Plan on about 6 h 31 min of driving for the 274-mile (441 km) trip from Mendoza to Quintay, Chile, before any stops. You cross from Argentina into Chile at about mile 128, at the Cristo Redentor crossing.
Full advisory: Argentina, Chile. Advisory issued: Argentina July 10, 2026; Chile August 19, 2026; checked October 10, 2026.
On the roads, the State Department says:
- Argentina: “Gas stations are often far apart and not always easily identified from the main roadway.”
- Chile: “Secondary and mountain roads may be poorly maintained, poorly lit, and may lack guardrails.”
| Distance | 274 mi (441 km) |
|---|---|
| Time at the wheel, no stops | 6 h 31 min |
| Main roads, in order | RN40 → RP87 → RP84 → RN7 → F-800 |
| Border crossing | about mile 128, Argentina → Chile (the Cristo Redentor crossing) |
| Regions on the route | Mendoza, Valparaíso |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 11.0 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 9 |
Getting across the Argentina–Chile border
The route crosses at about mile 128, at the Cristo Redentor crossing, from Mendoza into Valparaíso. Plan on two checks on each side: immigration for your passport and customs for the car.
| Entering Chile (U.S. citizens) | No visa needed for 90 days or less on a tourist passport; you get a Tourist Card valid for up to 90 days. Passport: must be valid for your whole stay. |
|---|---|
| Driving in Chile | A valid U.S. license works for the length of your tourist permit, usually 90 days. |
| 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. |
| The car, entering Chile | Foreign-plated cars entering Chile need SOAPEX, Chile's mandatory accident insurance for foreign vehicles, unless an international agreement covers the car. Keep the certificate with the car's papers. |
| 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, Chile (updated July 02, 2026); U.S. State Department, Argentina (updated July 16, 2026); CMF Chile (financial regulator). Checked October 10, 2026; rules change, so confirm before you go.
What the drive from Mendoza to Quintay is like
RN7 (103 mi) and F-800 (14 mi) carry about 43% of the 274 miles. The first 128 miles are in Argentina; the last 146 are in Chile. It runs through 2 regions: Mendoza, Valparaíso. Of the 9 stops listed below, 3 are within a mile of the road.
Mendoza to Quintay: the road sequence
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | Region |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–2 | 2 | Mendoza |
| RN40 | 2–12 | 10 | Mendoza |
| connecting roads | 12–14 | 2 | Mendoza |
| RP87 | 14–18 | 4 | Mendoza |
| RP84 | 18–24 | 6 | Mendoza |
| RN7 | 24–127 | 103 | Mendoza |
| local roads | 127–259 | 132 | Mendoza, Valparaíso |
| F-800 | 259–273 | 14 | Valparaíso |
| local roads | 273–274 | 1 | Valparaíso |
- Mile 128 of this route: Mendoza → Valparaíso (international border)
Stops between Mendoza and Quintay
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Christ the Redeemer of the Andes (mile 127), St. Philip's Cathedral, San Felipe (mile 180), Museo Histórico de Placilla (mile 255)
- Nature and outdoors: Balneario Las Salinas (mile 249), Lago Peñuelas National Reserve (mile 259)
- Museums and history: Museo Regional Americanista (mile 9), St. Philip's Cathedral, San Felipe (mile 180), Museo Palmira Romano (mile 228), Museo Histórico de Placilla (mile 255)
Museo Regional Americanista
You'll find the Museo Regional Americanista on Sáenz Peña street in the Luján de Cuyo department of Mendoza Province, Argentina.
Christ the Redeemer of the Andes
High in the Andes at 3,832 meters on the Argentina–Chile border, Christ the Redeemer of the Andes was unveiled on March 13, 1904, to mark the peaceful settlement of a border dispute between the two countries.
St. Philip's Cathedral, San Felipe
San Felipe Cathedral, dedicated to St. Philip, is a Catholic parish in San Felipe, Valparaíso Region, and serves as the cathedral of the Diocese of San Felipe de Aconcagua.
Museo Palmira Romano
Run by the municipality of Limache in the Valparaíso Region, the Museo Palmira Romano is a museum listed in Chile's museum registry.
Teatro Municipal Juan Bustos Ramírez
Quilpué's municipal theater opened on December 7, 1940, as Teatro Velarde; the city bought it in 2012 for reconstruction, and it reopened as Teatro Municipal Juan Bustos Ramírez in 2017.
Teatro Municipal
Teatro Municipal de Viña del Mar is a heritage building in Viña del Mar, in Chile's Valparaíso Region, facing Plaza Vergara.
Balneario Las Salinas
Balneario Las Salinas is a beach in Viña del Mar, in Chile's Valparaíso Region, lying just north of the neighborhood of the same name.
Museo Histórico de Placilla
About 14 km from Valparaíso, the Museo Histórico de Placilla opened in August 2009 under the Placilla Cultural Center and is the only museum in the Placilla de Peñuelas area.
Lago Peñuelas National Reserve
Chile's Lago Peñuelas National Reserve surrounds Peñuelas Lake, a freshwater reservoir that supplies drinking water to Valparaíso and Viña del Mar.
More drives to Quintay
- Reñaca to Quintay
- Coquimbo to Quintay
- La Serena to Quintay
- Vicuña to Quintay
- Punta de Choros to Quintay
- Copiapó to Quintay
More drives from Mendoza
- Mendoza to Capilla del Monte
- Mendoza to Barreal
- Mendoza to Los Ángeles, Chile
- Mendoza to Curicó, Chile
- Mendoza to Pichilemu, Chile
- Mendoza to Pelluhue, Chile
Frequently asked questions
How long is the drive from Mendoza to Quintay, Chile?
About 6 h 31 min of driving without stops, over 274 miles.
How far is Quintay, Chile from Mendoza by car?
About 274 miles (441 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 Mendoza to Quintay drive cross the border?
At about mile 128, from Argentina into Chile, at the Cristo Redentor crossing.
What do U.S. citizens need to drive from Mendoza into Chile?
No visa needed for 90 days or less on a tourist passport; you get a Tourist Card valid for up to 90 days. Passport: must be valid for your whole stay. A valid U.S. license works for the length of your tourist permit, usually 90 days. (U.S. State Department, updated July 02, 2026.)
Is it safe to drive from Mendoza to Quintay, Chile?
The U.S. State Department rates Argentina Level 1: Exercise Normal Precautions; Chile Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution. Read the full advisory before you go.
Which highways go from Mendoza to Quintay?
In order: RN40, RP87, RP84, RN7 and F-800. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
Where can you stop on the way from Mendoza to Quintay?
Closest to the road: Christ the Redeemer of the Andes (statue, mile 127, 0.9 mi from the route); St. Philip's Cathedral, San Felipe (cathedral, mile 180, 0.8 mi from the route); Museo Histórico de Placilla (archaeological museum, mile 255, 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.