Paraná to La Paloma, Uruguay is about 521 road miles (838 km): roughly 11 h 6 min at the wheel if you don't stop. 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: “Gas stations are often far apart and not always easily identified from the main roadway.”
- Uruguay: “Several of the main highways are particularly accident-ridden.”
| Distance by road | 521 mi (838 km) |
|---|---|
| Drive time without stops | 11 h 6 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 20.8 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–La Paloma drive in a few lines
RN12 (93 mi) and RP20 (55 mi) carry about 28% of the 521 miles. The first 201 miles are in Argentina; the last 320 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, 5 are within a mile of the road.
Paraná to La Paloma: the road sequence
| 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 | 439–521 | 82 | 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)
Where to stop on the way to La Paloma
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Cathedral of Mercedes (mile 218), Teatro Macció (mile 335), Museo Departamental de San José (mile 335), Teatro Politeama (mile 369), Teatro 25 de Mayo (mile 503)
- Nature and outdoors: Cerro Pan de Azúcar Native Wildlife Breeding Station (mile 439)
- Museums and history: Gualeguaychú Cathedral (mile 179), Alejandro Berro Paleontology Museum (mile 215), Cathedral of Mercedes (mile 218), Museo Departamental de San José (mile 335)
Gualeguaychú Cathedral
St. Joseph's Cathedral, also called Gualeguaychú Cathedral, is the mother 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.
Alejandro Berro Paleontology Museum
In a 19th-century building in Mercedes' Parque Castillo Mauá, this paleontology museum opened in 1946 around the collection of naturalist Alejandro Berro; a well-preserved glyptodon shell found on a nearby riverbank is a highlight.
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.
Teatro Macció
San José de Mayo's Teatro Bartolomé Macció is a traditional theater, regarded as the city's most important building architecturally and declared a Historic Monument of Uruguay in 1984.
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.
Teatro Politeama
Canelones' Teatro Politeama opened in 1921 and reopened in 2014 as the Complejo Cultural Politeama Teatro Atahualpa del Cioppo. Uruguay declared the theater a National Historic Monument in 2022.
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.
Teatro 25 de Mayo
Rocha's Teatro 25 de Mayo opened in 1910 as an Italian-style theater in the eclectic style, with room for about 400 people. Now a cultural complex, it is a stop on the city's self-guided heritage walk.
When you get to La Paloma
Cabo Santa María
Cabo Santa María (Cabo de Santa María) is a headland on Uruguay's Atlantic coast in Rocha, where the town and port of La Paloma were built.
Cabo Santa María Lighthouse
Erected in 1871, Cabo Santa María Lighthouse overlooks the Atlantic from its headland in Rocha and serves as a landmark of the seaside resort of La Paloma.
La Balconada beach
La Balconada (Playa La Balconada) is one of the main beaches of Rocha, located in La Paloma and known for its sunsets.
More drives to La Paloma
- Maldonado to La Paloma
- Atlántida to La Paloma
- Nueva Helvecia to La Paloma
- Tacuarembó to La Paloma
- Rivera to La Paloma
- Artigas to La Paloma
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 La Paloma, Uruguay?
About 11 h 6 min of driving without stops, over 521 miles.
How far is La Paloma, Uruguay from Paraná by car?
About 521 miles (838 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 La Paloma 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 La Paloma, 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 La Paloma 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 La Paloma?
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); Teatro Politeama (theater, mile 369, 0.1 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.