Rio Grande to Conchillas, Uruguay is about 488 road miles (785 km): roughly 11 h 1 min at the wheel if you don't stop. You cross from Brazil into Uruguay at about mile 150.
- Level 4: Do Not Travel in Brazil: informal housing developments (favelas, vilas, comunidades or conglomerados).
Full advisory: Brazil, Uruguay. Advisory issued: Brazil August 31, 2026; Uruguay July 28, 2026; checked October 10, 2026.
On the roads, the State Department says:
- Brazil: “Drivers must have their daytime running lights on during the day and headlights on at night on Federal Highways.”
- Uruguay: “If you are in an accident involving injury, stay in place until a police officer arrives.”
| Distance | 488 mi (785 km) |
|---|---|
| Driving time, no stops | 11 h 1 min |
| Main roads, in order | BR-392 → BR-471 → I-B |
| Border crossing | about mile 150, Brazil → Uruguay |
| Regions on the route | Rio Grande do Sul, Rocha, Maldonado, Canelones, San José, Colonia |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 19.5 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 9 |
Getting across the Brazil–Uruguay border
The route crosses at about mile 150, from Rio Grande do Sul into Rocha. 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 Brazil (U.S. citizens) | Visa required: apply and get approved before you travel; travelers without visas can't enter. Passport: must be valid for one month at entry, with a blank page for each stamp. |
| Driving in Brazil | If you'll stay more than 180 days and drive, carry an Inter-American Driving Permit with your U.S. license. |
| 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, Brazil (updated August 06, 2026). Checked October 10, 2026; rules change, so confirm before you go.
On the road from Rio Grande to Conchillas
BR-471 (138 mi) and I-B (6 mi) carry about 30% of the 488 miles. The first 150 miles are in Brazil; the last 338 are in Uruguay. It runs through 6 regions: Rio Grande do Sul, Rocha, Maldonado, Canelones, San José, Colonia. Of the 9 stops listed below, 3 are within a mile of the road.
The route from Rio Grande to Conchillas, road by road
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | Region |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–7 | 7 | Rio Grande do Sul |
| BR-392 | 7–12 | 5 | Rio Grande do Sul |
| BR-471 | 12–150 | 138 | Rio Grande do Sul |
| local roads | 150–294 | 144 | Rocha, Maldonado |
| connecting roads | 294–295 | 1 | Maldonado |
| I-B | 295–301 | 6 | Maldonado |
| local roads | 301–362 | 61 | Maldonado, Canelones |
| connecting roads | 362–365 | 3 | Canelones |
| local roads | 365–396 | 31 | Canelones, San José |
| connecting roads | 396–400 | 4 | San José |
| local roads | 400–488 | 88 | San José, Colonia |
- Mile 150 of this route: Rio Grande do Sul → Rocha (international border)
- Mile 249 of this route: Rocha → Maldonado (region line)
- Mile 306 of this route: Maldonado → Canelones (region line)
- Mile 376 of this route: Canelones → San José (region line)
- Mile 423 of this route: San José → Colonia (region line)
Where to stop on the way to Conchillas
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Santa Teresa National Park (mile 172), Teatro 25 de Mayo (mile 231), Teatro Macció (mile 399)
- Nature and outdoors: Santa Teresa National Park (mile 172), La Sirena Beach (mile 191), Cerro Pan de Azúcar Native Wildlife Breeding Station (mile 295), Anchorena Presidential Estate (mile 478)
- Museums and history: Iglesia de Cristo Obrero y Nuestra Señora de Lourdes (mile 329), Museum of Rosario Mural Art (mile 437)
Parque Nacional Laguna Negra
In Rocha department, Laguna Negra National Park protects the waters of Laguna Negra, the Potrerillo de Santa Teresa biological station and part of Santa Teresa National Park north of Route 9.
Santa Teresa National Park
Santa Teresa National Park on Rocha's coast was created to frame the colonial Santa Teresa Fortress; its grounds hold more than two million planted trees from five continents, a greenhouse and native wetland and woodland wildlife.
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.
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.
Iglesia de Cristo Obrero y Nuestra Señora de Lourdes
Wavy brick walls and a rippling brick roof define this church in Estación Atlántida, along with an openwork brick bell tower and a baptistery set underground. Engineer Eladio Dieste designed it, and it opened in 1960.
Teatro Macció
San José de Mayo's Teatro Bartolomé Macció is a traditional theater, regarded as the city's most important building architecturally and declared a Historic Monument of Uruguay in 1984.
Museum of Rosario Mural Art
Rather than a building, the Museum of Rosario Mural Art is a circuit of history-themed murals spread around Rosario, in Uruguay's Colonia department.
Anchorena Presidential Estate
Located in Colonia Department, 208 km from Montevideo, the Anchorena Presidential Estate is a national park that also serves as a rest residence for Uruguay's president.
More drives to Conchillas
- Tacuarembó to Conchillas
- Artigas to Conchillas
- Veinticinco de Agosto to Conchillas
- Fray Marcos to Conchillas
- Minas to Conchillas
- Alejandro Gallinal to Conchillas
More drives from Rio Grande
- Rio Grande to Bagé
- Rio Grande to Santa Cruz do Sul
- Rio Grande to Santana do Livramento
- Rio Grande to Bento Gonçalves
- Rio Grande to Erechim
- Rio Grande to Tubarão
Frequently asked questions
How long is the drive from Rio Grande to Conchillas, Uruguay?
About 11 h 1 min of driving without stops, over 488 miles.
How far is Conchillas, Uruguay from Rio Grande by car?
About 488 miles (785 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 Rio Grande to Conchillas drive cross the border?
At about mile 150, from Brazil into Uruguay.
What do U.S. citizens need to drive from Rio Grande 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.)
Is it safe to drive from Rio Grande to Conchillas, Uruguay?
The U.S. State Department rates Brazil Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; Uruguay Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution. Read the full advisory before you go.
Which highways go from Rio Grande to Conchillas?
In order: BR-392, BR-471 and I-B. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
What are good stops between Rio Grande and Conchillas?
Closest to the road: Santa Teresa National Park (national park, mile 172, 0.1 mi from the route); Teatro 25 de Mayo (theater, mile 231, 1 mi from the route); Teatro Macció (theater, mile 399, 0.8 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.