Posadas to Mercedes, Uruguay is about 521 road miles (839 km): roughly 10 h 27 min at the wheel if you don't stop. You cross from Argentina into Uruguay at about mile 503, 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: “Drivers should prepare in advance when taking long road trips and make sure to have adequate insurance coverage.”
- Uruguay: “Several of the main highways are particularly accident-ridden.”
| Distance by road | 521 mi (839 km) |
|---|---|
| Drive time without stops | 10 h 27 min |
| Main roads, in order | RN105 → RN14 → RP20 → RN136 |
| Border crossing | about mile 503, Argentina → Uruguay (the Gualeguaychú–Fray Bentos bridge) |
| Regions on the route | Misiones, Corrientes, Entre Ríos, Río Negro, Soriano |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 20.9 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 7 |
The border on the way to Mercedes
The route crosses at about mile 503, 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 Posadas–Mercedes drive in a few lines
RN14 (444 mi) and RN105 (26 mi) carry about 90% of the 521 miles. The first 503 miles are in Argentina; the last 18 are in Uruguay. It runs through 5 regions: Misiones, Corrientes, Entre Ríos, Río Negro, Soriano. Of the 7 stops listed below, 3 are within a mile of the road.
The route from Posadas to Mercedes, road by road
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | Region |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–3 | 3 | Misiones |
| RN105 | 3–29 | 26 | Misiones |
| RN14 | 29–473 | 444 | Misiones, Corrientes, Entre Ríos |
| RP20 | 473–480 | 7 | Entre Ríos |
| RN136 | 480–500 | 20 | Entre Ríos |
| connecting roads | 500–503 | 3 | Entre Ríos |
| local roads | 503–521 | 18 | Río Negro, Soriano |
- Mile 35 of this route: Misiones → Corrientes (region line)
- Mile 304 of this route: Corrientes → Entre Ríos (region line)
- Mile 503 of this route: Entre Ríos → Río Negro (international border)
- Mile 519 of this route: Río Negro → Soriano (region line)
Where to stop on the way to Mercedes
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Museo Provincial San Ignacio de Loyola (mile 30), Mission San José de Itacuá (mile 30), El Palmar National Park (mile 395)
- Nature and outdoors: El Palmar National Park (mile 395)
- Museums and history: Museo Provincial San Ignacio de Loyola (mile 30), Mission San José de Itacuá (mile 30), Mission Nuestra Señora de la Asunción de Acaraguá y Mbororé (mile 155), Gualeguaychú Cathedral (mile 481)
Parque ecológico Candelaria
Near the town of Candelaria in southern Misiones, the Parque ecológico Candelaria was created for wildlife conservation, environmental education and recreational tourism.
Museo Provincial San Ignacio de Loyola
Built in 1895, Museo Provincial San Ignacio de Loyola stands at the corner of Centenario and 9 de Julio avenues in San José.
Mission San José de Itacuá
Remains of the Jesuit mission of San José de Itacuá lie outside the town of San José in Misiones. Founded by José Cataldino in 1633, it was refounded in 1660 and destroyed in 1817.
Mission Nuestra Señora de la Asunción de Acaraguá y Mbororé
In the town of La Cruz, Corrientes, Mission Nuestra Señora de la Asunción de Acaraguá y Mbororé was one of the missions the Jesuits founded in their Province of Paraguay during Spanish colonial rule.
El Palmar National Park
Set off National Route 14 in Entre Ríos, between Colón and Concordia, El Palmar National Park protects groves of yatay palms along with gallery forest, savanna and grassland.
Gualeguaychú Cathedral
St. Joseph's Cathedral, also called Gualeguaychú Cathedral, serves as the cathedral church of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Gualeguaychú in Argentina.
Frigorífico Anglo del Uruguay
The former Anglo meatpacking plant on the Uruguay River at Fray Bentos began shipping frozen meat in 1924, on the site where Liebig exported meat extract and corned beef from 1865. It is part of a UNESCO World Heritage landscape inscribed in 2015.
In Mercedes itself
Cathedral of Mercedes
Since 1960, the Diocese of Mercedes has had its seat at the Cathedral of Our Lady of Mercy, the main Catholic church in this Uruguayan city.
Calera Real del Dacá
On the eastern edge of Mercedes beside the Dacá stream, the ruins of the Calera Real lime works date to 1722 and are considered the region's first industrial site; recent works added visitor circuits, lighting and interpretive signs.
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.
More drives to Mercedes
- Salto to Mercedes, Uruguay
- Rivera to Mercedes, Uruguay
- Artigas to Mercedes, Uruguay
- Montevideo to Mercedes, Uruguay
- Melo to Mercedes, Uruguay
- Buenos Aires to Mercedes, Uruguay
More drives from Posadas
- Posadas to Paso de los Libres
- Posadas to Pedro Juan Caballero, Paraguay
- Posadas to Filadelfia, Paraguay
- Posadas to Neuland, Paraguay
- Posadas to San Bernardino, Paraguay
- Posadas to Trinidad, Uruguay
Continue Your Adventure
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to drive from Posadas to Mercedes, Uruguay?
About 10 h 27 min of driving without stops, over 521 miles.
How far is Mercedes, Uruguay from Posadas by car?
About 521 miles (839 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 Posadas to Mercedes drive cross the border?
At about mile 503, from Argentina into Uruguay, at the Gualeguaychú–Fray Bentos bridge.
What do U.S. citizens need to drive from Posadas 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.)
What does the U.S. travel advisory say about the Posadas to Mercedes drive?
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.
Which highways go from Posadas to Mercedes?
In order: RN105, RN14, RP20 and RN136. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
What are good stops between Posadas and Mercedes?
Closest to the road: Museo Provincial San Ignacio de Loyola (museum, mile 30, 0.9 mi from the route); Mission San José de Itacuá (jesuit mission ruins, mile 30, 0.9 mi from the route); El Palmar National Park (national park of Argentina, mile 395, 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.