Paranaguá to Santa Cruz do Sul is about 525 road miles (845 km): roughly 11 h 5 min at the wheel if you don't stop.
- Level 4: Do Not Travel in Brazil: informal housing developments (favelas, vilas, comunidades or conglomerados).
Full advisory: Brazil. Advisory issued: Brazil August 31, 2026; checked October 10, 2026.
On the roads, the State Department says:
- Brazil: “Road maintenance is inadequate in many areas.”
| Distance by road | 525 mi (845 km) |
|---|---|
| Time at the wheel, no stops | 11 h 5 min |
| Main roads, in order | BR-277 → BR-116 → BR-476 → BR-153 → ERS-135 → RSC-153 |
| States on the route | Paraná, Santa Catarina, Rio Grande do Sul |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 21.0 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 9 |
On the road from Paranaguá to Santa Cruz do Sul
BR-153 (173 mi) and BR-476 (133 mi) carry about 58% of the 525 miles. It runs through 3 states: Paraná, Santa Catarina, Rio Grande do Sul. Of the 9 stops listed below, 3 are within a mile of the road.
Roads you'll take from Paranaguá to Santa Cruz do Sul
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | State |
|---|---|---|---|
| BR-277 | 0–45 | 45 | Paraná |
| BR-116 | 45–59 | 14 | Paraná |
| connecting roads | 59–60 | 1 | Paraná |
| BR-476 | 60–193 | 133 | Paraná |
| BR-153 | 193–346 | 153 | Paraná, Santa Catarina, Rio Grande do Sul |
| ERS-135 | 346–390 | 44 | Rio Grande do Sul |
| local roads | 390–395 | 5 | Rio Grande do Sul |
| RSC-153 | 395–419 | 24 | Rio Grande do Sul |
| BR-153 | 419–439 | 20 | Rio Grande do Sul |
| connecting roads | 439–441 | 2 | Rio Grande do Sul |
| RSC-153 | 441–522 | 81 | Rio Grande do Sul |
| local roads | 522–525 | 3 | Rio Grande do Sul |
- Mile 239 of this route: Paraná → Santa Catarina (state line)
- Mile 313 of this route: Santa Catarina → Rio Grande do Sul (state line)
What to see on the way from Paranaguá to Santa Cruz do Sul
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Curitiba Zoo (mile 55), Cathedral of Our Lady of Aparecida, Passo Fundo (mile 393), Museu do Automobilismo Brasileiro (mile 395)
- Nature and outdoors: Guaricana National Park (mile 29), Pau Oco State Park (mile 30), Monge State Park (mile 93)
- Museums and history: Museu Municipal Atílio Rocco (mile 53), Museum Casa Lacerda (mile 93), Parque Estadual Bosque das Araucárias (mile 193), Cathedral of Our Lady of Aparecida, Passo Fundo (mile 393), Museu do Automobilismo Brasileiro (mile 395)
- With kids: Curitiba Zoo (mile 55)
Guaricana National Park
Within the largest continuous stretch of dense Atlantic Forest in Brazil, Guaricana National Park protects part of the Serra do Mar in Paraná.
Pau Oco State Park
Pau Oco State Park is a state park in Paraná, Brazil, that protects an area of Atlantic Forest.
Museu Municipal Atílio Rocco
Founded on September 19, 1977, by Ernani Zetola, Museu Municipal Atílio Rocco is a city-run cultural institution in São José dos Pinhais, Paraná.
Curitiba Zoo
Curitiba Zoo (Jardim Zoológico de Curitiba) lies inside Parque Regional do Iguaçu, an urban park of 8 million square meters in the capital of Paraná state.
Monge State Park
Monge State Park is a state park in Paraná, named after a monk, or monks, said to have lived for a time in a cave inside the park.
Museum Casa Lacerda
In the town of Lapa, Casa Lacerda is a historic building and federal museum that recreates a 19th-century home of Paraná's ranching elite, with every room furnished and decorated with period objects.
Parque Estadual Bosque das Araucárias
Created in 1996 in União da Vitória, Paraná, Parque Estadual Bosque das Araucárias protects about 236 hectares of araucaria forest, local wildlife and water sources.
Cathedral of Our Lady of Aparecida, Passo Fundo
The Metropolitan Cathedral of Passo Fundo, dedicated to Our Lady of Aparecida, is the Catholic church that holds the seat of the Archdiocese of Passo Fundo.
Museu do Automobilismo Brasileiro
Starting from businessman Paulo Afonso Trevisan's collection of race cars, this Passo Fundo museum gathers photos, films and documents on the history of Brazilian motor racing.
Once you reach Santa Cruz do Sul
St. John the Baptist Cathedral, Santa Cruz do Sul
Facing Getúlio Vargas Square in central Santa Cruz do Sul, St. John the Baptist Cathedral is the city's Roman Catholic cathedral.
More drives to Santa Cruz do Sul
- Santa Maria, Brazil to Santa Cruz do Sul
- Ponta Grossa to Santa Cruz do Sul
- Curitiba to Santa Cruz do Sul
- Joinville to Santa Cruz do Sul
- Itajaí to Santa Cruz do Sul
- Blumenau to Santa Cruz do Sul
From Paranaguá to other places in Brazil
- Paranaguá to Itanhaém
- Paranaguá to Cubatão
- Paranaguá to Tatuí
- Paranaguá to Paranapiacaba
- Paranaguá to Ourinhos
- Paranaguá to Campo Mourão
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to drive from Paranaguá to Santa Cruz do Sul?
About 11 h 5 min of driving without stops, over 525 miles.
What is the driving distance from Paranaguá to Santa Cruz do Sul?
About 525 miles (845 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.
Is it safe to drive from Paranaguá to Santa Cruz do Sul?
The U.S. State Department rates Brazil Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution. Read the full advisory before you go.
Which highways go from Paranaguá to Santa Cruz do Sul?
In order: BR-277, BR-116, BR-476, BR-153, ERS-135 and RSC-153. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
What are good stops between Paranaguá and Santa Cruz do Sul?
Closest to the road: Curitiba Zoo (zoo, mile 55, 0.5 mi from the route); Cathedral of Our Lady of Aparecida, Passo Fundo (cathedral, mile 393, 0.1 mi from the route); Museu do Automobilismo Brasileiro (museum, mile 395, 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.