By road, Mercedes, Uruguay and Río Branco are about 413 miles (665 km) apart, or roughly 8 h 46 min of driving.
Full advisory: Uruguay. Advisory issued: Uruguay July 28, 2026; checked October 10, 2026.
On the roads, the State Department says:
- Uruguay: “If you are in an accident involving injury, stay in place until a police officer arrives.”
| Total distance | 413 mi (665 km) |
|---|---|
| Driving time, no stops | 8 h 46 min |
| Departments on the route | Soriano, Colonia, San José, Canelones, Lavalleja, Treinta y Tres, Cerro Largo |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 16.5 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 8 |
What the drive from Mercedes to Río Branco is like
It runs through 7 departments: Soriano, Colonia, San José, Canelones, Lavalleja, Treinta y Tres, Cerro Largo. Of the 8 stops listed below, 4 are within a mile of the road.
Road-by-road breakdown: Mercedes to Río Branco
| 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 | 119–413 | 294 | San José, Canelones, Lavalleja, Treinta y Tres, Cerro Largo |
- 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 207 of this route: Canelones → Lavalleja (department line)
- Mile 318 of this route: Lavalleja → Treinta y Tres (department line)
- Mile 388 of this route: Treinta y Tres → Cerro Largo (department line)
Stops between Mercedes and Río Branco
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Cathedral of San José de Mayo (mile 117), Teatro Politeama (mile 152), Cathedral of Minas (mile 231), Museo Agustín Araújo (mile 334)
- Nature and outdoors: Parque nacional Arequita (mile 232), Salto del Penitente (mile 242)
- Museums and history: Cathedral of San José de Mayo (mile 117), Iglesia de Cristo Obrero y Nuestra Señora de Lourdes (mile 187), Cathedral of Minas (mile 231), Museo Agustín Araújo (mile 334)
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.
Teatro Politeama
Canelones' Teatro Politeama opened in 1921 and reopened in 2014 as the Complejo Cultural Politeama Teatro Atahualpa del Cioppo. Uruguay declared the theater a National Historic Monument in 2022.
Iglesia de Cristo Obrero y Nuestra Señora de Lourdes
Engineer Eladio Dieste's Church of Christ the Worker in Estación Atlántida, inaugurated in 1960, joined UNESCO's World Heritage List in 2021. Look for its wavy brick walls and roof, an openwork brick bell tower and an underground baptistery.
Cathedral of Minas
Minas's main Catholic church, the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception served as the seat of the Diocese of Minas from 1960 to 2020.
Parque nacional Arequita
Arequita National Park is a protected natural area in Lavalleja department, southeastern Uruguay, known for Cerro Arequita, its related rock formations and its biodiversity.
Salto del Penitente
Museo Agustín Araújo
Treinta y Tres's departmental fine arts museum, the Museo Agustín Araújo is a public museum in the city of Treinta y Tres, Uruguay.
Quebrada de los Cuervos
Crossed by the Yerbal Chico creek, the Quebrada de los Cuervos is a ravine in Treinta y Tres department and a natural protected area in Uruguay.
More drives to Río Branco
- Rivera to Río Branco
- Montevideo to Río Branco
- Salto to Río Branco
- Paysandú to Río Branco
- Fray Bentos to Río Branco
- Buenos Aires to Río Branco, Uruguay
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 Chuy
- Mercedes, Uruguay to Tigre, Argentina
- Mercedes, Uruguay to Villa Gesell, Argentina
Frequently asked questions
How long is the drive from Mercedes, Uruguay to Río Branco?
About 8 h 46 min of driving without stops, over 413 miles.
How far is Río Branco from Mercedes, Uruguay by car?
About 413 miles (665 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 Río Branco?
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 Río Branco?
Closest to the road: Teatro Politeama (theater, mile 152, 0.2 mi from the route); Cathedral of Minas (cathedral, mile 231, 0.6 mi from the route); Museo Agustín Araújo (museum, mile 334, 0.8 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.