San Antonio de Areco to Punta del Diablo, Uruguay is about 506 road miles (815 km): roughly 10 h 57 min at the wheel if you don't stop. You cross from Argentina into Uruguay at about mile 144, at the Gualeguaychú–Fray Bentos bridge.
Full advisory: Argentina, Uruguay. Advisory issued: Argentina July 10, 2026; Uruguay July 28, 2026; checked October 10, 2026.
On the roads, the State Department says:
- Argentina: “Drivers in Argentina tend to be aggressive, especially in Buenos Aires, and often ignore traffic regulations.”
- Uruguay: “Illumination, pavement markings, and road surfaces for secondary roads can be poor.”
| Total distance | 506 mi (815 km) |
|---|---|
| Drive time without stops | 10 h 57 min |
| Main roads, in order | RN8 → RN193 → RN12 → RN14 → RN136 → I-B |
| Border crossing | about mile 144, Argentina → Uruguay (the Gualeguaychú–Fray Bentos bridge) |
| Regions on the route | Buenos Aires, Entre Ríos, Río Negro, Soriano, Colonia, San José, Canelones, Maldonado, Rocha |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 20.2 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 9 |
Getting across the Argentina–Uruguay border
The route crosses at about mile 144, at the Gualeguaychú–Fray Bentos bridge, from Entre Ríos into Río Negro. 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 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. |
| 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, Argentina (updated July 16, 2026). Checked October 10, 2026; rules change, so confirm before you go.
Driving San Antonio de Areco to Punta del Diablo: the shape of the trip
RN12 (49 mi) and RN14 (37 mi) carry about 17% of the 506 miles. The first 144 miles are in Argentina; the last 362 are in Uruguay. It runs through 9 regions: Buenos Aires, Entre Ríos, Río Negro, Soriano, Colonia, San José, Canelones, Maldonado, Rocha. Of the 9 stops listed below, 4 are within a mile of the road.
Road-by-road breakdown: San Antonio de Areco to Punta del Diablo
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | Region |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–4 | 4 | Buenos Aires |
| RN8 | 4–10 | 6 | Buenos Aires |
| RN193 | 10–30 | 20 | Buenos Aires |
| RN12 | 30–79 | 49 | Buenos Aires, Entre Ríos |
| RN14 | 79–116 | 37 | Entre Ríos |
| local roads | 116–122 | 6 | Entre Ríos |
| RN136 | 122–142 | 20 | Entre Ríos |
| connecting roads | 142–144 | 2 | Entre Ríos |
| local roads | 144–241 | 97 | Río Negro, Soriano |
| connecting roads | 241–242 | 1 | Soriano |
| local roads | 242–278 | 36 | Colonia, San José |
| connecting roads | 278–281 | 3 | San José |
| local roads | 281–348 | 67 | San José, Canelones |
| connecting roads | 348–349 | 1 | Canelones |
| local roads | 349–377 | 28 | Canelones, Maldonado |
| I-B | 377–383 | 6 | Maldonado |
| local roads | 383–506 | 123 | Maldonado, Rocha |
- Mile 50 of this route: Buenos Aires → Entre Ríos (region line)
- Mile 144 of this route: Entre Ríos → Río Negro (international border)
- Mile 160 of this route: Río Negro → Soriano (region line)
- Mile 242 of this route: Soriano → Colonia (region line)
- Mile 259 of this route: Colonia → San José (region line)
- Mile 303 of this route: San José → Canelones (region line)
- Mile 372 of this route: Canelones → Maldonado (region line)
- Mile 429 of this route: Maldonado → Rocha (region line)
Stops between San Antonio de Areco and Punta del Diablo
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Cathedral of Mercedes (mile 162), Cathedral of San José de Mayo (mile 279), Teatro Politeama (mile 313), Observatorio Astronómico del CURE (mile 445)
- Nature and outdoors: Ciervo de los Pantanos National Park (mile 32), Cerro Pan de Azúcar Native Wildlife Breeding Station (mile 383), Laguna José Ignacio (mile 417), La Sirena Beach (mile 487)
- Museums and history: Cathedral of Mercedes (mile 162), Cathedral of San José de Mayo (mile 279)
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.
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.
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.
Teatro Politeama
Canelones' Teatro Politeama opened in 1921 and reopened in 2014 as the Complejo Cultural Politeama Teatro Atahualpa del Cioppo. Uruguay declared the theater a National Historic Monument in 2022.
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.
Laguna José Ignacio
In Uruguay's Maldonado Department, Laguna José Ignacio is a coastal lagoon kept apart from the Atlantic Ocean by a sandbank.
Observatorio Astronómico del CURE
Run by the University of the Republic's eastern campus (CURE), this small observatory in Rocha opened in 2016 and uses a 30 cm reflector telescope under a motorized dome for teaching, research and public outreach.
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.
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.
In Punta del Diablo itself
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.
More drives to Punta del Diablo
- La Paloma to Punta del Diablo
- Nueva Helvecia to Punta del Diablo
- Colonia del Sacramento to Punta del Diablo
- Tacuarembó to Punta del Diablo
- Rivera to Punta del Diablo
- Salto to Punta del Diablo
More drives from San Antonio de Areco
- San Antonio de Areco to Magdalena
- San Antonio de Areco to Capilla del Monte
- San Antonio de Areco to Atlántida, Uruguay
- San Antonio de Areco to Fray Marcos, Uruguay
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to drive from San Antonio de Areco to Punta del Diablo, Uruguay?
About 10 h 57 min of driving without stops, over 506 miles.
What is the driving distance from San Antonio de Areco to Punta del Diablo, Uruguay?
About 506 miles (815 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 San Antonio de Areco to Punta del Diablo drive cross the border?
At about mile 144, from Argentina into Uruguay, at the Gualeguaychú–Fray Bentos bridge.
What do U.S. citizens need to drive from San Antonio de Areco 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.)
What does the U.S. travel advisory say about the San Antonio de Areco to Punta del Diablo drive?
The U.S. State Department rates Argentina Level 1: Exercise Normal Precautions; Uruguay Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution. Read the full advisory before you go.
What roads does the drive from San Antonio de Areco to Punta del Diablo use?
In order: RN8, RN193, RN12, RN14, RN136 and I-B. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
What are good stops between San Antonio de Areco and Punta del Diablo?
Closest to the road: Cathedral of Mercedes (cathedral, mile 162, 0.8 mi from the route); Teatro Politeama (theater, mile 313, 0.2 mi from the route); Observatorio Astronómico del CURE (astronomical observatory, mile 445, 0.3 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.