The Wayro route from Mar del Plata to Colonia del Sacramento, Uruguay is 553 miles (890 km), about 11 h 19 min of driving without stops. You cross from Argentina into Uruguay at about mile 421, 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: “Traffic fatalities are high in Uruguay.”
| Distance | 553 mi (890 km) |
|---|---|
| Time at the wheel, no stops | 11 h 19 min |
| Main roads, in order | RP2 → RN1 → AV1-N → RN9 → RP6 → RN12 → RN14 → RN136 |
| Border crossing | about mile 421, Argentina → Uruguay (the Gualeguaychú–Fray Bentos bridge) |
| Regions on the route | Buenos Aires, Ciudad de Buenos Aires, Entre Ríos, Río Negro, Soriano, Colonia |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 22.1 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 9 |
Border crossing: what to bring for Uruguay
The route crosses at about mile 421, 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.
How the Mar del Plata to Colonia del Sacramento drive plays out
RP2 (234 mi) and RN12 (48 mi) carry about 51% of the 553 miles. The first 421 miles are in Argentina; the last 132 are in Uruguay. It runs through 6 regions: Buenos Aires, Ciudad de Buenos Aires, Entre Ríos, Río Negro, Soriano, Colonia. Of the 9 stops listed below, 4 are within a mile of the road.
Mar del Plata to Colonia del Sacramento: the road sequence
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | Region |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–2 | 2 | Buenos Aires |
| RP2 | 2–236 | 234 | Buenos Aires |
| connecting roads | 236–237 | 1 | Buenos Aires |
| RN1 | 237–254 | 17 | Buenos Aires, Ciudad de Buenos Aires |
| local roads | 254–257 | 3 | Ciudad de Buenos Aires |
| AV1-N | 257–263 | 6 | Ciudad de Buenos Aires |
| connecting roads | 263–265 | 2 | Ciudad de Buenos Aires |
| RN9 | 265–304 | 39 | Ciudad de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires |
| connecting roads | 304–305 | 1 | Buenos Aires |
| RP6 | 305–309 | 4 | Buenos Aires |
| RN12 | 309–357 | 48 | Buenos Aires, Entre Ríos |
| RN14 | 357–393 | 36 | Entre Ríos |
| local roads | 393–400 | 7 | Entre Ríos |
| RN136 | 400–419 | 19 | Entre Ríos |
| connecting roads | 419–421 | 2 | Entre Ríos |
| local roads | 421–440 | 19 | Río Negro, Soriano |
| connecting roads | 440–442 | 2 | Soriano |
| local roads | 442–553 | 111 | Soriano, Colonia |
- Mile 250 of this route: Buenos Aires → Ciudad de Buenos Aires (region line)
- Mile 266 of this route: Ciudad de Buenos Aires → Buenos Aires (region line)
- Mile 327 of this route: Buenos Aires → Entre Ríos (region line)
- Mile 421 of this route: Entre Ríos → Río Negro (international border)
- Mile 437 of this route: Río Negro → Soriano (region line)
- Mile 492 of this route: Soriano → Colonia (region line)
Places worth a stop between Mar del Plata and Colonia del Sacramento
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Equestrian monument to General Manuel Belgrano (mile 255), José Hernández Folk Art Museum (mile 259), ESMA Museum and Site of Memory – Former Clandestine Center of Detention, Torture and Extermination (mile 263), Museo Municipal Profesor Roselli (mile 492)
- Nature and outdoors: Agraciada Beach (mile 488), Anchorena Presidential Estate (mile 538)
- Museums and history: Our Lady of Narek Cathedral, Buenos Aires (mile 259), José Hernández Folk Art Museum (mile 259), ESMA Museum and Site of Memory – Former Clandestine Center of Detention, Torture and Extermination (mile 263), Gualeguaychú Cathedral (mile 399), Museo Municipal Profesor Roselli (mile 492)
Equestrian monument to General Manuel Belgrano
Facing the Casa Rosada on Plaza de Mayo, the equestrian monument to General Manuel Belgrano is a Buenos Aires landmark.
Teatro Liceo
Recognized by the city as the oldest theater still standing in Buenos Aires, Teatro Liceo sits at the corner of Rivadavia Avenue and Paraná Street in Montserrat.
Our Lady of Narek Cathedral, Buenos Aires
On Charcas Street in Buenos Aires, the Armenian Cathedral of Our Lady of Narek is an Armenian Catholic church following the Armenian rite in full communion with the Pope.
José Hernández Folk Art Museum
Part of the city's public museum network, Buenos Aires' José Hernández Folk Art Museum collects, studies and displays Argentine folk art in its many forms.
ESMA Museum and Site of Memory – Former Clandestine Center of Detention, Torture and Extermination
Set in Buenos Aires on the former Navy Mechanics School grounds, one of the largest clandestine detention, torture and extermination centers of the last dictatorship, this site museum was declared UNESCO World Heritage in 2023.
Gualeguaychú Cathedral
St. Joseph's Cathedral, also called Gualeguaychú Cathedral, serves as the cathedral church of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Gualeguaychú in Argentina.
Agraciada Beach
On the eastern bank of the Uruguay River in Soriano department, Agraciada Beach is a historic beach area facing Argentina's Entre Ríos province.
Museo Municipal Profesor Roselli
Nueva Palmira's municipal museum, also known as the Museo Roselli, is named for its first director, Professor Francisco Lucas Rosselli.
Anchorena Presidential Estate
Located in Colonia Department, 208 km from Montevideo, the Anchorena Presidential Estate is a national park that also serves as a rest residence for Uruguay's president.
In Colonia del Sacramento itself
Museo Paleontológico Profesor Armando Calcaterra
In the Real de San Carlos area of Colonia del Sacramento, Museo Paleontológico Profesor Armando Calcaterra shows about 1,600 pieces, including fossil vertebrates and invertebrates and Indigenous artifacts.
Basílica del Santísimo Sacramento, Colonia del Sacramento
In Colonia del Sacramento, Uruguay, the Basílica del Santísimo Sacramento (Basilica of the Holy Sacrament) is a Roman Catholic parish church you can stop at in town.
Colonia del Sacramento Lighthouse
Erected in 1857 on the ruins of the Saint Francis Xavier convent, the Colonia del Sacramento Lighthouse stands in the town's historic district in Uruguay.
More drives to Colonia del Sacramento
- Mercedes, Uruguay to Colonia del Sacramento
- Paysandú to Colonia del Sacramento
- Tacuarembó to Colonia del Sacramento
- Salto to Colonia del Sacramento
- Rivera to Colonia del Sacramento
- Artigas to Colonia del Sacramento
More drives from Mar del Plata
- Mar del Plata to Viedma
- Mar del Plata to Adrogué
- Mar del Plata to Tigre
- Mar del Plata to San Antonio de Areco
- Mar del Plata to Arrecifes
- Mar del Plata to Pergamino
Continue Your Adventure
Frequently asked questions
How long is the drive from Mar del Plata to Colonia del Sacramento, Uruguay?
About 11 h 19 min of driving without stops, over 553 miles.
How far is Colonia del Sacramento, Uruguay from Mar del Plata by car?
About 553 miles (890 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 Mar del Plata to Colonia del Sacramento drive cross the border?
At about mile 421, from Argentina into Uruguay, at the Gualeguaychú–Fray Bentos bridge.
What do U.S. citizens need to drive from Mar del 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 Mar del Plata to Colonia del Sacramento, 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 Mar del Plata to Colonia del Sacramento?
In order: RP2, 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 Mar del Plata and Colonia del Sacramento?
Closest to the road: Equestrian monument to General Manuel Belgrano (sculpture, mile 255, 0.3 mi from the route); José Hernández Folk Art Museum (art museum, mile 259, 0.7 mi from the route); ESMA Museum and Site of Memory – Former Clandestine Center of Detention, Torture and Extermination (museum, mile 263, 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.