By road, Rocha and Magdalena, Argentina are about 534 miles (860 km) apart, or roughly 11 h 16 min of driving. You cross from Uruguay into Argentina at about mile 305, 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: “Traffic fatalities are high in Uruguay.”
- Argentina: “Drivers in Argentina tend to be aggressive, especially in Buenos Aires, and often ignore traffic regulations.”
| Total distance | 534 mi (860 km) |
|---|---|
| Drive time without stops | 11 h 16 min |
| Main roads, in order | I-B → RN136 → RN14 → RN12 → RP6 → RN9 → AV1-N → RN1 → RP11 |
| Border crossing | about mile 305, Uruguay → Argentina (the Gualeguaychú–Fray Bentos bridge) |
| Regions on the route | Rocha, Maldonado, Canelones, San José, Colonia, Soriano, Río Negro, Entre Ríos, Buenos Aires, Ciudad de Buenos Aires |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 21.4 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 9 |
Crossing from Uruguay into Argentina
The route crosses at about mile 305, 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.
How the Rocha to Magdalena drive plays out
RN12 (48 mi) and RN9 (39 mi) carry about 16% of the 534 miles. The first 305 miles are in Uruguay; the last 229 are in Argentina. It runs through 10 regions: Rocha, Maldonado, Canelones, San José, Colonia, Soriano, Río Negro, Entre Ríos, Buenos Aires, Ciudad de Buenos Aires. Of the 9 stops listed below, 6 are within a mile of the road.
Road-by-road breakdown: Rocha to Magdalena
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | Region |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–64 | 64 | Rocha, Maldonado |
| connecting roads | 64–65 | 1 | Maldonado |
| I-B | 65–71 | 6 | Maldonado |
| local roads | 71–87 | 16 | Maldonado, Canelones |
| connecting roads | 87–88 | 1 | Canelones |
| local roads | 88–132 | 44 | Canelones |
| connecting roads | 132–135 | 3 | Canelones |
| local roads | 135–167 | 32 | Canelones, San José |
| connecting roads | 167–170 | 3 | San José |
| local roads | 170–303 | 133 | San José, Colonia, Soriano, Río Negro |
| connecting roads | 303–306 | 3 | Río Negro, Entre Ríos |
| RN136 | 306–326 | 20 | Entre Ríos |
| local roads | 326–332 | 6 | Entre Ríos |
| RN14 | 332–368 | 36 | Entre Ríos |
| RN12 | 368–416 | 48 | Entre Ríos, Buenos Aires |
| RP6 | 416–421 | 5 | Buenos Aires |
| RN9 | 421–460 | 39 | Buenos Aires |
| connecting roads | 460–462 | 2 | Ciudad de Buenos Aires |
| AV1-N | 462–469 | 7 | Ciudad de Buenos Aires |
| connecting roads | 469–472 | 3 | Ciudad de Buenos Aires |
| RN1 | 472–502 | 30 | Ciudad de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires |
| connecting roads | 502–503 | 1 | Buenos Aires |
| RP11 | 503–534 | 31 | Buenos Aires |
- Mile 19 of this route: Rocha → Maldonado (region line)
- Mile 76 of this route: Maldonado → Canelones (region line)
- Mile 145 of this route: Canelones → San José (region line)
- Mile 189 of this route: San José → Colonia (region line)
- Mile 206 of this route: Colonia → Soriano (region line)
- Mile 288 of this route: Soriano → Río Negro (region line)
- Mile 305 of this route: Río Negro → Entre Ríos (international border)
- Mile 398 of this route: Entre Ríos → Buenos Aires (region line)
- Mile 460 of this route: Buenos Aires → Ciudad de Buenos Aires (region line)
- Mile 477 of this route: Ciudad de Buenos Aires → Buenos Aires (region line)
Places worth a stop between Rocha and Magdalena
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Cathedral of Our Lady of Guadalupe (mile 135), Cathedral of Mercedes (mile 286), Galileo Galilei Planetarium (mile 466), Palais de Glace (mile 468), Museo Mitre (mile 470), Cathedral of the Most Holy Trinity, Buenos Aires (mile 472)
- Museums and history: Iglesia de Cristo Obrero y Nuestra Señora de Lourdes (mile 99), Cathedral of Our Lady of Guadalupe (mile 135), Cathedral of Mercedes (mile 286), Palais de Glace (mile 468), Museo Mitre (mile 470), Cathedral of the Most Holy Trinity, Buenos Aires (mile 472), Cathedral of La Plata (mile 505)
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.
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
Mercedes, Uruguay, centers its Catholic life on the Cathedral of Our Lady of Mercy, which became the seat of the local diocese in 1960.
Frigorífico Anglo del Uruguay
The former Anglo meatpacking plant on the Uruguay River at Fray Bentos began shipping frozen meat in 1924, on the site where Liebig exported meat extract and corned beef from 1865. It is part of a UNESCO World Heritage landscape inscribed in 2015.
Galileo Galilei Planetarium
The Galileo Galilei Planetarium, known locally simply as Planetario, sits in Parque Tres de Febrero in the Palermo district of Buenos Aires.
Palais de Glace
At 1430 Posadas Street in Recoleta, Buenos Aires, the Palais de Glace is a Belle Époque building modeled on the Palais des Glaces in Paris.
Museo Mitre
Set in a Spanish colonial house built in 1785, the Museo Mitre in Buenos Aires covers Argentine history and the legacy of former president Bartolomé Mitre.
Cathedral of the Most Holy Trinity, Buenos Aires
Facing Lezama Park in San Telmo, the Russian Orthodox Cathedral of the Most Holy Trinity is an Eastern Orthodox church in Buenos Aires.
Cathedral of La Plata
Facing Plaza Moreno and City Hall at the geographic center of La Plata, this neo-Gothic cathedral is dedicated to the Immaculate Conception.
More drives to Magdalena
- Necochea to Magdalena
- Adrogué to Magdalena
- Tigre to Magdalena
- Buenos Aires to Magdalena
- Luján to Magdalena
- San Antonio de Areco to Magdalena
More drives from Rocha
- Rocha to Veinticinco de Agosto
- Rocha to Nueva Helvecia
- Rocha to Conchillas
- Rocha to Carmelo
- Rocha to Bella Unión
- Rocha to Fray Bentos
Frequently asked questions
How long is the drive from Rocha to Magdalena, Argentina?
About 11 h 16 min of driving without stops, over 534 miles.
What is the driving distance from Rocha to Magdalena, Argentina?
About 534 miles (860 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 Rocha to Magdalena drive cross the border?
At about mile 305, from Uruguay into Argentina, at the Gualeguaychú–Fray Bentos bridge.
What do U.S. citizens need to drive from Rocha 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 Rocha to Magdalena, Argentina?
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.
Which highways go from Rocha to Magdalena?
In order: I-B, RN136, RN14, RN12, RP6, RN9, AV1-N, RN1 and RP11. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
Where can you stop on the way from Rocha to Magdalena?
Closest to the road: Cathedral of Our Lady of Guadalupe (cathedral, mile 135, 0.2 mi from the route); Galileo Galilei Planetarium (planetarium, mile 466, 0.3 mi from the route); Cathedral of the Most Holy Trinity, Buenos Aires (cathedral, mile 472, 0.2 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.