The Wayro route from Mar del Plata to Mercedes, Uruguay is 441 miles (709 km), about 8 h 31 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: “If you are in an accident involving injury, stay in place until a police officer arrives.”
| Total distance | 441 mi (709 km) |
|---|---|
| Time at the wheel, no stops | 8 h 31 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 |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 17.6 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 9 |
Getting across the Argentina–Uruguay border
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 Mercedes drive plays out
RP2 (234 mi) and RN12 (48 mi) carry about 64% of the 441 miles. The first 421 miles are in Argentina; the last 20 are in Uruguay. It runs through 5 regions: Buenos Aires, Ciudad de Buenos Aires, Entre Ríos, Río Negro, Soriano. Of the 9 stops listed below, 4 are within a mile of the road.
Roads you'll take from Mar del Plata to Mercedes
| 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 | 421–441 | 20 | Río Negro, Soriano |
- 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)
Stops between Mar del Plata and Mercedes
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Museo del Cine Pablo Ducrós Hicken (mile 254), AMALITA Collection (mile 256), Tierra Santa (mile 262), ESMA Museum and Site of Memory – Former Clandestine Center of Detention, Torture and Extermination (mile 263)
- Nature and outdoors: Ciervo de los Pantanos National Park (mile 297)
- Museums and history: Museo del Cine Pablo Ducrós Hicken (mile 254), AMALITA Collection (mile 256), Palacio de Aguas Corrientes (mile 257), ESMA Museum and Site of Memory – Former Clandestine Center of Detention, Torture and Extermination (mile 263), Museo Histórico Cornelio de Saavedra (mile 265), Gualeguaychú Cathedral (mile 399)
- With kids: Tierra Santa (mile 262)
Museo del Cine Pablo Ducrós Hicken
Established in 1971, Museo del Cine Pablo Ducrós Hicken in Buenos Aires traces Argentine cinema through about 90,000 film reels plus photos, posters, scripts, costumes and film equipment.
AMALITA Collection
Officially the Amalia Lacroze de Fortabat Art Collection, the AMALITA Collection is an art museum in Buenos Aires.
Palacio de Aguas Corrientes
Known as the Palace of Running Waters, the Palacio de Aguas Corrientes is an architecturally significant water pumping station in Buenos Aires and former headquarters of Obras Sanitarias de la Nación.
Monument to Giuseppe Garibaldi
An equestrian statue of Italian military and political figure Giuseppe Garibaldi, this monument stands on Plaza Italia in the Palermo neighborhood of Buenos Aires.
Tierra Santa
Tierra Santa is a religious theme park in the city of Buenos Aires, in Argentina.
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.
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.
Ciervo de los Pantanos National Park
About 2,500 hectares of wetlands in Campana, Buenos Aires province, are protected as Ciervo de los Pantanos National Park. It's a Ramsar Site and home to the marsh deer and plenty of waterbirds.
Gualeguaychú Cathedral
In Gualeguaychú, Argentina, the Roman Catholic diocese has its cathedral church at St. Joseph's, also known as Gualeguaychú Cathedral.
Once you reach 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.
Cathedral of Mercedes
Mercedes, Uruguay, centers its Catholic life on the Cathedral of Our Lady of Mercy, which became the seat of the local diocese in 1960.
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.
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 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 Mercedes, Uruguay?
About 8 h 31 min of driving without stops, over 441 miles.
How far is Mercedes, Uruguay from Mar del Plata by car?
About 441 miles (709 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 Mercedes 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.)
What does the U.S. travel advisory say about the Mar del 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 Mar del Plata to Mercedes?
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.
Where can you stop on the way from Mar del Plata to Mercedes?
Closest to the road: Museo del Cine Pablo Ducrós Hicken (film museum, mile 254, 0.2 mi from the route); AMALITA Collection (art museum, mile 256, 0.2 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.