By road, Punta del Diablo and Martínez, Argentina are about 517 miles (832 km) apart, or roughly 11 h 5 min of driving. You cross from Uruguay into Argentina at about mile 364, 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: “Several of the main highways are particularly accident-ridden.”
- Argentina: “Drivers in Argentina tend to be aggressive, especially in Buenos Aires, and often ignore traffic regulations.”
| Total distance | 517 mi (832 km) |
|---|---|
| Drive time without stops | 11 h 5 min |
| Main roads, in order | I-B → RN136 → RN14 → RN12 → RP6 → RN9 |
| Border crossing | about mile 364, Uruguay → Argentina (the Gualeguaychú–Fray Bentos bridge) |
| Regions on the route | Rocha, Maldonado, Canelones, San José, Colonia, Soriano, Río Negro, Entre Ríos, Buenos Aires |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 20.7 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 9 |
Crossing from Uruguay into Argentina
The route crosses at about mile 364, 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 Punta del Diablo–Martínez drive in a few lines
RN12 (47 mi) and RN14 (37 mi) carry about 16% of the 517 miles. The first 364 miles are in Uruguay; the last 153 are in Argentina. It runs through 9 regions: Rocha, Maldonado, Canelones, San José, Colonia, Soriano, Río Negro, Entre Ríos, Buenos Aires. Of the 9 stops listed below, 5 are within a mile of the road.
Which roads connect Punta del Diablo and Martínez
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | Region |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–123 | 123 | Rocha, Maldonado |
| I-B | 123–129 | 6 | Maldonado |
| local roads | 129–146 | 17 | Maldonado, Canelones |
| connecting roads | 146–147 | 1 | Canelones |
| local roads | 147–191 | 44 | Canelones |
| connecting roads | 191–194 | 3 | Canelones |
| local roads | 194–226 | 32 | Canelones, San José |
| connecting roads | 226–228 | 2 | San José |
| local roads | 228–362 | 134 | San José, Colonia, Soriano, Río Negro |
| connecting roads | 362–365 | 3 | Río Negro, Entre Ríos |
| RN136 | 365–384 | 19 | Entre Ríos |
| local roads | 384–390 | 6 | Entre Ríos |
| RN14 | 390–427 | 37 | Entre Ríos |
| RN12 | 427–474 | 47 | Entre Ríos, Buenos Aires |
| RP6 | 474–479 | 5 | Buenos Aires |
| RN9 | 479–514 | 35 | Buenos Aires |
| local roads | 514–517 | 3 | Buenos Aires |
- Mile 78 of this route: Rocha → Maldonado (region line)
- Mile 135 of this route: Maldonado → Canelones (region line)
- Mile 204 of this route: Canelones → San José (region line)
- Mile 248 of this route: San José → Colonia (region line)
- Mile 265 of this route: Colonia → Soriano (region line)
- Mile 347 of this route: Soriano → Río Negro (region line)
- Mile 364 of this route: Río Negro → Entre Ríos (international border)
- Mile 457 of this route: Entre Ríos → Buenos Aires (region line)
Stops between Punta del Diablo and Martínez
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Teatro 25 de Mayo (mile 60), Cathedral of Our Lady of Guadalupe (mile 193), Cathedral of Mercedes (mile 344), Japanese Garden, Belén de Escobar (mile 496), Temaikèn (mile 496)
- Nature and outdoors: La Sirena Beach (mile 20), Laguna José Ignacio (mile 89), Cerro Pan de Azúcar Native Wildlife Breeding Station (mile 123), Japanese Garden, Belén de Escobar (mile 496)
- Museums and history: Cathedral of Our Lady of Guadalupe (mile 193), Cathedral of Mercedes (mile 344), Alejandro Berro Paleontology Museum (mile 347)
- With kids: Temaikèn (mile 496)
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.
Teatro 25 de Mayo
Rocha's Teatro 25 de Mayo opened in 1910 as an Italian-style theater in the eclectic style, with room for about 400 people. Now a cultural complex, it is a stop on the city's self-guided heritage walk.
Laguna José Ignacio
In Uruguay's Maldonado Department, Laguna José Ignacio is a coastal lagoon kept apart from the Atlantic Ocean by a sandbank.
Cerro Pan de Azúcar Native Wildlife Breeding Station
Near Piriápolis in Maldonado, this breeding station for native wildlife on Cerro Pan de Azúcar is surrounded by native vegetation and offers guided visits, including a native wildlife trail and a path up the hill.
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 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.
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.
Japanese Garden, Belén de Escobar
Landscape engineer Yasuo Inomata designed this Japanese garden in Belén de Escobar in 1969, and the local Japanese community donated it to the city. Red, white and spotted koi swim in its 1,000-square-meter pond.
Temaikèn
Temaikèn is a zoo in Belén de Escobar, outside Buenos Aires, and the only zoo in Argentina accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums.
In Martínez itself
Parque Natural Municipal Ribera Norte
On the Río de la Plata shore in Acassuso, San Isidro, Ribera Norte is a municipal nature park protecting green space within greater Buenos Aires.
ESMA Museum and Site of Memory – Former Clandestine Center of Detention, Torture and Extermination
Set in Buenos Aires on the former Navy Mechanics School grounds, one of the largest clandestine detention, torture and extermination centers of the last dictatorship, this site museum was declared UNESCO World Heritage in 2023.
Museo Malvinas e Islas del Atlántico Sur
Opened in June 2014 by the Argentine government, the Malvinas and South Atlantic Islands Museum stands on the former Navy Mechanics School grounds in Buenos Aires.
More drives to Martínez
- La Plata to Martínez
- Berisso to Martínez
- Chascomús to Martínez
- Ayacucho, Argentina to Martínez
- Villa Gesell to Martínez
- Mar del Plata to Martínez
More drives from Punta del Diablo
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to drive from Punta del Diablo to Martínez, Argentina?
About 11 h 5 min of driving without stops, over 517 miles.
How far is Martínez, Argentina from Punta del Diablo by car?
About 517 miles (832 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 Punta del Diablo to Martínez drive cross the border?
At about mile 364, from Uruguay into Argentina, at the Gualeguaychú–Fray Bentos bridge.
What do U.S. citizens need to drive from Punta del Diablo 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 Punta del Diablo to Martínez 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 Punta del Diablo to Martínez use?
In order: I-B, RN136, RN14, RN12, RP6 and RN9. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
What are good stops between Punta del Diablo and Martínez?
Closest to the road: Cathedral of Our Lady of Guadalupe (cathedral, mile 193, 0.1 mi from the route); Japanese Garden, Belén de Escobar (japanese garden, mile 496, 0.2 mi from the route); Temaikèn (zoo, mile 496, 0.6 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.