The Wayro route from Quintay to La Punta, Argentina is 431 miles (694 km), about 9 h 8 min of driving without stops. You cross from Chile into Argentina at about mile 147, at the Cristo Redentor crossing.
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: “Driving in Chile is relatively safe.”
- Argentina: “Gas stations are often far apart and not always easily identified from the main roadway.”
| Distance by road | 431 mi (694 km) |
|---|---|
| Driving time, no stops | 9 h 8 min |
| Main roads, in order | F-800 → RN7 → RNV146 |
| Border crossing | about mile 147, Chile → Argentina (the Cristo Redentor crossing) |
| Regions on the route | Valparaíso, Mendoza, San Luis |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 17.2 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 9 |
Border crossing: what to bring for Argentina
The route crosses at about mile 147, at the Cristo Redentor crossing, from Valparaíso into Mendoza. 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.
On the road from Quintay to La Punta
RN7 (271 mi) and F-800 (14 mi) carry about 66% of the 431 miles. The first 147 miles are in Chile; the last 284 are in Argentina. It runs through 3 regions: Valparaíso, Mendoza, San Luis. Of the 9 stops listed below, 2 are within a mile of the road.
The route from Quintay to La Punta, road by road
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | Region |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–1 | 1 | Valparaíso |
| F-800 | 1–15 | 14 | Valparaíso |
| connecting roads | 15–16 | 1 | Valparaíso |
| local roads | 16–21 | 5 | Valparaíso |
| connecting roads | 21–22 | 1 | Valparaíso |
| local roads | 22–62 | 40 | Valparaíso |
| connecting roads | 62–63 | 1 | Valparaíso |
| local roads | 63–147 | 84 | Valparaíso |
| RN7 | 147–418 | 271 | Mendoza, San Luis |
| RNV146 | 418–428 | 10 | San Luis |
| local roads | 428–431 | 3 | San Luis |
- Mile 147 of this route: Valparaíso → Mendoza (international border)
- Mile 372 of this route: Mendoza → San Luis (region line)
Places worth a stop between Quintay and La Punta
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Museo Arqueológico de Los Andes (mile 104), Puente del Inca (mile 158)
- Nature and outdoors: Lago Peñuelas National Reserve (mile 15), Balneario Las Salinas (mile 25), La Campana National Park (mile 68), Cacheuta Spa (mile 240)
- Museums and history: Museo Arqueológico de Los Andes (mile 104), Puente del Inca (mile 158)
Lago Peñuelas National Reserve
Chile's Lago Peñuelas National Reserve surrounds Peñuelas Lake, a freshwater reservoir that supplies drinking water to Valparaíso and Viña del Mar.
Teatro Municipal
Teatro Municipal de Viña del Mar is a heritage building in Viña del Mar, in Chile's Valparaíso Region, facing Plaza Vergara.
Balneario Las Salinas
Balneario Las Salinas is a beach in Viña del Mar, in Chile's Valparaíso Region, lying just north of the neighborhood of the same name.
Teatro Municipal Juan Bustos Ramírez
Quilpué's municipal theater opened on December 7, 1940, as Teatro Velarde; the city bought it in 2012 for reconstruction, and it reopened as Teatro Municipal Juan Bustos Ramírez in 2017.
Teatro Pompeya
Teatro Pompeya is a theater on Paseo Latorre in the city of Villa Alemana, in Chile's Valparaíso Region.
La Campana National Park
In Chile's coastal range northwest of Santiago, La Campana National Park protects the Chilean palm that Charles Darwin studied on his 1834 visit. Trails climb toward Cerro La Campana, and the park also holds petroglyphs and the Salto La Cortadera waterfall.
Museo Arqueológico de Los Andes
Opened in 1969 by Carlos Coros, the Los Andes Archaeological Museum occupies a 19th-century house and holds a collection tied to the Aconcagua culture and the Inca civilization.
Puente del Inca
Puente del Inca is a natural rock arch spanning the Las Cuevas River, a tributary of the Mendoza River. It stands beside the village of the same name in Las Heras Department, Mendoza Province.
Cacheuta Spa
At Cacheuta, on the Mendoza River in the Andes foothills, Cacheuta Spa is a bathing complex built around natural hot springs, along the old road from Mendoza toward the Uspallata Pass and Chile.
More drives to La Punta
- Paraná to La Punta
- Berisso to La Punta
- Villa Unión to La Punta
- Tafí Viejo to La Punta
- Viña del Mar to La Punta, Argentina
- Rancagua to La Punta, Argentina
More drives from Quintay
- Quintay to Pisco Elqui
- Quintay to Villa Unión, Argentina
- Quintay to Malargüe, Argentina
- Quintay to San Agustín de Valle Fértil, Argentina
- Quintay to San José de Jáchal, Argentina
- Quintay to Barreal, Argentina
Frequently asked questions
How long is the drive from Quintay to La Punta, Argentina?
About 9 h 8 min of driving without stops, over 431 miles.
What is the driving distance from Quintay to La Punta, Argentina?
About 431 miles (694 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 Quintay to La Punta drive cross the border?
At about mile 147, from Chile into Argentina, at the Cristo Redentor crossing.
What do U.S. citizens need to drive from Quintay 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.)
Is it safe to drive from Quintay to La Punta, Argentina?
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 Quintay to La Punta?
In order: F-800, RN7 and RNV146. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
What are good stops between Quintay and La Punta?
Closest to the road: Teatro Municipal Juan Bustos Ramírez (theater, mile 32, 1 mi from the route); Museo Arqueológico de Los Andes (archaeological museum, mile 104, 1 mi from the route); Puente del Inca (historic bridge, mile 158, 0.1 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.