The Wayro route from Luján to Punta del Diablo, Uruguay is 510 miles (820 km), about 11 h 1 min of driving without stops. 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: “Several of the main highways are particularly accident-ridden.”
| Distance by road | 510 mi (820 km) |
|---|---|
| Drive time without stops | 11 h 1 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 20.4 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.
The Luján–Punta del Diablo drive in a few lines
RN12 (47 mi) and RN14 (37 mi) carry about 16% of the 510 miles. The first 147 miles are in Argentina; the last 363 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.
Road-by-road breakdown: Luján to Punta del Diablo
| 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 | 386–510 | 124 | 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)
Stops between Luján and Punta del Diablo
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Cathedral of San José de Mayo (mile 282), Cathedral of Our Lady of Guadalupe (mile 316), Observatorio Astronómico del CURE (mile 448)
- Nature and outdoors: Ciervo de los Pantanos National Park (mile 26), Cerro Pan de Azúcar Native Wildlife Breeding Station (mile 386), Laguna José Ignacio (mile 421), La Sirena Beach (mile 490)
- Museums and history: Calera Real del Dacá (mile 165), Cathedral of San José de Mayo (mile 282), Cathedral of Our Lady of Guadalupe (mile 316), 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.
Cathedral of San José de Mayo
The main Catholic church of San José de Mayo, the Cathedral Basilica of St. Joseph has been the diocesan seat since 1955, a minor basilica since 1957 and Uruguay's national shrine of Saint Joseph.
Cathedral of Our Lady of Guadalupe
Construction of Canelones' Cathedral of Our Lady of Guadalupe began in 1816; the church became a cathedral in 1961 and Uruguay's national shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe in 2020.
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.
Laguna José Ignacio
In Uruguay's Maldonado Department, Laguna José Ignacio is a coastal lagoon kept apart from the Atlantic Ocean by a sandbank.
Observatorio Astronómico del CURE
Run by the University of the Republic's eastern campus (CURE), this small observatory in Rocha opened in 2016 and uses a 30 cm reflector telescope under a motorized dome for teaching, research and public outreach.
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 Punta del Diablo itself
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.
More drives to Punta del Diablo
- La Paloma to Punta del Diablo
- Nueva Helvecia to Punta del Diablo
- Colonia del Sacramento to Punta del Diablo
- Tacuarembó to Punta del Diablo
- Rivera to Punta del Diablo
- Salto to Punta del Diablo
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 Punta del Diablo, Uruguay?
About 11 h 1 min of driving without stops, over 510 miles.
What is the driving distance from Luján to Punta del Diablo, Uruguay?
About 510 miles (820 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 Punta del Diablo 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.)
Is it safe to drive from Luján to Punta del Diablo, 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 Luján to Punta del Diablo?
In order: RP47, 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 Luján to Punta del Diablo?
Closest to the road: Cathedral of San José de Mayo (cathedral, mile 282, 0.9 mi from the route); Cathedral of Our Lady of Guadalupe (cathedral, mile 316, 0.2 mi from the route); Observatorio Astronómico del CURE (astronomical observatory, mile 448, 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.