The Wayro route from Passo Fundo to Cabo Polonio, Uruguay is 526 miles (847 km), about 12 h 11 min of driving without stops. You cross from Brazil into Uruguay at about mile 465.
- 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: “Driving on Brazil’s roads poses significant risks.”
- Uruguay: “Several of the main highways are particularly accident-ridden.”
| Total distance | 526 mi (847 km) |
|---|---|
| Driving time, no stops | 12 h 11 min |
| Main roads, in order | RSC-153 → BR-153 → ERS-412 → BR-471 → RSC-471 → BR-392 |
| Border crossing | about mile 465, Brazil → Uruguay |
| Regions on the route | Rio Grande do Sul, Rocha |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 21.1 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 6 |
The border on the way to Cabo Polonio
The route crosses at about mile 465, from Rio Grande do Sul into Rocha. 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 Passo Fundo–Cabo Polonio drive in a few lines
BR-471 (164 mi) and RSC-153 (99 mi) carry about 50% of the 526 miles. The first 465 miles are in Brazil; the last 61 are in Uruguay. It runs through 2 regions: Rio Grande do Sul, Rocha. Of the 6 stops listed below, 2 are within a mile of the road.
Which roads connect Passo Fundo and Cabo Polonio
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | Region |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–2 | 2 | Rio Grande do Sul |
| RSC-153 | 2–27 | 25 | Rio Grande do Sul |
| BR-153 | 27–45 | 18 | Rio Grande do Sul |
| connecting roads | 45–48 | 3 | Rio Grande do Sul |
| RSC-153 | 48–122 | 74 | Rio Grande do Sul |
| ERS-412 | 122–135 | 13 | Rio Grande do Sul |
| BR-471 | 135–162 | 27 | Rio Grande do Sul |
| RSC-471 | 162–250 | 88 | Rio Grande do Sul |
| connecting roads | 250–251 | 1 | Rio Grande do Sul |
| BR-392 | 251–327 | 76 | Rio Grande do Sul |
| BR-471 | 327–464 | 137 | Rio Grande do Sul |
| local roads | 464–526 | 62 | Rio Grande do Sul, Rocha |
- Mile 465 of this route: Rio Grande do Sul → Rocha (international border)
Places worth a stop between Passo Fundo and Cabo Polonio
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Igreja Matriz Nossa Senhora do Rosário (mile 148), Santa Teresa National Park (mile 487)
- Nature and outdoors: Santa Teresa National Park (mile 487), La Sirena Beach (mile 516)
- Museums and history: Igreja Matriz Nossa Senhora do Rosário (mile 148), Museu de Arte Leopoldo Gotuzzo (mile 304)
Igreja Matriz Nossa Senhora do Rosário
Rio Pardo's mother church, Igreja Matriz Nossa Senhora do Rosário, was begun in 1791 in late Baroque style to a design by Francisco João Roscio, on the site of an earlier chapel.
Museu de Arte Leopoldo Gotuzzo
Opened in 1986 on Praça 7 de Julho, across from the Mercado Central in downtown Pelotas, this art museum is part of the Federal University of Pelotas arts center.
Theatro Sete de Abril
Opened in 1834 in Pelotas, Theatro Sete de Abril dates from the charqueada (salted beef) economic cycle, when Pelotas was among Brazil's wealthiest cities.
Parque Nacional Laguna Negra
In Rocha department, Laguna Negra National Park protects the waters of Laguna Negra, the Potrerillo de Santa Teresa biological station and part of Santa Teresa National Park north of Route 9.
Santa Teresa National Park
Santa Teresa National Park on Rocha's coast was created to frame the colonial Santa Teresa Fortress; its grounds hold more than two million planted trees from five continents, a greenhouse and native wetland and woodland wildlife.
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.
In Cabo Polonio itself
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 Passo Fundo
- Passo Fundo to Itanhaém
- Passo Fundo to Camboriú
- Passo Fundo to Santana do Livramento
- Passo Fundo to Rio Grande
- Passo Fundo to Uruguaiana
- Passo Fundo to Concordia, Argentina
Frequently asked questions
How long is the drive from Passo Fundo to Cabo Polonio, Uruguay?
About 12 h 11 min of driving without stops, over 526 miles.
How far is Cabo Polonio, Uruguay from Passo Fundo by car?
About 526 miles (847 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 Passo Fundo to Cabo Polonio drive cross the border?
At about mile 465, from Brazil into Uruguay.
What do U.S. citizens need to drive from Passo Fundo 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 Passo Fundo to Cabo Polonio, 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.
What roads does the drive from Passo Fundo to Cabo Polonio use?
In order: RSC-153, BR-153, ERS-412, BR-471, RSC-471 and BR-392. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
Where can you stop on the way from Passo Fundo to Cabo Polonio?
Closest to the road: Igreja Matriz Nossa Senhora do Rosário (church, mile 148, 0.6 mi from the route); Museu de Arte Leopoldo Gotuzzo (museum, mile 304, 1 mi from the route); Santa Teresa National Park (national park, mile 487, 0.3 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.