Plan on about 5 h 6 min of driving for the 201-mile (323 km) trip from Puerto Montt to San Martín de los Andes, Argentina, before any stops. You cross from Chile into Argentina at about mile 121, at Paso Cardenal Samoré.
Full advisory: Chile, Argentina. Advisory issued: Chile August 19, 2026; Argentina July 10, 2026; checked October 10, 2026.
On the roads, the State Department says:
- Chile: “There are minefields on Chile's borders with Peru and Bolivia, and Argentina in Patagonia. Stay on marked roads and trails in these areas.”
- Argentina: “Gas stations are often far apart and not always easily identified from the main roadway.”
| Distance | 201 mi (323 km) |
|---|---|
| Drive time without stops | 5 h 6 min |
| Main roads, in order | U-551-V → U-55-V → U-981-T → RN231 → RN40 |
| Border crossing | about mile 121, Chile → Argentina (Paso Cardenal Samoré) |
| Regions on the route | Los Lagos, Los Ríos, Neuquén |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 8.0 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 9 |
The border on the way to San Martín de los Andes
The route crosses at about mile 121, at Paso Cardenal Samoré, from Los Lagos into Neuquén. 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 Chile (U.S. citizens) | No visa needed for 90 days or less on a tourist passport; you get a Tourist Card valid for up to 90 days. Passport: must be valid for your whole stay. |
| Driving in Chile | A valid U.S. license works for the length of your tourist permit, usually 90 days. |
| 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, Chile (updated July 02, 2026); ARCA (Argentine customs). Checked October 10, 2026; rules change, so confirm before you go.
The Puerto Montt–San Martín de los Andes drive in a few lines
RN40 (61 mi) and U-981-T (24 mi) carry about 42% of the 201 miles. The first 121 miles are in Chile; the last 80 are in Argentina. It runs through 3 regions: Los Lagos, Los Ríos, Neuquén. Of the 9 stops listed below, 2 are within a mile of the road.
Which roads connect Puerto Montt and San Martín de los Andes
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | Region |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–27 | 27 | Los Lagos |
| connecting roads | 27–28 | 1 | Los Lagos |
| U-551-V | 28–47 | 19 | Los Lagos |
| U-55-V | 47–53 | 6 | Los Lagos |
| U-981-T | 53–77 | 24 | Los Lagos |
| local roads | 77–121 | 44 | Los Lagos, Los Ríos |
| RN231 | 121–140 | 19 | Neuquén |
| RN40 | 140–201 | 61 | Neuquén |
- Mile 99 of this route: Los Lagos → Los Ríos (region line)
- Mile 109 of this route: Los Ríos → Los Lagos (region line)
- Mile 121 of this route: Los Lagos → Neuquén (international border)
Breaking up the drive: stops between Puerto Montt and San Martín de los Andes
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Puyehue Hot Springs (mile 94), Aguas calientes Thermal Baths (mile 99)
- Nature and outdoors: Lahuen Ñadi Natural Monument (mile 7), Puyehue Hot Springs (mile 94), Aguas Calientes Hot Springs (mile 94), Aguas calientes Thermal Baths (mile 99), Puyehue National Park (mile 109), Lago Correntoso (mile 141)
- Museums and history: Pablo Fierro museum (mile 11), Museo Colonial Alemán de Frutillar (mile 27), Puente Chirre (mile 77)
Lahuen Ñadi Natural Monument
Between Puerto Montt and Puerto Varas in Chile's Los Lagos Region, Lahuen Ñadi Natural Monument protects about 2 square kilometers of ñadi.
Pablo Fierro museum
On the Vicente Pérez Rosales waterfront avenue in Puerto Varas, in Chile's Los Lagos Region, the Pablo Fierro museum offers free entry.
Museo Colonial Alemán de Frutillar
Opened to the public in January 1984, the Museo Colonial Alemán de Frutillar is an architectural and ethnographic museum devoted mainly to German immigration to the Llanquihue area of the Los Lagos Region.
Puente Chirre
Built in reinforced concrete between 1940 and 1945 as a railroad bridge, Puente Chirre in Río Bueno now carries road traffic and was declared a National Monument in 2017.
Puyehue Hot Springs
A series of hot springs about 76 km east of Osorno along Route 215-CH, Puyehue Hot Springs sit in the Los Lagos Region of southern Chile.
Aguas Calientes Hot Springs
About 76 kilometers east of Osorno near Route 215-CH, Aguas Calientes Hot Springs is a series of hot springs in Chile's Los Lagos Region.
Aguas calientes Thermal Baths
In Chile's Los Lagos Region, the Aguas Calientes thermal baths (Termas de Aguas Calientes) are hot springs used for both medicinal and tourism purposes.
Puyehue National Park
In the Andes across the Los Ríos and Los Lagos regions, Puyehue National Park takes in hot springs, volcanoes and evergreen forests. It was expanded in 1950 and 1981.
Lago Correntoso
Inside Nahuel Huapi National Park at Villa La Angostura, Neuquén, Lago Correntoso is bordered by National Route 40 on its south, west and north shores, with Cerro Belvedere and Cerro Montes de Oca to the east.
In San Martín de los Andes itself
Lanín National Park
Forests of lenga and Araucaria cover Lanín National Park in Neuquén Province, home to Lanín volcano and the Huechulafquen, Aluminé and Lácar lakes.
More drives to San Martín de los Andes
More drives from Puerto Montt
- Puerto Montt to Osorno
- Puerto Montt to Valdivia
- Puerto Montt to Villarrica
- Puerto Montt to Pucón
- Puerto Montt to Curacautín
- Puerto Montt to Los Ángeles
Continue Your Adventure
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to drive from Puerto Montt to San Martín de los Andes, Argentina?
About 5 h 6 min of driving without stops, over 201 miles.
How far is San Martín de los Andes, Argentina from Puerto Montt by car?
About 201 miles (323 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 Puerto Montt to San Martín de los Andes drive cross the border?
At about mile 121, from Chile into Argentina, at Paso Cardenal Samoré.
What do U.S. citizens need to drive from Puerto Montt 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 Puerto Montt to San Martín de los Andes drive?
The U.S. State Department rates Chile Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; Argentina Level 1: Exercise Normal Precautions. Read the full advisory before you go.
Which highways go from Puerto Montt to San Martín de los Andes?
In order: U-551-V, U-55-V, U-981-T, RN231 and RN40. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
What are good stops between Puerto Montt and San Martín de los Andes?
Closest to the road: Pablo Fierro museum (museum, mile 11, 1 mi from the route); Puyehue Hot Springs (hot spring, mile 94, 0.5 mi from the route); Aguas calientes Thermal Baths (hot spring, mile 99, 0.9 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.