Plan on about 8 h 28 min of driving for the 395-mile (635 km) trip from Minas to San Antonio de Areco, Argentina, before any stops. You cross from Uruguay into Argentina at about mile 251, at the Gualeguaychú–Fray Bentos bridge.
Full advisory: Uruguay, Argentina. Advisory issued: Uruguay July 28, 2026; Argentina July 10, 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.”
- Argentina: “Drivers in Argentina tend to be aggressive, especially in Buenos Aires, and often ignore traffic regulations.”
| Distance by road | 395 mi (635 km) |
|---|---|
| Drive time without stops | 8 h 28 min |
| Main roads, in order | RN136 → RN14 → RN12 → RN193 → RN8 |
| Border crossing | about mile 251, Uruguay → Argentina (the Gualeguaychú–Fray Bentos bridge) |
| Regions on the route | Lavalleja, Canelones, San José, Colonia, Soriano, Río Negro, Entre Ríos, Buenos Aires |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 15.8 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 9 |
Getting across the Uruguay–Argentina border
The route crosses at about mile 251, at the Gualeguaychú–Fray Bentos bridge, from Río Negro into Entre Ríos. Plan on two checks on each side: immigration for your passport and customs for the car.
| 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. |
| 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. |
| The car, entering Argentina | Argentine customs (ARCA) registers the car's temporary entry. Bring the title or registration, liability insurance valid in Argentina and, if you don't own the car, a power of attorney signed before a notary. A rental car needs the rental company's MERCOSUR circulation authorization (ACM), and the company must be registered with Argentine customs. |
| 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, Argentina (updated July 16, 2026); U.S. State Department, Uruguay (updated August 13, 2026); ARCA (Argentine customs). Checked October 10, 2026; rules change, so confirm before you go.
On the road from Minas to San Antonio de Areco
RN12 (50 mi) and RN14 (36 mi) carry about 22% of the 395 miles. The first 251 miles are in Uruguay; the last 144 are in Argentina. It runs through 8 regions: Lavalleja, Canelones, San José, Colonia, Soriano, Río Negro, Entre Ríos, Buenos Aires. Of the 9 stops listed below, 3 are within a mile of the road.
Road-by-road breakdown: Minas to San Antonio de Areco
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | Region |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–78 | 78 | Lavalleja, Canelones |
| connecting roads | 78–81 | 3 | Canelones |
| local roads | 81–112 | 31 | Canelones, San José |
| connecting roads | 112–116 | 4 | San José |
| local roads | 116–249 | 133 | San José, Colonia, Soriano, Río Negro |
| connecting roads | 249–252 | 3 | Río Negro, Entre Ríos |
| RN136 | 252–271 | 19 | Entre Ríos |
| local roads | 271–278 | 7 | Entre Ríos |
| RN14 | 278–314 | 36 | Entre Ríos |
| RN12 | 314–364 | 50 | Entre Ríos, Buenos Aires |
| RN193 | 364–383 | 19 | Buenos Aires |
| RN8 | 383–391 | 8 | Buenos Aires |
| local roads | 391–395 | 4 | Buenos Aires |
- Mile 25 of this route: Lavalleja → Canelones (region line)
- Mile 91 of this route: Canelones → San José (region line)
- Mile 135 of this route: San José → Colonia (region line)
- Mile 152 of this route: Colonia → Soriano (region line)
- Mile 234 of this route: Soriano → Río Negro (region line)
- Mile 251 of this route: Río Negro → Entre Ríos (international border)
- Mile 344 of this route: Entre Ríos → Buenos Aires (region line)
Places worth a stop between Minas and San Antonio de Areco
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Teatro Politeama (mile 80), Cathedral of San José de Mayo (mile 114), Museo Departamental de San José (mile 114)
- Nature and outdoors: Laguna del Cisne (mile 45), Ciervo de los Pantanos National Park (mile 361)
- Museums and history: Iglesia de Cristo Obrero y Nuestra Señora de Lourdes (mile 44), Cathedral of San José de Mayo (mile 114), Museo Departamental de San José (mile 114), Calera Real del Dacá (mile 232), Alejandro Berro Paleontology Museum (mile 234), Gualeguaychú Cathedral (mile 272)
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.
Laguna del Cisne
Near Salinas in Canelones, Laguna del Cisne is a subtropical lagoon of about 1.8 km², fed by a watershed of some 50 km², that has supplied drinking water to the Costa de Oro area since 1970.
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.
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.
Museo Departamental de San José
Set in central San José de Mayo, the Museo Departamental de San José is a history and fine arts museum that also runs a library, archives and cultural programs.
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.
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.
Gualeguaychú Cathedral
St. Joseph's Cathedral, also called Gualeguaychú Cathedral, serves as the cathedral church of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Gualeguaychú in Argentina.
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.
Once you reach San Antonio de Areco
Parque Criollo y Museo Gauchesco Ricardo Gu͏̈iraldes
In San Antonio de Areco, Buenos Aires province, the Museo Gauchesco Ricardo Güiraldes spreads ten exhibit rooms across the 97-hectare Parque Criollo, opened in 1938, and presents Argentina's past, especially that of Buenos Aires province.
More drives to San Antonio de Areco
- Buenos Aires to San Antonio de Areco
- Adrogué to San Antonio de Areco
- La Plata to San Antonio de Areco
- Berisso to San Antonio de Areco
- Chascomús to San Antonio de Areco
- Villa Gesell to San Antonio de Areco
More drives from Minas
- Minas to Veinticinco de Agosto
- Minas to Nueva Helvecia
- Minas to Colonia del Sacramento
- Minas to Conchillas
- Minas to Carmelo
- Minas to Bella Unión
Continue Your Adventure
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to drive from Minas to San Antonio de Areco, Argentina?
About 8 h 28 min of driving without stops, over 395 miles.
How far is San Antonio de Areco, Argentina from Minas by car?
About 395 miles (635 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 Minas to San Antonio de Areco drive cross the border?
At about mile 251, from Uruguay into Argentina, at the Gualeguaychú–Fray Bentos bridge.
What do U.S. citizens need to drive from Minas into Argentina?
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. A valid U.S. license usually works; an International Driving Permit is recommended. (U.S. State Department, updated July 16, 2026.)
Is it safe to drive from Minas to San Antonio de Areco, Argentina?
The U.S. State Department rates Uruguay Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; Argentina Level 1: Exercise Normal Precautions. Read the full advisory before you go.
Which highways go from Minas to San Antonio de Areco?
In order: RN136, RN14, RN12, RN193 and RN8. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
Where can you stop on the way from Minas to San Antonio de Areco?
Closest to the road: Teatro Politeama (theater, mile 80, 0.1 mi from the route); Museo Departamental de San José (history museum, mile 114, 0.7 mi from the route); Cathedral of San José de Mayo (cathedral, mile 114, 0.9 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.