By road, Mar del Plata and Trinidad, Uruguay are about 534 miles (860 km) apart, or roughly 10 h 43 min of driving. 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.”
| Distance | 534 mi (860 km) |
|---|---|
| Time at the wheel, no stops | 10 h 43 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, Flores |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 21.4 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 9 |
Crossing from Argentina into 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.
Driving Mar del Plata to Trinidad: the shape of the trip
RP2 (234 mi) and RN12 (48 mi) carry about 53% of the 534 miles. The first 421 miles are in Argentina; the last 113 are in Uruguay. It runs through 5 regions: Buenos Aires, Ciudad de Buenos Aires, Entre Ríos, Río Negro, Flores. Of the 9 stops listed below, 4 are within a mile of the road.
Which roads connect Mar del Plata and Trinidad
| 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 | 421–534 | 113 | Río Negro, Flores |
- 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 503 of this route: Río Negro → Flores (region line)
Where to stop on the way to Trinidad
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Museo del Cine Pablo Ducrós Hicken (mile 254), Museo de la Pasión Boquense (mile 254), Museo de Arquitectura y Diseño (mile 257), Tierra Santa (mile 262)
- Nature and outdoors: Ciervo de los Pantanos National Park (mile 298)
- Museums and history: Museo del Cine Pablo Ducrós Hicken (mile 254), Museo de la Pasión Boquense (mile 254), Casa Nacional del Bicentenario (mile 257), Museo de Arquitectura y Diseño (mile 257), Museo Casa de Rogelio Yrurtia (mile 262), 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.
Museo de la Pasión Boquense
Football fans can dig into the history and personalities of Club Atlético Boca Juniors at the Museo de la Pasión Boquense, a themed soccer museum devoted to the club.
Casa Nacional del Bicentenario
Part cultural center and part museum, the Casa Nacional del Bicentenario is located in the Recoleta section of Buenos Aires.
Museo de Arquitectura y Diseño
Run by the Sociedad Central de Arquitectos, Museo de Arquitectura y Diseño is a museum dedicated to architecture and design in Argentina.
Tierra Santa
Tierra Santa is a religious theme park in the city of Buenos Aires, in Argentina.
Museo Casa de Rogelio Yrurtia
Sculptor Rogelio Yrurtia once lived in this house in the Belgrano district of Buenos Aires, which now operates as a museum dedicated to him.
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.
Gualeguaychú Cathedral
St. Joseph's Cathedral, also called Gualeguaychú Cathedral, serves as the cathedral church of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Gualeguaychú in Argentina.
Frigorífico Anglo del Uruguay
The former Anglo meatpacking plant on the Uruguay River at Fray Bentos began shipping frozen meat in 1924, on the site where Liebig exported meat extract and corned beef from 1865. It is part of a UNESCO World Heritage landscape inscribed in 2015.
Once you reach Trinidad
Reserva de Flora y fauna Dr. Rodolfo Tálice
Off Route 3 near Trinidad, the Dr. Rodolfo Tálice Ecopark (Reserva de Flora y Fauna Dr. Rodolfo Talice) is a fenced wildlife reserve where axis deer, greater rheas and pampas deer roam free alongside other species.
More drives to Trinidad
- Montevideo to Trinidad, Uruguay
- Minas to Trinidad, Uruguay
- Artigas to Trinidad, Uruguay
- Treinta y Tres to Trinidad, Uruguay
- Buenos Aires to Trinidad, Uruguay
- Córdoba, Argentina to Trinidad, 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 does it take to drive from Mar del Plata to Trinidad, Uruguay?
About 10 h 43 min of driving without stops, over 534 miles.
What is the driving distance from Mar del Plata to Trinidad, Uruguay?
About 534 miles (860 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 Trinidad 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 Trinidad, 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.
What roads does the drive from Mar del Plata to Trinidad use?
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 Trinidad?
Closest to the road: Museo del Cine Pablo Ducrós Hicken (film museum, mile 254, 0.2 mi from the route); Museo de Arquitectura y Diseño (museum, mile 257, 0.2 mi from the route); Tierra Santa (theme park, mile 262, 0.3 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.