Plan on about 12 h 17 min of driving for the 556-mile (894 km) trip from Paraná to Cabo Polonio, Uruguay, before any stops. You cross from Argentina into Uruguay at about mile 201, at the Gualeguaychú–Fray Bentos bridge.
Full advisory: Argentina, Uruguay. Advisory issued: Argentina July 10, 2026; Uruguay July 28, 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.”
- Uruguay: “Illumination, pavement markings, and road surfaces for secondary roads can be poor.”
| Distance by road | 556 mi (894 km) |
|---|---|
| Driving time, no stops | 12 h 17 min |
| Main roads, in order | RN12 → RP39 → RP20 → RN136 → I-B |
| Border crossing | about mile 201, Argentina → Uruguay (the Gualeguaychú–Fray Bentos bridge) |
| Regions on the route | Entre Ríos, Río Negro, Soriano, Colonia, San José, Canelones, Maldonado, Rocha |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 22.2 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 9 |
Crossing from Argentina into Uruguay
The route crosses at about mile 201, at the Gualeguaychú–Fray Bentos bridge, from Entre Ríos into Río Negro. 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 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. |
| 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, Argentina (updated July 16, 2026). Checked October 10, 2026; rules change, so confirm before you go.
The Paraná–Cabo Polonio drive in a few lines
RN12 (93 mi) and RP20 (55 mi) carry about 27% of the 556 miles. The first 201 miles are in Argentina; the last 355 are in Uruguay. It runs through 8 regions: Entre Ríos, Río Negro, Soriano, Colonia, San José, Canelones, Maldonado, Rocha. Of the 9 stops listed below, 3 are within a mile of the road.
Road-by-road breakdown: Paraná to Cabo Polonio
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | Region |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–4 | 4 | Entre Ríos |
| RN12 | 4–97 | 93 | Entre Ríos |
| RP39 | 97–123 | 26 | Entre Ríos |
| RP20 | 123–178 | 55 | Entre Ríos |
| RN136 | 178–198 | 20 | Entre Ríos |
| connecting roads | 198–201 | 3 | Entre Ríos |
| local roads | 201–297 | 96 | Río Negro, Soriano |
| connecting roads | 297–298 | 1 | Soriano |
| local roads | 298–334 | 36 | Colonia, San José |
| connecting roads | 334–337 | 3 | San José |
| local roads | 337–434 | 97 | San José, Canelones, Maldonado |
| I-B | 434–439 | 5 | Maldonado |
| local roads | 439–556 | 117 | Maldonado, Rocha |
- Mile 201 of this route: Entre Ríos → Río Negro (international border)
- Mile 216 of this route: Río Negro → Soriano (region line)
- Mile 298 of this route: Soriano → Colonia (region line)
- Mile 315 of this route: Colonia → San José (region line)
- Mile 359 of this route: San José → Canelones (region line)
- Mile 428 of this route: Canelones → Maldonado (region line)
- Mile 485 of this route: Maldonado → Rocha (region line)
Breaking up the drive: stops between Paraná and Cabo Polonio
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Cathedral of Mercedes (mile 218), Cathedral of San José de Mayo (mile 335), Museo Departamental de San José (mile 335)
- Nature and outdoors: Cerro Pan de Azúcar Native Wildlife Breeding Station (mile 439), La Sirena Beach (mile 544)
- Museums and history: Gualeguaychú Cathedral (mile 179), Cathedral of Mercedes (mile 218), Calera Real del Dacá (mile 218), Cathedral of San José de Mayo (mile 335), Museo Departamental de San José (mile 335), Iglesia de Cristo Obrero y Nuestra Señora de Lourdes (mile 405)
Gualeguaychú Cathedral
St. Joseph's Cathedral, also called Gualeguaychú Cathedral, serves as the cathedral church of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Gualeguaychú in Argentina.
Frigorífico Anglo del Uruguay
Liebig exported meat extract and corned beef from this spot on the Uruguay River at Fray Bentos starting in 1865. In 1924, the Anglo plant began shipping frozen meat from the same site.
Cathedral of Mercedes
Dedicated to Our Lady of Mercy, this cathedral is the main Catholic church of Mercedes, Uruguay, and has been the seat of the Diocese of Mercedes since 1960.
Calera Real del Dacá
On the eastern edge of Mercedes beside the Dacá stream, the ruins of the Calera Real lime works date to 1722 and are considered the region's first industrial site; recent works added visitor circuits, lighting and interpretive signs.
Cathedral of San José de Mayo
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.
Museo Departamental de San José
Set in central San José de Mayo, the Museo Departamental de San José is a history and fine arts museum that also runs a library, archives and cultural programs.
Iglesia de Cristo Obrero y Nuestra Señora de Lourdes
Engineer Eladio Dieste's Church of Christ the Worker in Estación Atlántida, inaugurated in 1960, joined UNESCO's World Heritage List in 2021. Look for its wavy brick walls and roof, an openwork brick bell tower and an underground baptistery.
Cerro Pan de Azúcar Native Wildlife Breeding Station
Near Piriápolis in Maldonado, this breeding station for native wildlife on Cerro Pan de Azúcar is surrounded by native vegetation and offers guided visits, including a native wildlife trail and a path up the hill.
La Sirena Beach
About 2.5 km north of Aguas Dulces, La Sirena is one of Uruguay's two official naturist beaches, backed by vegetated dunes, small marshes, lagoons and pine and acacia woods where coastal birds are common.
Arriving in Cabo Polonio
Parque nacional Cabo Polonio
Part of Uruguay's national protected areas system since 2009, Cabo Polonio National Park spans 25,820 hectares of coastline, ocean and offshore islands.
Cabo Polonio Lighthouse
Standing on the Cabo Polonio headland in Uruguay's Rocha department, this lighthouse looks out over the Atlantic Ocean and was built in 1881.
Dunes of Cabo Polonio
Inside Cabo Polonio National Park in Uruguay's Rocha department, a band of natural sand dunes runs along the Atlantic Ocean.
More drives to Cabo Polonio
- Mercedes, Uruguay to Cabo Polonio
- Rivera to Cabo Polonio
- Paysandú to Cabo Polonio
- Salto to Cabo Polonio
- Bella Unión to Cabo Polonio
- Durazno to Cabo Polonio
More drives from Paraná
- Paraná to San Nicolás de los Arroyos
- Paraná to Pergamino
- Paraná to Arrecifes
- Paraná to San Antonio de Areco
- Paraná to Luján
- Paraná to Tigre
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to drive from Paraná to Cabo Polonio, Uruguay?
About 12 h 17 min of driving without stops, over 556 miles.
How far is Cabo Polonio, Uruguay from Paraná by car?
About 556 miles (894 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 Paraná to Cabo Polonio drive cross the border?
At about mile 201, from Argentina into Uruguay, at the Gualeguaychú–Fray Bentos bridge.
What do U.S. citizens need to drive from Paraná 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 Paraná to Cabo Polonio, Uruguay?
The U.S. State Department rates Argentina Level 1: Exercise Normal Precautions; Uruguay Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution. Read the full advisory before you go.
What roads does the drive from Paraná to Cabo Polonio use?
In order: RN12, RP39, RP20, RN136 and I-B. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
What are good stops between Paraná and Cabo Polonio?
Closest to the road: Cathedral of Mercedes (cathedral, mile 218, 0.7 mi from the route); Museo Departamental de San José (history museum, mile 335, 0.7 mi from the route); Cathedral of San José de Mayo (cathedral, mile 335, 0.9 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.