Plan on about 8 h 9 min of driving for the 383-mile (617 km) trip from Neuquén to Villa Mercedes, Chile, before any stops. You cross from Argentina into Chile at about mile 188, at Paso Pino Hachado.
Full advisory: Argentina, Chile. Advisory issued: Argentina July 10, 2026; Chile August 19, 2026; checked October 10, 2026.
On the roads, the State Department says:
- Argentina: “Drivers should prepare in advance when taking long road trips and make sure to have adequate insurance coverage.”
- Chile: “Use caution when walking or driving at night, especially if alone.”
| Total distance | 383 mi (617 km) |
|---|---|
| Time at the wheel, no stops | 8 h 9 min |
| Main roads, in order | RN22 → RN40 → RN242 → Q-45 |
| Border crossing | about mile 188, Argentina → Chile (Paso Pino Hachado) |
| Regions on the route | Neuquén, La Araucanía, Bío-Bío |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 15.3 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 8 |
Crossing from Argentina into Chile
The route crosses at about mile 188, at Paso Pino Hachado, from Neuquén into La Araucanía. Plan on two checks on each side: immigration for your passport and customs for the car.
| Entering Chile (U.S. citizens) | No visa needed for 90 days or less on a tourist passport; you get a Tourist Card valid for up to 90 days. Passport: must be valid for your whole stay. |
|---|---|
| Driving in Chile | A valid U.S. license works for the length of your tourist permit, usually 90 days. |
| 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. |
| The car, entering Chile | Foreign-plated cars entering Chile need SOAPEX, Chile's mandatory accident insurance for foreign vehicles, unless an international agreement covers the car. Keep the certificate with the car's papers. |
| 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, Chile (updated July 02, 2026); U.S. State Department, Argentina (updated July 16, 2026); CMF Chile (financial regulator). Checked October 10, 2026; rules change, so confirm before you go.
The Neuquén–Villa Mercedes drive in a few lines
RN22 (114 mi) and RN242 (37 mi) carry about 39% of the 383 miles. The first 188 miles are in Argentina; the last 195 are in Chile. It runs through 3 regions: Neuquén, La Araucanía, Bío-Bío. Of the 8 stops listed below, 3 are within a mile of the road.
Neuquén to Villa Mercedes: the road sequence
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | Region |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–3 | 3 | Neuquén |
| RN22 | 3–117 | 114 | Neuquén |
| local roads | 117–122 | 5 | Neuquén |
| RN40 | 122–152 | 30 | Neuquén |
| RN242 | 152–189 | 37 | Neuquén, La Araucanía |
| local roads | 189–300 | 111 | La Araucanía |
| connecting roads | 300–301 | 1 | La Araucanía |
| local roads | 301–358 | 57 | La Araucanía, Bío-Bío |
| connecting roads | 358–359 | 1 | Bío-Bío |
| local roads | 359–363 | 4 | Bío-Bío |
| Q-45 | 363–380 | 17 | Bío-Bío |
| local roads | 380–383 | 3 | Bío-Bío |
- Mile 188 of this route: Neuquén → La Araucanía (international border)
- Mile 332 of this route: La Araucanía → Bío-Bío (region line)
Stops between Neuquén and Villa Mercedes
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Museo Carmen Funes (mile 70), Alto Bío Bío National Reserve (mile 193), Teatro Municipal de Collipulli (mile 322)
- Nature and outdoors: Área protegida Cuchillo Curá (mile 145), Alto Bío Bío National Reserve (mile 193), Conguillío National Park (mile 238), Malalcahuello National Reserve (mile 247), Tolhuaca National Park (mile 278)
- Museums and history: Museo Carmen Funes (mile 70), St. Mary of the Angels Cathedral (mile 363)
Museo Carmen Funes
Plaza Huincul's municipal paleontology museum is known for its dinosaur fossils, including the only specimen of Argentinosaurus huinculensis and sauropod embryos found at a nesting site in Auca Mahuida.
Área protegida Cuchillo Curá
Near Las Lajas in Neuquén's Picunches department, Cuchillo Curá protected area guards an extensive cave system, its special biology and nearby archaeological evidence.
Alto Bío Bío National Reserve
In the eastern Upper Bío-Bío River basin of the Araucanía Region, Alto Bío Bío National Reserve is covered mostly in Andean steppe with scattered araucaria trees.
Conguillío National Park
Set in the Andes of the Araucanía Region, Conguillío National Park takes in the Llaima volcano and Sierra Nevada, with islands of vegetation surrounded by broad lava flows.
Malalcahuello National Reserve
Shaped by volcanic and glacial activity, Malalcahuello National Reserve spans the Lonquimay and Curacautín communes in the Araucanía Region, with Lonquimay Volcano, the Navidad crater and fields of recent lava rock.
Tolhuaca National Park
Created on October 16, 1935, Tolhuaca National Park began with 3,500 hectares taken from the Malleco National Reserve and gained a second section of that reserve in 1985.
Teatro Municipal de Collipulli
Opened in 1942, the Teatro Municipal de Collipulli is a public cultural venue in this Malleco Province town in northern La Araucanía, and one of the commune's main architectural and cultural landmarks.
St. Mary of the Angels Cathedral
Los Ángeles Cathedral, formally the Cathedral of St. Mary of the Angels, is the Catholic cathedral of the Diocese of Santa María de Los Ángeles in Chile.
More drives to Villa Mercedes
- Talca to Villa Mercedes
- Rancagua to Villa Mercedes
- Santiago, Chile to Villa Mercedes
- Viña del Mar to Villa Mercedes
- Valparaíso to Villa Mercedes
- Valdivia to Villa Mercedes
More drives from Neuquén
- Neuquén to San Antonio Oeste
- Neuquén to Santa Rosa
- Neuquén to Balneario El Cóndor
- Neuquén to Sierra de La Ventana
- Neuquén to Puerto Madryn
- Neuquén to Rawson
Continue Your Adventure
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to drive from Neuquén to Villa Mercedes, Chile?
About 8 h 9 min of driving without stops, over 383 miles.
What is the driving distance from Neuquén to Villa Mercedes, Chile?
About 383 miles (617 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 Neuquén to Villa Mercedes drive cross the border?
At about mile 188, from Argentina into Chile, at Paso Pino Hachado.
What do U.S. citizens need to drive from Neuquén into Chile?
No visa needed for 90 days or less on a tourist passport; you get a Tourist Card valid for up to 90 days. Passport: must be valid for your whole stay. A valid U.S. license works for the length of your tourist permit, usually 90 days. (U.S. State Department, updated July 02, 2026.)
What does the U.S. travel advisory say about the Neuquén to Villa Mercedes drive?
The U.S. State Department rates Argentina Level 1: Exercise Normal Precautions; Chile Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution. Read the full advisory before you go.
Which highways go from Neuquén to Villa Mercedes?
In order: RN22, RN40, RN242 and Q-45. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
Where can you stop on the way from Neuquén to Villa Mercedes?
Closest to the road: Museo Carmen Funes (museum, mile 70, 0.2 mi from the route); Alto Bío Bío National Reserve (national reserve, mile 193, 0.7 mi from the route); Teatro Municipal de Collipulli (theater, mile 322, 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.