Plan on about 12 h 21 min of driving for the 544-mile (876 km) trip from Novo Hamburgo to Paysandú, Uruguay, before any stops. You cross from Brazil into Uruguay at about mile 327.
- Level 4: Do Not Travel in Brazil: informal housing developments (favelas, vilas, comunidades or conglomerados).
Full advisory: Brazil, Uruguay. Advisory issued: Brazil August 31, 2026; Uruguay July 28, 2026; checked October 10, 2026.
On the roads, the State Department says:
- Brazil: “Use caution when walking or driving at night.”
- Uruguay: “Several of the main highways are particularly accident-ridden.”
| Distance | 544 mi (876 km) |
|---|---|
| Drive time without stops | 12 h 21 min |
| Main roads, in order | BR-116 → BR-290 → BR-158 |
| Border crossing | about mile 327, Brazil → Uruguay |
| Regions on the route | Rio Grande do Sul, Rivera, Tacuarembó, Paysandú, Salto |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 21.8 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 8 |
Crossing from Brazil into Uruguay
The route crosses at about mile 327, from Rio Grande do Sul into Rivera. Plan on two checks on each side: immigration for your passport and customs for the car.
| 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. |
| 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. |
| 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, Uruguay (updated August 13, 2026); U.S. State Department, Brazil (updated August 06, 2026). Checked October 10, 2026; rules change, so confirm before you go.
The Novo Hamburgo–Paysandú drive in a few lines
BR-290 (230 mi) and BR-158 (64 mi) carry about 54% of the 544 miles. The first 327 miles are in Brazil; the last 217 are in Uruguay. It runs through 5 regions: Rio Grande do Sul, Rivera, Tacuarembó, Paysandú, Salto. Of the 8 stops listed below, 4 are within a mile of the road.
The route from Novo Hamburgo to Paysandú, road by road
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | Region |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–1 | 1 | Rio Grande do Sul |
| BR-116 | 1–33 | 32 | Rio Grande do Sul |
| BR-290 | 33–263 | 230 | Rio Grande do Sul |
| BR-158 | 263–327 | 64 | Rio Grande do Sul |
| local roads | 327–396 | 69 | Rivera, Tacuarembó |
| connecting roads | 396–398 | 2 | Tacuarembó |
| local roads | 398–544 | 146 | Tacuarembó, Paysandú, Salto |
- Mile 327 of this route: Rio Grande do Sul → Rivera (international border)
- Mile 377 of this route: Rivera → Tacuarembó (region line)
- Mile 419 of this route: Tacuarembó → Paysandú (region line)
- Mile 429 of this route: Paysandú → Salto (region line)
- Mile 435 of this route: Salto → Paysandú (region line)
Breaking up the drive: stops between Novo Hamburgo and Paysandú
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Museu do Carvão (mile 57), Zoológico Municipal Dr. Mauricio López Lomba (mile 394), Museo de Geociencias (mile 396), Museo Carlos Gardel (mile 413)
- Nature and outdoors: Jacuí Delta State Park (mile 30), Pozo Hondo (mile 414)
- Museums and history: Museu da Brigada Militar (mile 25), Museu da Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (mile 25), Museu do Carvão (mile 57), Museo de Geociencias (mile 396), Museo Carlos Gardel (mile 413)
- With kids: Zoológico Municipal Dr. Mauricio López Lomba (mile 394)
Museu da Brigada Militar
Founded in 1985 and opened to the public in 1987, the Museu da Brigada Militar in Porto Alegre preserves and presents the history of the state's Brigada Militar.
Museu da Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul
The Museu da UFRGS is an interdisciplinary university museum in Porto Alegre covering science, technology, history, society, art, and culture, with activities for the general public.
Jacuí Delta State Park
Created in 1976, Jacuí Delta State Park (Parque Estadual Delta do Jacuí) protects the delta between Porto Alegre, Canoas, Eldorado do Sul and nearby towns, where fishers from Ilha da Pintada still practice traditional fishing.
Museu do Carvão
In the town of Arroio dos Ratos, Rio Grande do Sul, the Museu do Carvão is a history museum set on Rua Professora Silvana Narvaez.
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.
Museo de Geociencias
Museo Carlos Gardel
Dedicated to the life and work of Carlos Gardel, this museum is in Valle Edén, Tacuarembó department, 21 kilometers from the city of Tacuarembó.
Pozo Hondo
Pozo Hondo is a waterfall in Uruguay's Tacuarembó department, located between the towns of Valle Edén and Tambores.
When you get to Paysandú
Nuestra Señora del Rosario y San Benito de Palermo, Paysandú
Paysandú's Catholic parish church of Our Lady of the Rosary and St. Benedict of Palermo was named a minor basilica in 1949 and remains an active parish of the city.
Teatro Florencio Sánchez
In the city of Paysandú, Teatro Florencio Sánchez is a theater and movie house that has been declared a national historic monument of Uruguay.
More drives to Paysandú
- Rivera to Paysandú
- Montevideo to Paysandú
- Buenos Aires to Paysandú, Uruguay
- Mar del Plata to Paysandú, Uruguay
- La Plata to Paysandú, Uruguay
- Berisso to Paysandú, Uruguay
More drives from Novo Hamburgo
- Novo Hamburgo to Paranaguá
- Novo Hamburgo to Jaraguá do Sul
- Novo Hamburgo to Camboriú
- Novo Hamburgo to Tubarão
- Novo Hamburgo to Bagé
- Novo Hamburgo to Santana do Livramento
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to drive from Novo Hamburgo to Paysandú, Uruguay?
About 12 h 21 min of driving without stops, over 544 miles.
How far is Paysandú, Uruguay from Novo Hamburgo by car?
About 544 miles (876 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 Novo Hamburgo to Paysandú drive cross the border?
At about mile 327, from Brazil into Uruguay.
What do U.S. citizens need to drive from Novo Hamburgo into Uruguay?
No visa needed for visits of 90 days or less. Passport: must be valid for 6 months beyond your arrival date. You can drive on your U.S. license. (U.S. State Department, updated August 13, 2026.)
Is it safe to drive from Novo Hamburgo to Paysandú, Uruguay?
The U.S. State Department rates Brazil Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; Uruguay Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution. Read the full advisory before you go.
Which highways go from Novo Hamburgo to Paysandú?
In order: BR-116, BR-290 and BR-158. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
Where can you stop on the way from Novo Hamburgo to Paysandú?
Closest to the road: Zoológico Municipal Dr. Mauricio López Lomba (zoo, mile 394, 0.2 mi from the route); Museo de Geociencias (museum, mile 396, 0.8 mi from the route); Museo Carlos Gardel (museum, mile 413, 0.4 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.