By road, Rio Grande and Paysandú, Uruguay are about 463 miles (745 km) apart, or roughly 10 h 56 min of driving. You cross from Brazil into Uruguay at about mile 245.
- 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: “Driving on Brazil’s roads poses significant risks.”
- Uruguay: “If you are in an accident involving injury, stay in place until a police officer arrives.”
| Total distance | 463 mi (745 km) |
|---|---|
| Driving time, no stops | 10 h 56 min |
| Main roads, in order | BR-392 → BR-293 |
| Border crossing | about mile 245, Brazil → Uruguay |
| Regions on the route | Rio Grande do Sul, Rivera, Tacuarembó, Paysandú, Salto |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 18.5 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 9 |
Crossing from Brazil into Uruguay
The route crosses at about mile 245, from Rio Grande do Sul into Rivera. 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 Paysandú
BR-293 (205 mi) and BR-392 (30 mi) carry about 51% of the 463 miles. The first 245 miles are in Brazil; the last 218 are in Uruguay. It runs through 5 regions: Rio Grande do Sul, Rivera, Tacuarembó, Paysandú, Salto. Of the 9 stops listed below, 4 are within a mile of the road.
Roads you'll take from Rio Grande to Paysandú
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | Region |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–7 | 7 | Rio Grande do Sul |
| BR-392 | 7–37 | 30 | Rio Grande do Sul |
| connecting roads | 37–40 | 3 | Rio Grande do Sul |
| BR-293 | 40–245 | 205 | Rio Grande do Sul |
| connecting roads | 245–246 | 1 | Rivera |
| local roads | 246–314 | 68 | Rivera, Tacuarembó |
| connecting roads | 314–317 | 3 | Tacuarembó |
| local roads | 317–463 | 146 | Tacuarembó, Paysandú, Salto |
- Mile 245 of this route: Rio Grande do Sul → Rivera (international border)
- Mile 295 of this route: Rivera → Tacuarembó (region line)
- Mile 338 of this route: Tacuarembó → Paysandú (region line)
- Mile 348 of this route: Paysandú → Salto (region line)
- Mile 354 of this route: Salto → Paysandú (region line)
Where to stop on the way to Paysandú
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Ponte do Império (mile 68), Zoológico Municipal Dr. Mauricio López Lomba (mile 313), Museo del Deporte (mile 315), Museo Carlos Gardel (mile 332)
- Nature and outdoors: Pozo Hondo (mile 333)
- Museums and history: Museu da Baronesa (mile 34), Ponte do Império (mile 68), Palacete Pedro Osório (mile 147), Museu da Gravura Brasileira (mile 147), Museo del Deporte (mile 315), Museo Carlos Gardel (mile 332)
- With kids: Zoológico Municipal Dr. Mauricio López Lomba (mile 313)
Theatro Sete de Abril
Opened in 1834 in Pelotas, Theatro Sete de Abril dates from the charqueada (salted beef) economic cycle, when Pelotas was among Brazil's wealthiest cities.
Museu da Baronesa
Opened in 1982 and run by the Pelotas city culture department, Museu da Baronesa occupies a building listed as municipal heritage in 1985.
Ponte do Império
Ponte do Império is a bridge in Piratini, on the boundary with Cerrito in Rio Grande do Sul, built between 1868 and 1870 by contractor Hygino Corrêa Durão.
Palacete Pedro Osório
Palacete Pedro Osório is a building in Bagé, in Brazil's Rio Grande do Sul state, listed as protected heritage by IPHAE.
Museu da Gravura Brasileira
Founded in 1977, the Museu da Gravura Brasileira is an art museum in Bagé that keeps works by local, Brazilian and international artists.
Zoológico Municipal Dr. Mauricio López Lomba
Reachable from Route 5 at kilometer 390, the Mauricio López Lomba reserve is a wildlife reserve in the city of Tacuarembó, Uruguay.
Museo del Deporte
Located in the city of Tacuarembó, Uruguay, the Museo del Deporte preserves and shares the sports history of the Tacuarembó department.
Museo Carlos Gardel
Dedicated to the life and work of Carlos Gardel, this museum is in Valle Edén, Tacuarembó department, 21 kilometers from the city of Tacuarembó.
Pozo Hondo
Pozo Hondo is a waterfall in Uruguay's Tacuarembó department, located between the towns of Valle Edén and Tambores.
In Paysandú itself
Nuestra Señora del Rosario y San Benito de Palermo, Paysandú
Paysandú's Catholic parish church of Our Lady of the Rosary and St. Benedict of Palermo was named a minor basilica in 1949 and remains an active parish of the city.
Teatro Florencio Sánchez
In the city of Paysandú, Teatro Florencio Sánchez is a theater and movie house that has been declared a national historic monument of Uruguay.
More drives to Paysandú
- Rivera to Paysandú
- Montevideo to Paysandú
- Buenos Aires to Paysandú, Uruguay
- Mar del Plata to Paysandú, Uruguay
- La Plata to Paysandú, Uruguay
- Berisso to Paysandú, Uruguay
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 Paysandú, Uruguay?
About 10 h 56 min of driving without stops, over 463 miles.
What is the driving distance from Rio Grande to Paysandú, Uruguay?
About 463 miles (745 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 Paysandú drive cross the border?
At about mile 245, 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 Paysandú, 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.
What roads does the drive from Rio Grande to Paysandú use?
In order: BR-392 and BR-293. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
What are good stops between Rio Grande and Paysandú?
Closest to the road: Ponte do Império (historic bridge, mile 68, 0.1 mi from the route); Zoológico Municipal Dr. Mauricio López Lomba (zoo, mile 313, 0.2 mi from the route); Museo Carlos Gardel (museum, mile 332, 0.5 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.