The Wayro route from Mercedes, Uruguay to Chuy is 366 miles (589 km), about 8 h 8 min of driving without stops.
Full advisory: Uruguay. Advisory issued: Uruguay July 28, 2026; checked October 10, 2026.
On the roads, the State Department says:
- Uruguay: “Illumination, pavement markings, and road surfaces for secondary roads can be poor.”
| Distance | 366 mi (589 km) |
|---|---|
| Drive time without stops | 8 h 8 min |
| Main roads, in order | I-B |
| Departments on the route | Soriano, Colonia, San José, Canelones, Maldonado, Rocha |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 14.6 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 8 |
How the Mercedes to Chuy drive plays out
I-B (5 mi) carries about 1% of the 366 miles. It runs through 6 departments: Soriano, Colonia, San José, Canelones, Maldonado, Rocha. Of the 8 stops listed below, 4 are within a mile of the road.
Mercedes to Chuy: the road sequence
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | Department |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–116 | 116 | Soriano, Colonia, San José |
| connecting roads | 116–119 | 3 | San José |
| local roads | 119–216 | 97 | San José, Canelones, Maldonado |
| I-B | 216–221 | 5 | Maldonado |
| connecting roads | 221–222 | 1 | Maldonado |
| local roads | 222–366 | 144 | Maldonado, Rocha |
- Mile 80 of this route: Soriano → Colonia (department line)
- Mile 98 of this route: Colonia → San José (department line)
- Mile 141 of this route: San José → Canelones (department line)
- Mile 210 of this route: Canelones → Maldonado (department line)
- Mile 268 of this route: Maldonado → Rocha (department line)
Places worth a stop between Mercedes and Chuy
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Cathedral of San José de Mayo (mile 117), Cathedral of Our Lady of Guadalupe (mile 151), Teatro 25 de Mayo (mile 285), Santa Teresa National Park (mile 344)
- Nature and outdoors: Cerro Pan de Azúcar Native Wildlife Breeding Station (mile 221), Laguna José Ignacio (mile 255), Santa Teresa National Park (mile 344)
- Museums and history: Cathedral of San José de Mayo (mile 117), Cathedral of Our Lady of Guadalupe (mile 151), Iglesia de Cristo Obrero y Nuestra Señora de Lourdes (mile 187)
Cathedral of San José de Mayo
The main Catholic church of San José de Mayo, the Cathedral Basilica of St. Joseph has been the diocesan seat since 1955, a minor basilica since 1957 and Uruguay's national shrine of Saint Joseph.
Cathedral of Our Lady of Guadalupe
Construction of Canelones' Cathedral of Our Lady of Guadalupe began in 1816; the church became a cathedral in 1961 and Uruguay's national shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe in 2020.
Iglesia de Cristo Obrero y Nuestra Señora de Lourdes
Since 2021, UNESCO has counted Eladio Dieste's Church of Christ the Worker among its World Heritage Sites. The engineer's brick church in Estación Atlántida was inaugurated in 1960 and is known for its undulating walls and roof.
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.
Laguna José Ignacio
In Uruguay's Maldonado Department, Laguna José Ignacio is a coastal lagoon kept apart from the Atlantic Ocean by a sandbank.
Teatro 25 de Mayo
Rocha's Teatro 25 de Mayo opened in 1910 as an Italian-style theater in the eclectic style, with room for about 400 people. Now a cultural complex, it is a stop on the city's self-guided heritage walk.
Santa Teresa National Park
Santa Teresa National Park on Rocha's coast was created to frame the colonial Santa Teresa Fortress; its grounds hold more than two million planted trees from five continents, a greenhouse and native wetland and woodland wildlife.
Parque Nacional Laguna Negra
In Rocha department, Laguna Negra National Park protects the waters of Laguna Negra, the Potrerillo de Santa Teresa biological station and part of Santa Teresa National Park north of Route 9.
More drives to Chuy
- Minas to Chuy
- Montevideo to Chuy
- Durazno to Chuy
- Colonia del Sacramento to Chuy
- Carmelo to Chuy
- Paysandú to Chuy
From Mercedes to other places in Uruguay
- Mercedes, Uruguay to Colonia del Sacramento
- Mercedes, Uruguay to Alejandro Gallinal
- Mercedes, Uruguay to Cabo Polonio
- Mercedes, Uruguay to Río Branco
- Mercedes, Uruguay to Tigre, Argentina
- Mercedes, Uruguay to Villa Gesell, Argentina
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to drive from Mercedes, Uruguay to Chuy?
About 8 h 8 min of driving without stops, over 366 miles.
What is the driving distance from Mercedes, Uruguay to Chuy?
About 366 miles (589 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.
Is it safe to drive from Mercedes, Uruguay to Chuy?
The U.S. State Department rates Uruguay Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution. Read the full advisory before you go.
What are good stops between Mercedes and Chuy?
Closest to the road: Cathedral of San José de Mayo (cathedral, mile 117, 0.9 mi from the route); Cathedral of Our Lady of Guadalupe (cathedral, mile 151, 0.2 mi from the route); Santa Teresa National Park (national park, mile 344, 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.