By road, San Martín de los Andes and Frutillar, Chile are about 174 miles (280 km) apart, or roughly 4 h 33 min of driving. You cross from Argentina into Chile at about mile 80, at Paso Cardenal Samoré.
Full advisory: Argentina, Chile. Advisory issued: Argentina July 10, 2026; Chile August 19, 2026; checked October 10, 2026.
On the roads, the State Department says:
- Argentina: “Gas stations are often far apart and not always easily identified from the main roadway.”
- Chile: “There are minefields on Chile's borders with Peru and Bolivia, and Argentina in Patagonia. Stay on marked roads and trails in these areas.”
| Distance | 174 mi (280 km) |
|---|---|
| Time at the wheel, no stops | 4 h 33 min |
| Main roads, in order | RN40 → RN231 → U-981-T → U-55-V → U-551-V |
| Border crossing | about mile 80, Argentina → Chile (Paso Cardenal Samoré) |
| Regions on the route | Neuquén, Los Lagos, Los Ríos |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 7.0 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 6 |
Getting across the Argentina–Chile border
The route crosses at about mile 80, at Paso Cardenal Samoré, from Neuquén into Los Lagos. Plan on two checks on each side: immigration for your passport and customs for the car.
| Entering Chile (U.S. citizens) | No visa needed for 90 days or less on a tourist passport; you get a Tourist Card valid for up to 90 days. Passport: must be valid for your whole stay. |
|---|---|
| Driving in Chile | A valid U.S. license works for the length of your tourist permit, usually 90 days. |
| 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. |
| The car, entering Chile | Foreign-plated cars entering Chile need SOAPEX, Chile's mandatory accident insurance for foreign vehicles, unless an international agreement covers the car. Keep the certificate with the car's papers. |
| 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, Chile (updated July 02, 2026); U.S. State Department, Argentina (updated July 16, 2026); CMF Chile (financial regulator). Checked October 10, 2026; rules change, so confirm before you go.
The San Martín de los Andes–Frutillar drive in a few lines
RN40 (59 mi) and U-981-T (23 mi) carry about 47% of the 174 miles. The first 80 miles are in Argentina; the last 94 are in Chile. It runs through 3 regions: Neuquén, Los Lagos, Los Ríos. Of the 6 stops listed below, 2 are within a mile of the road.
Which roads connect San Martín de los Andes and Frutillar
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | Region |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–1 | 1 | Neuquén |
| RN40 | 1–60 | 59 | Neuquén |
| RN231 | 60–80 | 20 | Neuquén |
| local roads | 80–124 | 44 | Los Lagos, Los Ríos |
| U-981-T | 124–147 | 23 | Los Lagos |
| U-55-V | 147–153 | 6 | Los Lagos |
| U-551-V | 153–173 | 20 | Los Lagos |
| local roads | 173–174 | 1 | Los Lagos |
- Mile 80 of this route: Neuquén → Los Lagos (international border)
- Mile 92 of this route: Los Lagos → Los Ríos (region line)
- Mile 103 of this route: Los Ríos → Los Lagos (region line)
Stops between San Martín de los Andes and Frutillar
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Aguas calientes Thermal Baths (mile 103), Puyehue Hot Springs (mile 107)
- Nature and outdoors: Los Arrayanes National Park (mile 60), Puyehue National Park (mile 92), Aguas calientes Thermal Baths (mile 103), Aguas Calientes Hot Springs (mile 106), Puyehue Hot Springs (mile 107)
- Museums and history: Puente Chirre (mile 124)
Los Arrayanes National Park
Covering the Quetrihué Peninsula on Nahuel Huapi Lake, 3 km from Villa La Angostura in Neuquén, Los Arrayanes National Park protects 17.53 square kilometers.
Puyehue National Park
In the Andes across the Los Ríos and Los Lagos regions, Puyehue National Park takes in hot springs, volcanoes and evergreen forests. It was expanded in 1950 and 1981.
Aguas calientes Thermal Baths
In Chile's Los Lagos Region, the Aguas Calientes thermal baths (Termas de Aguas Calientes) are hot springs used for both medicinal and tourism purposes.
Aguas Calientes Hot Springs
About 76 kilometers east of Osorno near Route 215-CH, Aguas Calientes Hot Springs is a series of hot springs in Chile's Los Lagos Region.
Puyehue Hot Springs
A series of hot springs about 76 km east of Osorno along Route 215-CH, Puyehue Hot Springs sit in the Los Lagos Region of southern Chile.
Puente Chirre
Built in reinforced concrete between 1940 and 1945 as a railroad bridge, Puente Chirre in Río Bueno now carries road traffic and was declared a National Monument in 2017.
In Frutillar itself
Museo Colonial Alemán de Frutillar
Opened to the public in January 1984, the Museo Colonial Alemán de Frutillar is an architectural and ethnographic museum devoted mainly to German immigration to the Llanquihue area of the Los Lagos Region.
More drives to Frutillar
- Villarrica to Frutillar
- Pucón to Frutillar
- Temuco to Frutillar
- Curacautín to Frutillar
- Los Ángeles to Frutillar
- Villa Mercedes to Frutillar
More drives from San Martín de los Andes
- San Martín de los Andes to El Bolsón
- San Martín de los Andes to Colonia Suiza
- San Martín de los Andes to Chaitén, Chile
- San Martín de los Andes to Monte Verde, Chile
Continue Your Adventure
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to drive from San Martín de los Andes to Frutillar, Chile?
About 4 h 33 min of driving without stops, over 174 miles.
What is the driving distance from San Martín de los Andes to Frutillar, Chile?
About 174 miles (280 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 Martín de los Andes to Frutillar drive cross the border?
At about mile 80, from Argentina into Chile, at Paso Cardenal Samoré.
What do U.S. citizens need to drive from San Martín de los Andes into Chile?
No visa needed for 90 days or less on a tourist passport; you get a Tourist Card valid for up to 90 days. Passport: must be valid for your whole stay. A valid U.S. license works for the length of your tourist permit, usually 90 days. (U.S. State Department, updated July 02, 2026.)
Is it safe to drive from San Martín de los Andes to Frutillar, Chile?
The U.S. State Department rates Argentina Level 1: Exercise Normal Precautions; Chile Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution. Read the full advisory before you go.
Which highways go from San Martín de los Andes to Frutillar?
In order: RN40, RN231, U-981-T, U-55-V and U-551-V. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
What are good stops between San Martín de los Andes and Frutillar?
Closest to the road: Puyehue National Park (national park, mile 92, 1 mi from the route); Aguas calientes Thermal Baths (hot spring, mile 103, 0.9 mi from the route); Puyehue Hot Springs (hot spring, mile 107, 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.