By road, Quintay and Villa Unión, Argentina are about 521 miles (839 km) apart, or roughly 13 h 32 min of driving. 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: “Drivers should prepare in advance when taking long road trips and make sure to have adequate insurance coverage.”
| Distance | 521 mi (839 km) |
|---|---|
| Driving time, no stops | 13 h 32 min |
| Main roads, in order | F-800 → RN7 → RN149 → RP12 → RP414 → RP436 → RN40 |
| Border crossing | about mile 147, Chile → Argentina (the Cristo Redentor crossing) |
| Regions on the route | Valparaíso, Mendoza, San Juan, La Rioja |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 20.9 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 8 |
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.
What the drive from Quintay to Villa Unión is like
RN40 (149 mi) and RN149 (94 mi) carry about 47% of the 521 miles. The first 147 miles are in Chile; the last 374 are in Argentina. It runs through 4 regions: Valparaíso, Mendoza, San Juan, La Rioja. Of the 8 stops listed below, 1 are within a mile of the road.
Road-by-road breakdown: Quintay to Villa Unión
| 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 | 147–201 | 54 | Mendoza |
| RN149 | 201–295 | 94 | Mendoza, San Juan |
| RP12 | 295–321 | 26 | San Juan |
| RP414 | 321–352 | 31 | San Juan |
| RP436 | 352–367 | 15 | San Juan |
| RN40 | 367–516 | 149 | San Juan, La Rioja |
| local roads | 516–521 | 5 | La Rioja |
- Mile 147 of this route: Valparaíso → Mendoza (international border)
- Mile 240 of this route: Mendoza → San Juan (region line)
- Mile 485 of this route: San Juan → La Rioja (region line)
Stops between Quintay and Villa Unión
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Museo Histórico de Placilla (mile 19)
- Nature and outdoors: Lago Peñuelas National Reserve (mile 15), Balneario Las Salinas (mile 25), La Campana National Park (mile 68), Río Blanco National Reserve (mile 124), El Leoncito National Park (mile 257)
- Museums and history: Museo Histórico de Placilla (mile 19)
- With kids: Zoológico de Quilpué (mile 30)
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.
Museo Histórico de Placilla
About 14 km from Valparaíso, the Museo Histórico de Placilla opened in August 2009 under the Placilla Cultural Center and is the only museum in the Placilla de Peñuelas area.
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.
Zoológico de Quilpué
Maintained by the municipality, the Zoológico de Quilpué was set up on land donated to the city to create a recreation park for the community.
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.
Río Blanco National Reserve
Río Blanco National Reserve is a protected area in Chile's Valparaíso Region, about 60 kilometers northeast of Santiago.
El Leoncito National Park
Created in 2002 in San Juan Province, El Leoncito National Park protects Central Andean Puna and Southern Andean steppe habitats along with historical and paleontological sites.
More drives to Villa Unión
- Capilla del Monte to Villa Unión
- Maipú to Villa Unión
- Córdoba, Argentina to Villa Unión
- Río Cuarto to Villa Unión
- Catamarca to Villa Unión
- San Miguel de Tucumán to Villa Unión
More drives from Quintay
- Quintay to Pisco Elqui
- Quintay to Malargüe, Argentina
- Quintay to San Agustín de Valle Fértil, Argentina
- Quintay to La Punta, Argentina
- Quintay to San José de Jáchal, Argentina
- Quintay to Barreal, Argentina
Frequently asked questions
How long is the drive from Quintay to Villa Unión, Argentina?
About 13 h 32 min of driving without stops, over 521 miles.
How far is Villa Unión, Argentina from Quintay 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 Quintay to Villa Unión 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.)
What does the U.S. travel advisory say about the Quintay to Villa Unión 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 Quintay to Villa Unión?
In order: F-800, RN7, RN149, RP12, RP414, RP436 and RN40. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
What are good stops between Quintay and Villa Unión?
Closest to the road: Museo Histórico de Placilla (archaeological museum, mile 19, 0.7 mi from the route); Teatro Municipal (theater, mile 25, 2 mi from the route); Zoológico de Quilpué (zoo, mile 30, 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.