The Wayro route from Maldonado to Adrogué, Argentina is 441 miles (710 km), about 9 h 12 min of driving without stops. You cross from Uruguay into Argentina at about mile 262, at the Gualeguaychú–Fray Bentos bridge.
Full advisory: Uruguay, Argentina. Advisory issued: Uruguay July 28, 2026; Argentina July 10, 2026; checked October 10, 2026.
On the roads, the State Department says:
- Uruguay: “Traffic fatalities are high in Uruguay.”
- Argentina: “Drivers in Argentina tend to be aggressive, especially in Buenos Aires, and often ignore traffic regulations.”
| Distance by road | 441 mi (710 km) |
|---|---|
| Driving time, no stops | 9 h 12 min |
| Main roads, in order | I-B → RN136 → RN14 → RN12 → RP6 → RN9 → RNA001 |
| Border crossing | about mile 262, Uruguay → Argentina (the Gualeguaychú–Fray Bentos bridge) |
| Regions on the route | Maldonado, Canelones, San José, Colonia, Soriano, Río Negro, Entre Ríos, Buenos Aires, Ciudad de Buenos Aires |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 17.6 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 9 |
Border crossing: what to bring for Argentina
The route crosses at about mile 262, at the Gualeguaychú–Fray Bentos bridge, from Río Negro into Entre Ríos. Plan on two checks on each side: immigration for your passport and customs for the car.
| 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. |
| 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. |
| The car, entering Argentina | Argentine customs (ARCA) registers the car's temporary entry. Bring the title or registration, liability insurance valid in Argentina and, if you don't own the car, a power of attorney signed before a notary. A rental car needs the rental company's MERCOSUR circulation authorization (ACM), and the company must be registered with Argentine customs. |
| 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, Argentina (updated July 16, 2026); U.S. State Department, Uruguay (updated August 13, 2026); ARCA (Argentine customs). Checked October 10, 2026; rules change, so confirm before you go.
How the Maldonado to Adrogué drive plays out
RN12 (46 mi) and RN9 (39 mi) carry about 19% of the 441 miles. The first 262 miles are in Uruguay; the last 179 are in Argentina. It runs through 9 regions: Maldonado, Canelones, San José, Colonia, Soriano, Río Negro, Entre Ríos, Buenos Aires, Ciudad de Buenos Aires. Of the 9 stops listed below, 2 are within a mile of the road.
Maldonado to Adrogué: the road sequence
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | Region |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–9 | 9 | Maldonado |
| I-B | 9–27 | 18 | Maldonado |
| connecting roads | 27–28 | 1 | Maldonado |
| local roads | 28–44 | 16 | Maldonado, Canelones |
| connecting roads | 44–45 | 1 | Canelones |
| local roads | 45–56 | 11 | Canelones |
| connecting roads | 56–57 | 1 | Canelones |
| local roads | 57–89 | 32 | Canelones |
| connecting roads | 89–93 | 4 | Canelones |
| local roads | 93–124 | 31 | Canelones, San José |
| connecting roads | 124–127 | 3 | San José |
| local roads | 127–260 | 133 | San José, Colonia, Soriano, Río Negro |
| connecting roads | 260–263 | 3 | Río Negro, Entre Ríos |
| RN136 | 263–283 | 20 | Entre Ríos |
| local roads | 283–289 | 6 | Entre Ríos |
| RN14 | 289–326 | 37 | Entre Ríos |
| RN12 | 326–372 | 46 | Entre Ríos, Buenos Aires |
| RP6 | 372–377 | 5 | Buenos Aires |
| connecting roads | 377–378 | 1 | Buenos Aires |
| RN9 | 378–417 | 39 | Buenos Aires |
| connecting roads | 417–418 | 1 | Buenos Aires |
| RNA001 | 418–435 | 17 | Ciudad de Buenos Aires |
| local roads | 435–441 | 6 | Ciudad de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires |
- Mile 34 of this route: Maldonado → Canelones (region line)
- Mile 103 of this route: Canelones → San José (region line)
- Mile 146 of this route: San José → Colonia (region line)
- Mile 163 of this route: Colonia → Soriano (region line)
- Mile 245 of this route: Soriano → Río Negro (region line)
- Mile 262 of this route: Río Negro → Entre Ríos (international border)
- Mile 355 of this route: Entre Ríos → Buenos Aires (region line)
- Mile 418 of this route: Buenos Aires → Ciudad de Buenos Aires (region line)
- Mile 436 of this route: Ciudad de Buenos Aires → Buenos Aires (region line)
What to see on the way from Maldonado to Adrogué
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Teatro Macció (mile 126), Casa Museo Ernesto Sabato (mile 422)
- Nature and outdoors: Cerro Pan de Azúcar Native Wildlife Breeding Station (mile 19), Ciervo de los Pantanos National Park (mile 385), Jardín Botánico Lucien Hauman (mile 420)
- Museums and history: Iglesia de Cristo Obrero y Nuestra Señora de Lourdes (mile 56), Calera Real del Dacá (mile 243), Alejandro Berro Paleontology Museum (mile 245), Casa Museo Ernesto Sabato (mile 422)
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Jardín Botánico Lucien Hauman
Run by the Faculty of Agronomy of the University of Buenos Aires, Jardín Botánico Lucien Hauman is a one-hectare botanical garden in the city of Buenos Aires.
Casa Museo Ernesto Sabato
Writer Ernesto Sabato lived in this Santos Lugares house with his wife Matilde from 1945 until his death in 2011; today Casa Museo Ernesto Sabato is a museum run by his grandchildren.
Torre Espacial
Rising 200 meters in Buenos Aires' Villa Soldati section, Torre Espacial (also called Torre Interama) is an observation tower built between 1980 and 1981 for the Parque de la Ciudad amusement park.
When you get to Adrogué
Cathedral Basilica of Our Lady of Peace, Lomas de Zamora
Facing the central square of Lomas de Zamora, the Cathedral Basilica of Our Lady of Peace stands on land donated by Victorio Grigera in 1860.
Museo Histórico La Campana
Dedicated to the history of the Monte Grande area, Museo Histórico La Campana stands in Monte Grande, in Esteban Echeverría district, and opened on November 10, 1980.
More drives to Adrogué
- Mar del Plata to Adrogué
- Tigre to Adrogué
- Berisso to Adrogué
- Luján to Adrogué
- Pergamino to Adrogué
- San Nicolás de los Arroyos to Adrogué
More drives from Maldonado
- Maldonado to Nueva Helvecia
- Maldonado to Colonia del Sacramento
- Maldonado to Carmelo
- Maldonado to Tacuarembó
- Maldonado to Rivera
- Maldonado to Artigas
Frequently asked questions
How long is the drive from Maldonado to Adrogué, Argentina?
About 9 h 12 min of driving without stops, over 441 miles.
What is the driving distance from Maldonado to Adrogué, Argentina?
About 441 miles (710 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 Maldonado to Adrogué drive cross the border?
At about mile 262, from Uruguay into Argentina, at the Gualeguaychú–Fray Bentos bridge.
What do U.S. citizens need to drive from Maldonado into Argentina?
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. A valid U.S. license usually works; an International Driving Permit is recommended. (U.S. State Department, updated July 16, 2026.)
Is it safe to drive from Maldonado to Adrogué, Argentina?
The U.S. State Department rates Uruguay Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; Argentina Level 1: Exercise Normal Precautions. Read the full advisory before you go.
Which highways go from Maldonado to Adrogué?
In order: I-B, RN136, RN14, RN12, RP6, RN9 and RNA001. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
Where can you stop on the way from Maldonado to Adrogué?
Closest to the road: Cerro Pan de Azúcar Native Wildlife Breeding Station (nature park, mile 19, 2 mi from the route); Teatro Macció (theater, mile 126, 0.8 mi from the route); Casa Museo Ernesto Sabato (historic house museum, mile 422, 0.7 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.