The Wayro route from Montevideo to Santa Maria, Brazil is 465 miles (749 km), about 10 h 1 min of driving without stops. You cross from Uruguay into Brazil at about mile 315.
- Level 4: Do Not Travel in Brazil: informal housing developments (favelas, vilas, comunidades or conglomerados).
Full advisory: Uruguay, Brazil. Advisory issued: Uruguay July 28, 2026; Brazil August 31, 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.”
- Brazil: “Flooding makes some roads through the Amazon impassable for much of the year.”
| Total distance | 465 mi (749 km) |
|---|---|
| Drive time without stops | 10 h 1 min |
| Main roads, in order | BR-158 → BR-290 |
| Border crossing | about mile 315, Uruguay → Brazil |
| Regions on the route | Montevideo, Canelones, Florida, Durazno, Tacuarembó, Rivera, Rio Grande do Sul |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 18.6 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 9 |
The border on the way to Santa Maria
The route crosses at about mile 315, from Rivera into Rio Grande do Sul. Plan on two checks on each side: immigration for your passport and customs for the car.
| Entering Brazil (U.S. citizens) | Visa required: apply and get approved before you travel; travelers without visas can't enter. Passport: must be valid for one month at entry, with a blank page for each stamp. |
|---|---|
| Driving in Brazil | If you'll stay more than 180 days and drive, carry an Inter-American Driving Permit with your U.S. license. |
| 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. |
| 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, Brazil (updated August 06, 2026); U.S. State Department, Uruguay (updated August 13, 2026). Checked October 10, 2026; rules change, so confirm before you go.
On the road from Montevideo to Santa Maria
BR-158 (135 mi) and BR-290 (13 mi) carry about 32% of the 465 miles. The first 315 miles are in Uruguay; the last 150 are in Brazil. It runs through 7 regions: Montevideo, Canelones, Florida, Durazno, Tacuarembó, Rivera, Rio Grande do Sul. Of the 9 stops listed below, 8 are within a mile of the road.
Which roads connect Montevideo and Santa Maria
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | Region |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–314 | 314 | Montevideo, Canelones, Florida, Durazno, Tacuarembó, Rivera |
| BR-158 | 314–378 | 64 | Rivera, Rio Grande do Sul |
| BR-290 | 378–391 | 13 | Rio Grande do Sul |
| BR-158 | 391–462 | 71 | Rio Grande do Sul |
| local roads | 462–465 | 3 | Rio Grande do Sul |
- Mile 15 of this route: Montevideo → Canelones (region line)
- Mile 42 of this route: Canelones → Florida (region line)
- Mile 108 of this route: Florida → Durazno (region line)
- Mile 157 of this route: Durazno → Tacuarembó (region line)
- Mile 265 of this route: Tacuarembó → Rivera (region line)
- Mile 315 of this route: Rivera → Rio Grande do Sul (international border)
Stops between Montevideo and Santa Maria
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): María Auxiliadora, Colón, Montevideo (mile 11), Colegio Pío museum (mile 11), Museo de la Uva y el Vino (mile 17), Piedra Alta (mile 62), Museo Histórico Departamental de Florida (mile 63), Casa de Rivera, Durazno (mile 117), Cathedral of Tacuarembó (mile 245), Museo del Indio y del Gaucho Washington Escobar (mile 245)
- Nature and outdoors: Chorro de Agua Fría (mile 219)
- Museums and history: Colegio Pío museum (mile 11), Museo de la Uva y el Vino (mile 17), Piedra Alta (mile 62), Museo Histórico Departamental de Florida (mile 63), Casa de Rivera, Durazno (mile 117), Cathedral of Tacuarembó (mile 245), Museo del Indio y del Gaucho Washington Escobar (mile 245)
María Auxiliadora, Colón, Montevideo
Completed in 1877, the María Auxiliadora parish church is a Roman Catholic church in the Villa Colón area of Montevideo.
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.
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.
Museo Histórico Departamental de Florida
This history museum is located in the central part of Florida, capital of the Uruguayan department of the same name, on Rivera street.
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.
Chorro de Agua Fría
In Uruguay's Tacuarembó Department, Chorro de Agua Fría is a waterfall that drops roughly 14 meters, the highest uninterrupted fall in the country.
Cathedral of Tacuarembó
Saint Fructuosus Cathedral is the main Catholic church of Tacuarembó, Uruguay, and has been the seat of the local diocese since 1960.
Museo del Indio y del Gaucho Washington Escobar
The Museo del Indio y del Gaucho, a museum of the Indigenous people and the gaucho, is located in the city of Tacuarembó, Uruguay.
Once you reach Santa Maria
Theatro Treze de Maio
Facing Praça Saldanha Marinho in central Santa Maria, Rio Grande do Sul, the Theatro Treze de Maio is a theater protected as a municipal heritage property.
Catedral de Nuestra Señora de la Concepción
Seat of the Archdiocese of Santa Maria in Rio Grande do Sul, this eclectic cathedral mixes neo-Baroque and neoclassical styles; construction started in 1902 under parish priest Caetano Pagliuca, and it opened in 1909.
Educational Museum Gama D'Eça
The Gama D'Eça Educational Museum sits at Rua do Acampamento 81 in central Santa Maria, Rio Grande do Sul.
More drives to Santa Maria
- Porto Alegre to Santa Maria, Brazil
- Caxias do Sul to Santa Maria, Brazil
- Joinville to Santa Maria, Brazil
- Itajaí to Santa Maria, Brazil
- Blumenau to Santa Maria, Brazil
- Florianópolis to Santa Maria, Brazil
More drives from Montevideo
- 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 Santa Maria, Brazil?
About 10 h 1 min of driving without stops, over 465 miles.
How far is Santa Maria, Brazil from Montevideo by car?
About 465 miles (749 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 Santa Maria drive cross the border?
At about mile 315, from Uruguay into Brazil.
What do U.S. citizens need to drive from Montevideo into Brazil?
Visa required: apply and get approved before you travel; travelers without visas can't enter. Passport: must be valid for one month at entry, with a blank page for each stamp. If you'll stay more than 180 days and drive, carry an Inter-American Driving Permit with your U.S. license. (U.S. State Department, updated August 06, 2026.)
What does the U.S. travel advisory say about the Montevideo to Santa Maria drive?
The U.S. State Department rates Uruguay Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; Brazil Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution. Read the full advisory before you go.
What roads does the drive from Montevideo to Santa Maria use?
In order: BR-158 and BR-290. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
Where can you stop on the way from Montevideo to Santa Maria?
Closest to the road: Museo de la Uva y el Vino (museum, mile 17, 0.4 mi from the route); Piedra Alta (historic site, mile 62, 0.4 mi from the route); Casa de Rivera, Durazno (historic house museum, mile 117, 0.3 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.