The Wayro route from Rocha to Martínez, Argentina is 459 miles (738 km), about 9 h 41 min of driving without stops. 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: “If you are in an accident involving injury, stay in place until a police officer arrives.”
- Argentina: “Drivers in Argentina tend to be aggressive, especially in Buenos Aires, and often ignore traffic regulations.”
| Distance | 459 mi (738 km) |
|---|---|
| Driving time, no stops | 9 h 41 min |
| Main roads, in order | I-B → RN136 → RN14 → RN12 → RP6 → RN9 |
| 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 |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 18.3 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 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.
Driving Rocha to Martínez: the shape of the trip
RN12 (48 mi) and RN14 (36 mi) carry about 18% of the 459 miles. The first 305 miles are in Uruguay; the last 154 are in Argentina. It runs through 9 regions: Rocha, Maldonado, Canelones, San José, Colonia, Soriano, Río Negro, Entre Ríos, Buenos Aires. Of the 9 stops listed below, 3 are within a mile of the road.
Rocha to Martínez: the road sequence
| 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 | 421–455 | 34 | Buenos Aires |
| local roads | 455–459 | 4 | 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)
What to see on the way from Rocha to Martínez
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Cathedral of Our Lady of Guadalupe (mile 135), Cathedral of San José de Mayo (mile 169), Japanese Garden, Belén de Escobar (mile 437)
- Nature and outdoors: Laguna José Ignacio (mile 30), Cerro Pan de Azúcar Native Wildlife Breeding Station (mile 65), Ciervo de los Pantanos National Park (mile 428), Japanese Garden, Belén de Escobar (mile 437)
- Museums and history: Iglesia de Cristo Obrero y Nuestra Señora de Lourdes (mile 99), Cathedral of Our Lady of Guadalupe (mile 135), Cathedral of San José de Mayo (mile 169), Calera Real del Dacá (mile 286), Gualeguaychú Cathedral (mile 327)
Laguna José Ignacio
In Uruguay's Maldonado Department, Laguna José Ignacio is a coastal lagoon kept apart from the Atlantic Ocean by a sandbank.
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
Engineer Eladio Dieste's Church of Christ the Worker in Estación Atlántida, inaugurated in 1960, joined UNESCO's World Heritage List in 2021. Look for its wavy brick walls and roof, an openwork brick bell tower and an underground baptistery.
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 San José de Mayo
The main Catholic church of San José de Mayo, the Cathedral Basilica of St. Joseph has been the diocesan seat since 1955, a minor basilica since 1957 and Uruguay's national shrine of Saint Joseph.
Calera Real del Dacá
On the eastern edge of Mercedes beside the Dacá stream, the ruins of the Calera Real lime works date to 1722 and are considered the region's first industrial site; recent works added visitor circuits, lighting and interpretive signs.
Gualeguaychú Cathedral
St. Joseph's Cathedral, also called Gualeguaychú Cathedral, is the mother church of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Gualeguaychú in Argentina.
Ciervo de los Pantanos National Park
Marsh deer give their name to Ciervo de los Pantanos National Park, a Ramsar Site in Campana, Buenos Aires province, where waterbirds are abundant.
Japanese Garden, Belén de Escobar
Landscape engineer Yasuo Inomata designed this Japanese garden in Belén de Escobar in 1969, and the local Japanese community donated it to the city. Red, white and spotted koi swim in its 1,000-square-meter pond.
Arriving in Martínez
Museo Malvinas e Islas del Atlántico Sur
Opened in June 2014 by the Argentine government, the Malvinas and South Atlantic Islands Museum stands on the former Navy Mechanics School grounds in Buenos Aires.
Parque Natural Municipal Ribera Norte
On the Río de la Plata shore in Acassuso, San Isidro, Ribera Norte is a municipal nature park protecting green space within greater Buenos Aires.
ESMA Museum and Site of Memory – Former Clandestine Center of Detention, Torture and Extermination
Set in Buenos Aires on the former Navy Mechanics School grounds, one of the largest clandestine detention, torture and extermination centers of the last dictatorship, this site museum was declared UNESCO World Heritage in 2023.
More drives to Martínez
- La Plata to Martínez
- Berisso to Martínez
- Chascomús to Martínez
- Ayacucho, Argentina to Martínez
- Villa Gesell to Martínez
- Mar del Plata to Martínez
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 Martínez, Argentina?
About 9 h 41 min of driving without stops, over 459 miles.
How far is Martínez, Argentina from Rocha by car?
About 459 miles (738 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 Martínez 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 Martínez, 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.
What roads does the drive from Rocha to Martínez use?
In order: I-B, RN136, RN14, RN12, RP6 and RN9. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
What are good stops between Rocha and Martínez?
Closest to the road: Cathedral of Our Lady of Guadalupe (cathedral, mile 135, 0.2 mi from the route); Cathedral of San José de Mayo (cathedral, mile 169, 0.9 mi from the route); Japanese Garden, Belén de Escobar (japanese garden, mile 437, 0.4 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.