The Wayro route from Porto Alegre to Trinidad, Uruguay is 531 miles (854 km), about 11 h 35 min of driving without stops. You cross from Brazil into Uruguay at about mile 307.
- 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: “Drivers must have their daytime running lights on during the day and headlights on at night on Federal Highways.”
- Uruguay: “If you are in an accident involving injury, stay in place until a police officer arrives.”
| Distance | 531 mi (854 km) |
|---|---|
| Time at the wheel, no stops | 11 h 35 min |
| Main roads, in order | BR-116 → BR-290 → BR-158 |
| Border crossing | about mile 307, Brazil → Uruguay |
| Regions on the route | Rio Grande do Sul, Rivera, Tacuarembó, Durazno, Flores |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 21.2 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 6 |
Border crossing: what to bring for Uruguay
The route crosses at about mile 307, from Rio Grande do Sul into Rivera. 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.
Driving Porto Alegre to Trinidad: the shape of the trip
BR-290 (230 mi) and BR-158 (64 mi) carry about 55% of the 531 miles. The first 307 miles are in Brazil; the last 224 are in Uruguay. It runs through 5 regions: Rio Grande do Sul, Rivera, Tacuarembó, Durazno, Flores. Of the 6 stops listed below, 4 are within a mile of the road.
Road-by-road breakdown: Porto Alegre to Trinidad
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | Region |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–4 | 4 | Rio Grande do Sul |
| BR-116 | 4–14 | 10 | Rio Grande do Sul |
| BR-290 | 14–244 | 230 | Rio Grande do Sul |
| BR-158 | 244–308 | 64 | Rio Grande do Sul, Rivera |
| local roads | 308–505 | 197 | Rivera, Tacuarembó, Durazno |
| connecting roads | 505–508 | 3 | Durazno |
| local roads | 508–531 | 23 | Durazno, Flores |
- Mile 307 of this route: Rio Grande do Sul → Rivera (international border)
- Mile 357 of this route: Rivera → Tacuarembó (region line)
- Mile 466 of this route: Tacuarembó → Durazno (region line)
- Mile 510 of this route: Durazno → Flores (region line)
Where to stop on the way to Trinidad
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Museu do Carvão (mile 38), Zoológico Municipal Dr. Mauricio López Lomba (mile 375), Cathedral of Tacuarembó (mile 377), Casa de Rivera, Durazno (mile 505)
- Nature and outdoors: Jacuí Delta State Park (mile 11), Chorro de Agua Fría (mile 403)
- Museums and history: Museu do Carvão (mile 38), Cathedral of Tacuarembó (mile 377), Casa de Rivera, Durazno (mile 505)
- With kids: Zoológico Municipal Dr. Mauricio López Lomba (mile 375)
Jacuí Delta State Park
Created in 1976, Jacuí Delta State Park (Parque Estadual Delta do Jacuí) protects the delta between Porto Alegre, Canoas, Eldorado do Sul and nearby towns, where fishers from Ilha da Pintada still practice traditional fishing.
Museu do Carvão
In the town of Arroio dos Ratos, Rio Grande do Sul, the Museu do Carvão is a history museum set on Rua Professora Silvana Narvaez.
Zoológico Municipal Dr. Mauricio López Lomba
Reachable from Route 5 at kilometer 390, the Mauricio López Lomba reserve is a wildlife reserve in the city of Tacuarembó, Uruguay.
Cathedral of Tacuarembó
Saint Fructuosus Cathedral is the main Catholic church of Tacuarembó, Uruguay, and has been the seat of the local diocese since 1960.
Chorro de Agua Fría
In Uruguay's Tacuarembó Department, Chorro de Agua Fría is a waterfall that drops roughly 14 meters, the highest uninterrupted fall in the country.
Casa de Rivera, Durazno
Facing Plaza Independencia in Durazno, the Casa de Fructuoso Rivera (Casa de Rivera) is one of the town's main heritage sites and now houses the department's historical museum.
Once you reach Trinidad
Reserva de Flora y fauna Dr. Rodolfo Tálice
Off Route 3 near Trinidad, the Dr. Rodolfo Tálice Ecopark (Reserva de Flora y Fauna Dr. Rodolfo Talice) is a fenced wildlife reserve where axis deer, greater rheas and pampas deer roam free alongside other species.
More drives to Trinidad
- Montevideo to Trinidad, Uruguay
- Minas to Trinidad, Uruguay
- Artigas to Trinidad, Uruguay
- Treinta y Tres to Trinidad, Uruguay
- Buenos Aires to Trinidad, Uruguay
- Córdoba, Argentina to Trinidad, Uruguay
More drives from Porto Alegre
- Porto Alegre to Bento Gonçalves
- Porto Alegre to Caxias do Sul
- Porto Alegre to Erechim
- Porto Alegre to Chapecó
- Porto Alegre to Santa Maria, Brazil
- Porto Alegre to Ponta Grossa
Continue Your Adventure
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to drive from Porto Alegre to Trinidad, Uruguay?
About 11 h 35 min of driving without stops, over 531 miles.
How far is Trinidad, Uruguay from Porto Alegre by car?
About 531 miles (854 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 Porto Alegre to Trinidad drive cross the border?
At about mile 307, from Brazil into Uruguay.
What do U.S. citizens need to drive from Porto Alegre 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 Porto Alegre to Trinidad, 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.
Which highways go from Porto Alegre to Trinidad?
In order: BR-116, BR-290 and BR-158. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
Where can you stop on the way from Porto Alegre to Trinidad?
Closest to the road: Zoológico Municipal Dr. Mauricio López Lomba (zoo, mile 375, 0.1 mi from the route); Cathedral of Tacuarembó (cathedral, mile 377, 0.6 mi from the route); Casa de Rivera, Durazno (historic house museum, mile 505, 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.