By road, Piriápolis and Magdalena, Argentina are about 472 miles (760 km) apart, or roughly 9 h 58 min of driving. You cross from Uruguay into Argentina at about mile 244, at the Gualeguaychú–Fray Bentos bridge.
Full advisory: Uruguay, Argentina. Advisory issued: Uruguay July 28, 2026; Argentina July 10, 2026; checked October 10, 2026.
On the roads, the State Department says:
- Uruguay: “Illumination, pavement markings, and road surfaces for secondary roads can be poor.”
- Argentina: “Drivers in Argentina tend to be aggressive, especially in Buenos Aires, and often ignore traffic regulations.”
| Distance by road | 472 mi (760 km) |
|---|---|
| Drive time without stops | 9 h 58 min |
| Main roads, in order | RN136 → RN14 → RN12 → RP6 → RN9 → AV1-N → RN1 → RP11 |
| Border crossing | about mile 244, Uruguay → Argentina (the Gualeguaychú–Fray Bentos bridge) |
| Regions on the route | Maldonado, Canelones, San José, Colonia, Soriano, Río Negro, Entre Ríos, Buenos Aires, Ciudad de Buenos Aires |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 18.9 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 9 |
The border on the way to Magdalena
The route crosses at about mile 244, at the Gualeguaychú–Fray Bentos bridge, from Río Negro into Entre Ríos. Plan on two checks on each side: immigration for your passport and customs for the car.
| 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. |
| 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. |
| The car, entering Argentina | Argentine customs (ARCA) registers the car's temporary entry. Bring the title or registration, liability insurance valid in Argentina and, if you don't own the car, a power of attorney signed before a notary. A rental car needs the rental company's MERCOSUR circulation authorization (ACM), and the company must be registered with Argentine customs. |
| 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, Argentina (updated July 16, 2026); U.S. State Department, Uruguay (updated August 13, 2026); ARCA (Argentine customs). Checked October 10, 2026; rules change, so confirm before you go.
The Piriápolis–Magdalena drive in a few lines
RN12 (48 mi) and RN9 (39 mi) carry about 18% of the 472 miles. The first 244 miles are in Uruguay; the last 228 are in Argentina. It runs through 9 regions: Maldonado, Canelones, San José, Colonia, Soriano, Río Negro, Entre Ríos, Buenos Aires, Ciudad de Buenos Aires. Of the 9 stops listed below, 6 are within a mile of the road.
The route from Piriápolis to Magdalena, road by road
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | Region |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–25 | 25 | Maldonado, Canelones |
| connecting roads | 25–26 | 1 | Canelones |
| local roads | 26–71 | 45 | Canelones |
| connecting roads | 71–73 | 2 | Canelones |
| local roads | 73–105 | 32 | Canelones, San José |
| connecting roads | 105–108 | 3 | San José |
| local roads | 108–144 | 36 | San José, Colonia |
| connecting roads | 144–145 | 1 | Colonia |
| local roads | 145–242 | 97 | Soriano, Río Negro |
| connecting roads | 242–244 | 2 | Río Negro |
| RN136 | 244–263 | 19 | Entre Ríos |
| local roads | 263–270 | 7 | Entre Ríos |
| RN14 | 270–306 | 36 | Entre Ríos |
| RN12 | 306–354 | 48 | Entre Ríos, Buenos Aires |
| RP6 | 354–359 | 5 | Buenos Aires |
| RN9 | 359–398 | 39 | Buenos Aires |
| connecting roads | 398–401 | 3 | Ciudad de Buenos Aires |
| AV1-N | 401–407 | 6 | Ciudad de Buenos Aires |
| connecting roads | 407–410 | 3 | Ciudad de Buenos Aires |
| RN1 | 410–441 | 31 | Ciudad de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires |
| RP11 | 441–472 | 31 | Buenos Aires |
- Mile 14 of this route: Maldonado → Canelones (region line)
- Mile 84 of this route: Canelones → San José (region line)
- Mile 127 of this route: San José → Colonia (region line)
- Mile 145 of this route: Colonia → Soriano (region line)
- Mile 226 of this route: Soriano → Río Negro (region line)
- Mile 244 of this route: Río Negro → Entre Ríos (international border)
- Mile 337 of this route: Entre Ríos → Buenos Aires (region line)
- Mile 398 of this route: Buenos Aires → Ciudad de Buenos Aires (region line)
- Mile 415 of this route: Ciudad de Buenos Aires → Buenos Aires (region line)
Breaking up the drive: stops between Piriápolis and Magdalena
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Cathedral of Our Lady of Guadalupe (mile 73), Cathedral of San José de Mayo (mile 107), Cathedral of Mercedes (mile 224), Torre Monumental (mile 407), Museo del Holocausto (mile 408), La Plata Museum (mile 443)
- Nature and outdoors: Ciervo de los Pantanos National Park (mile 367)
- Museums and history: Iglesia de Cristo Obrero y Nuestra Señora de Lourdes (mile 37), Cathedral of Our Lady of Guadalupe (mile 73), Cathedral of San José de Mayo (mile 107), Cathedral of Mercedes (mile 224), Gualeguaychú Cathedral (mile 264), Torre Monumental (mile 407), Museo del Holocausto (mile 408), La Plata Museum (mile 443)
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.
Cathedral of Our Lady of Guadalupe
Construction of Canelones' Cathedral of Our Lady of Guadalupe began in 1816; the church became a cathedral in 1961 and Uruguay's national shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe in 2020.
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.
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.
Gualeguaychú Cathedral
St. Joseph's Cathedral, also called Gualeguaychú Cathedral, is the mother church of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Gualeguaychú in Argentina.
Ciervo de los Pantanos National Park
Ciervo de los Pantanos National Park (Parque Nacional Ciervo de los Pantanos) protects about 2,500 hectares of wetlands in Campana, Buenos Aires province, home to the marsh deer that gives it its name and to abundant waterbirds. It is a Ramsar Site.
Torre Monumental
Formerly called Torre de los Ingleses, Torre Monumental is a clock tower in the Retiro area of Buenos Aires, standing in Plaza Fuerza Aérea Argentina.
Museo del Holocausto
Dedicated to keeping the memory of the Shoah alive, the Museo del Holocausto in Buenos Aires holds documents and personal objects donated by survivors who emigrated from Europe.
La Plata Museum
Part of the National University of La Plata's natural sciences faculty, the La Plata Museum is a natural history museum in the city of La Plata.
More drives to Magdalena
- Necochea to Magdalena
- Adrogué to Magdalena
- Tigre to Magdalena
- Buenos Aires to Magdalena
- Luján to Magdalena
- San Antonio de Areco to Magdalena
More drives from Piriápolis
Frequently asked questions
How long is the drive from Piriápolis to Magdalena, Argentina?
About 9 h 58 min of driving without stops, over 472 miles.
What is the driving distance from Piriápolis to Magdalena, Argentina?
About 472 miles (760 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 Piriápolis to Magdalena drive cross the border?
At about mile 244, from Uruguay into Argentina, at the Gualeguaychú–Fray Bentos bridge.
What do U.S. citizens need to drive from Piriápolis into Argentina?
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. A valid U.S. license usually works; an International Driving Permit is recommended. (U.S. State Department, updated July 16, 2026.)
What does the U.S. travel advisory say about the Piriápolis to Magdalena drive?
The U.S. State Department rates Uruguay Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; Argentina Level 1: Exercise Normal Precautions. Read the full advisory before you go.
What roads does the drive from Piriápolis to Magdalena use?
In order: RN136, RN14, RN12, RP6, RN9, AV1-N, RN1 and RP11. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
What are good stops between Piriápolis and Magdalena?
Closest to the road: Cathedral of Our Lady of Guadalupe (cathedral, mile 73, 0.1 mi from the route); Museo del Holocausto (history museum, mile 408, 0.4 mi from the route); La Plata Museum (museum, mile 443, 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.