Montevideo to Chascomús, Argentina Road Trip: Border & Stops

By admin, 13 October, 2026

Montevideo to Chascomús, Argentina is about 437 road miles (703 km): roughly 9 h 1 min at the wheel if you don't stop. You cross from Uruguay into Argentina at about mile 194, at the Gualeguaychú–Fray Bentos bridge.

U.S. State Department travel advisory: Uruguay — Level 2, Exercise Increased Caution; Argentina — Level 1, Exercise Normal Precautions

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: “Illumination, pavement markings, and road surfaces for secondary roads can be poor.”
  • Argentina: “Drivers in Argentina tend to be aggressive, especially in Buenos Aires, and often ignore traffic regulations.”
Parque LecocqCathedral of San José de MayoCathedral of MercedesGualeguaychú CathedralJapanese Garden, Belén de EscobarBernardino Rivadavia Natural Sciences Argentine MuseumErrázuriz PalaceWomen's Museum of ArgentinaSantuario Nuestra Señora del Rosario de PompeyaUruguay–Argentina borderMontevideoChascomús
Route from Montevideo to Chascomús with the 9 stops listed below (blue dots) and the approximate Uruguay–Argentina border crossing (red square).
Distance437 mi (703 km)
Time at the wheel, no stops9 h 1 min
Main roads, in orderRN HB → RN136 → RN14 → RN12 → RP6 → RN9 → AV1-N → RN1 → RNA004 → RP2
Border crossingabout mile 194, Uruguay → Argentina (the Gualeguaychú–Fray Bentos bridge)
Regions on the routeMontevideo, San José, Colonia, Soriano, Río Negro, Entre Ríos, Buenos Aires, Ciudad de Buenos Aires
Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg)about 17.5 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic
Stops listed below9

Getting across the Uruguay–Argentina border

The route crosses at about mile 194, 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 ArgentinaA 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 UruguayYou can drive on your U.S. license.
The car, entering ArgentinaArgentine 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 carCross 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.

Driving Montevideo to Chascomús: the shape of the trip

RN12 (47 mi) and RP2 (46 mi) carry about 21% of the 437 miles. The first 194 miles are in Uruguay; the last 243 are in Argentina. It runs through 8 regions: Montevideo, San José, Colonia, Soriano, Río Negro, Entre Ríos, Buenos Aires, Ciudad de Buenos Aires. Of the 9 stops listed below, 6 are within a mile of the road.

The route from Montevideo to Chascomús, road by road

RoadRoute miles (from–to)Length, miRegion
local roads0–33Montevideo
RN HB3–63Montevideo
local roads6–9589Montevideo, San José, Colonia
connecting roads95–961Colonia
local roads96–19397Soriano, Río Negro
connecting roads193–1952Río Negro, Entre Ríos
RN136195–21419Entre Ríos
local roads214–2217Entre Ríos
RN14221–25736Entre Ríos
RN12257–30447Entre Ríos, Buenos Aires
RP6304–3095Buenos Aires
RN9309–34940Buenos Aires
connecting roads349–3523Ciudad de Buenos Aires
AV1-N352–3586Ciudad de Buenos Aires
connecting roads358–3613Ciudad de Buenos Aires
RN1361–37817Ciudad de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires
RNA004378–3879Buenos Aires
RP2387–43346Buenos Aires
local roads433–4374Buenos Aires
  • Mile 15 of this route: Montevideo → San José (region line)
  • Mile 78 of this route: San José → Colonia (region line)
  • Mile 96 of this route: Colonia → Soriano (region line)
  • Mile 177 of this route: Soriano → Río Negro (region line)
  • Mile 194 of this route: Río Negro → Entre Ríos (international border)
  • Mile 288 of this route: Entre Ríos → Buenos Aires (region line)
  • Mile 349 of this route: Buenos Aires → Ciudad de Buenos Aires (region line)
  • Mile 366 of this route: Ciudad de Buenos Aires → Buenos Aires (region line)

Where to stop on the way to Chascomús

  • Right off the route (under 1 mile): Parque Lecocq (mile 14), Cathedral of San José de Mayo (mile 58), Cathedral of Mercedes (mile 175), Japanese Garden, Belén de Escobar (mile 326), Errázuriz Palace (mile 357), Women's Museum of Argentina (mile 359)
  • Nature and outdoors: Japanese Garden, Belén de Escobar (mile 326), Bernardino Rivadavia Natural Sciences Argentine Museum (mile 355)
  • Museums and history: Cathedral of San José de Mayo (mile 58), Cathedral of Mercedes (mile 175), Gualeguaychú Cathedral (mile 215), Bernardino Rivadavia Natural Sciences Argentine Museum (mile 355), Errázuriz Palace (mile 357), Women's Museum of Argentina (mile 359), Santuario Nuestra Señora del Rosario de Pompeya (mile 360)
  • With kids: Parque Lecocq (mile 14), Bernardino Rivadavia Natural Sciences Argentine Museum (mile 355)

Parque Lecocq

Mile 14 · Zoo · 0.9 mi from the route

Next to Santiago Vázquez, northwest of Montevideo, Parque Lecocq is a zoo with mammals and birds, breeding programs, and grounds bordering the Santa Lucía wetlands.

Cathedral of San José de Mayo

Mile 58 · Cathedral · 0.9 mi from the route

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 Mercedes

Mile 175 · Cathedral · 0.8 mi from the route

Since 1960, the Diocese of Mercedes has had its seat at the Cathedral of Our Lady of Mercy, the main Catholic church in this Uruguayan city.

Gualeguaychú Cathedral

Mile 215 · Cathedral · 1 mi from the route

In Gualeguaychú, Argentina, the Roman Catholic diocese has its cathedral church at St. Joseph's, also known as Gualeguaychú Cathedral.

Japanese Garden, Belén de Escobar

Mile 326 · Japanese garden · 0.2 mi from the route

Landscape engineer Yasuo Inomata designed this Japanese garden in Belén de Escobar in 1969, and the local Japanese community donated it to the city. Red, white and spotted koi swim in its 1,000-square-meter pond.

Bernardino Rivadavia Natural Sciences Argentine Museum

Mile 355 · Museum · 3 mi from the route · side trip; actual detour depends on access roads

Located in the Caballito neighborhood of Buenos Aires, the Bernardino Rivadavia Natural Sciences Argentine Museum is a public museum devoted to the natural sciences.

Errázuriz Palace

Mile 357 · Art museum · 0.7 mi from the route

Once one of the most elegant private homes in Buenos Aires, Errázuriz Palace (Palacio Errázuriz) has housed the National Museum of Decorative Art since 1937.

Women's Museum of Argentina

Mile 359 · Museum · 0.2 mi from the route

Created on August 11, 2006, the Women's Museum of Argentina is at Pasaje Rivarola 147 in Buenos Aires and has been declared of cultural interest by the national Chamber of Deputies.

Santuario Nuestra Señora del Rosario de Pompeya

Mile 360 · Catholic parish church · 3 mi from the route · side trip; actual detour depends on access roads

In the Nueva Pompeya district of southern Buenos Aires, this Catholic parish and Marian shrine is one of Argentina's earliest Neo-Gothic churches.

In Chascomús itself

Chascomús Lagoon

Lake · in Chascomús

On the east side of the city of Chascomús, in Buenos Aires Province, Chascomús Lagoon (Laguna de Chascomús) lies in the Salado River basin and is the second lagoon in the chain known as Las Encadenadas.

More drives to Chascomús

More drives from Montevideo

Frequently asked questions

How long is the drive from Montevideo to Chascomús, Argentina?

About 9 h 1 min of driving without stops, over 437 miles.

How far is Chascomús, Argentina from Montevideo by car?

About 437 miles (703 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 Montevideo to Chascomús drive cross the border?

At about mile 194, from Uruguay into Argentina, at the Gualeguaychú–Fray Bentos bridge.

What do U.S. citizens need to drive from Montevideo 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 Montevideo to Chascomús, 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.

What roads does the drive from Montevideo to Chascomús use?

In order: RN HB, RN136, RN14, RN12, RP6, RN9, AV1-N, RN1, RNA004 and RP2. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.

What are good stops between Montevideo and Chascomús?

Closest to the road: Japanese Garden, Belén de Escobar (japanese garden, mile 326, 0.2 mi from the route); Errázuriz Palace (art museum, mile 357, 0.7 mi from the route); Women's Museum of Argentina (museum, mile 359, 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.