Mile 245 of this route: Soriano → Colonia (region line)
- Mile 262 of this route: Colonia → San José (region line)
- Mile 306 of this route: San José → Canelones (region line)
- Mile 375 of this route: Canelones → Maldonado (region line)
- Mile 432 of this route: Maldonado → Rocha (region line)
Places worth a stop between Luján and Chuy
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Museo Departamental de San José (mile 282), Teatro 25 de Mayo (mile 450), Santa Teresa National Park (mile 509)
- Nature and outdoors: Ciervo de los Pantanos National Park (mile 26), Cerro Pan de Azúcar Native Wildlife Breeding Station (mile 386), La Sirena Beach (mile 490), Santa Teresa National Park (mile 509)
- Museums and history: Calera Real del Dacá (mile 165), Museo Departamental de San José (mile 282), Iglesia de Cristo Obrero y Nuestra Señora de Lourdes (mile 352)
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.
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.
Museo Departamental de San José
Set in central San José de Mayo, the Museo Departamental de San José is a history and fine arts museum that also runs a library, archives and cultural programs.
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.
Teatro 25 de Mayo
Rocha's Teatro 25 de Mayo opened in 1910 as an Italian-style theater in the eclectic style, with room for about 400 people. Now a cultural complex, it is a stop on the city's self-guided heritage walk.
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.
Santa Teresa National Park
Santa Teresa National Park on Rocha's coast was created to frame the colonial Santa Teresa Fortress; its grounds hold more than two million planted trees from five continents, a greenhouse and native wetland and woodland wildlife.
Parque Nacional Laguna Negra
In Rocha department, Laguna Negra National Park protects the waters of Laguna Negra, the Potrerillo de Santa Teresa biological station and part of Santa Teresa National Park north of Route 9.
More drives to Chuy
- Minas to Chuy
- Montevideo to Chuy
- Durazno to Chuy
- Colonia del Sacramento to Chuy
- Carmelo to Chuy
- Mercedes, Uruguay to Chuy
More drives from Luján
- Luján to Adrogué
- Luján to Berisso
- Luján to Magdalena
- Luján to Capilla del Monte
- Luján to Villa Carlos Paz
- Luján to Tacuarembó, Uruguay
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to drive from Luján to Chuy, Uruguay?
About 11 h 31 min of driving without stops, over 531 miles.
How far is Chuy, Uruguay from Luján by car?
About 531 miles (854 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 Luján to Chuy drive cross the border?
At about mile 147, from Argentina into Uruguay, at the Gualeguaychú–Fray Bentos bridge.
What do U.S. citizens need to drive from Luján 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 Luján to Chuy 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 Luján to Chuy?
In order: RP47, 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 Luján and Chuy?
Closest to the road: Museo Departamental de San José (history museum, mile 282, 0.7 mi from the route); Teatro 25 de Mayo (theater, mile 450, 1 mi from the route); Santa Teresa National Park (national park, mile 509, 0.1 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.