Plan on about 8 h 16 min of driving for the 372-mile (599 km) trip from Montevideo to Artigas, before any stops.
Full advisory: Uruguay. Advisory issued: Uruguay July 28, 2026; checked October 10, 2026.
On the roads, the State Department says:
- Uruguay: “Several of the main highways are particularly accident-ridden.”
| Distance by road | 372 mi (599 km) |
|---|---|
| Drive time without stops | 8 h 16 min |
| Departments on the route | Montevideo, Canelones, Florida, Durazno, Tacuarembó, Rivera, Salto, Artigas |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 14.9 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 9 |
Driving Montevideo to Artigas: the shape of the trip
It runs through 8 departments: Montevideo, Canelones, Florida, Durazno, Tacuarembó, Rivera, Salto, Artigas. Of the 9 stops listed below, 8 are within a mile of the road.
Road-by-road breakdown: Montevideo to Artigas
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | Department |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–372 | 372 | Montevideo, Canelones, Florida, Durazno, Tacuarembó, Rivera, Salto, Artigas |
- Mile 15 of this route: Montevideo → Canelones (department line)
- Mile 42 of this route: Canelones → Florida (department line)
- Mile 108 of this route: Florida → Durazno (department line)
- Mile 157 of this route: Durazno → Tacuarembó (department line)
- Mile 265 of this route: Tacuarembó → Rivera (department line)
- Mile 316 of this route: Rivera → Salto (department line)
- Mile 327 of this route: Salto → Artigas (department line)
Stops between Montevideo and Artigas
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Colegio Pío museum (mile 11), Museo de la Uva y el Vino (mile 17), Cathedral of Our Lady of Guadalupe (mile 30), Piedra Alta (mile 62), Cathedral of Florida (mile 62), Casa de Rivera, Durazno (mile 117), Museo de Artes Visuales de Tacuarembó (mile 245), Zoológico Municipal Dr. Mauricio López Lomba (mile 247)
- Museums and history: Peñarol station museum (mile 9), Colegio Pío museum (mile 11), Museo de la Uva y el Vino (mile 17), Cathedral of Our Lady of Guadalupe (mile 30), Piedra Alta (mile 62), Cathedral of Florida (mile 62), Casa de Rivera, Durazno (mile 117), Museo de Artes Visuales de Tacuarembó (mile 245)
- With kids: Zoológico Municipal Dr. Mauricio López Lomba (mile 247)
Peñarol station museum
Set inside the railway station of Montevideo's Peñarol neighborhood, the Peñarol station museum traces the history of the railroad and of the neighborhood itself.
Colegio Pío museum
The Colegio Pío IX runs three museums, with spaces devoted to history, the natural sciences and scientific observation.
Museo de la Uva y el Vino
Museo de la Uva y el Vino is a museum of grapes and wine in Las Piedras, Canelones, known as Uruguay's grape and wine capital.
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.
Piedra Alta
On the banks of the Santa Lucía Chico River outside the city of Florida, Piedra Alta is a rock formation of historic importance that appears on the department's coat of arms and flag.
Cathedral of Florida
Florida's cathedral basilica is also Uruguay's national shrine of the Virgin of the Thirty-Three, the country's patroness, and keeps the original image; look for its bronze door by sculptor José Belloni and his son Stelio, stained glass and domes.
Casa de Rivera, Durazno
Facing Plaza Independencia in Durazno, the Casa de Fructuoso Rivera (Casa de Rivera) is one of the town's main heritage sites and now houses the department's historical museum.
Museo de Artes Visuales de Tacuarembó
The Museum of Visual Arts of Tacuarembó (Museo de Artes Visuales) is a museum in the city of Tacuarembó, Uruguay.
Zoológico Municipal Dr. Mauricio López Lomba
Reachable from Route 5 at kilometer 390, the Mauricio López Lomba reserve is a wildlife reserve in the city of Tacuarembó, Uruguay.
More drives to Artigas
- Paysandú to Artigas
- Maldonado to Artigas
- Córdoba, Argentina to Artigas, Uruguay
- Rosario, Argentina to Artigas, Uruguay
- La Plata to Artigas, Uruguay
- Berisso to Artigas, Uruguay
From Montevideo to other places in Uruguay
- Montevideo to Veinticinco de Agosto
- Montevideo to Piriápolis
- Montevideo to Florida, Uruguay
- Montevideo to Minas
- Montevideo to Conchillas
- Montevideo to Mercedes, Uruguay
Continue Your Adventure
Frequently asked questions
How long is the drive from Montevideo to Artigas?
About 8 h 16 min of driving without stops, over 372 miles.
How far is Artigas from Montevideo by car?
About 372 miles (599 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 Montevideo to Artigas?
The U.S. State Department rates Uruguay Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution. Read the full advisory before you go.
Where can you stop on the way from Montevideo to Artigas?
Closest to the road: Museo de la Uva y el Vino (museum, mile 17, 0.4 mi from the route); Casa de Rivera, Durazno (historic house museum, mile 117, 0.3 mi from the route); Zoológico Municipal Dr. Mauricio López Lomba (zoo, mile 247, 0.1 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.