The Wayro route from San Rafael to Quintay, Chile is 389 miles (626 km), about 8 h 36 min of driving without stops. You cross from Argentina into Chile at about mile 243, at the Cristo Redentor crossing.
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: “Use caution when walking or driving at night, especially if alone.”
| Distance by road | 389 mi (626 km) |
|---|---|
| Time at the wheel, no stops | 8 h 36 min |
| Main roads, in order | RN143 → RN40 → RN7 → F-800 |
| Border crossing | about mile 243, Argentina → Chile (the Cristo Redentor crossing) |
| Regions on the route | Mendoza, Valparaíso |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 15.6 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 9 |
Crossing from Argentina into Chile
The route crosses at about mile 243, at the Cristo Redentor crossing, from Mendoza into Valparaíso. 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 Rafael–Quintay drive in a few lines
RN7 (112 mi) and RN143 (66 mi) carry about 46% of the 389 miles. The first 243 miles are in Argentina; the last 146 are in Chile. It runs through 2 regions: Mendoza, Valparaíso. Of the 9 stops listed below, 3 are within a mile of the road.
Which roads connect San Rafael and Quintay
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | Region |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–2 | 2 | Mendoza |
| RN143 | 2–68 | 66 | Mendoza |
| RN40 | 68–129 | 61 | Mendoza |
| connecting roads | 129–130 | 1 | Mendoza |
| RN7 | 130–242 | 112 | Mendoza |
| local roads | 242–368 | 126 | Mendoza, Valparaíso |
| connecting roads | 368–369 | 1 | Valparaíso |
| local roads | 369–374 | 5 | Valparaíso |
| F-800 | 374–388 | 14 | Valparaíso |
| local roads | 388–389 | 1 | Valparaíso |
- Mile 243 of this route: Mendoza → Valparaíso (international border)
Where to stop on the way to Quintay
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Christ the Redeemer of the Andes (mile 242), St. Philip's Cathedral, San Felipe (mile 295), Museo Histórico de Placilla (mile 370)
- Nature and outdoors: Cacheuta Spa (mile 149), Balneario Las Salinas (mile 364), Lago Peñuelas National Reserve (mile 374)
- Museums and history: St. Philip's Cathedral, San Felipe (mile 295), Museo Palmira Romano (mile 343), Museo Histórico de Placilla (mile 370)
Cacheuta Spa
At Cacheuta, on the Mendoza River in the Andes foothills, Cacheuta Spa is a bathing complex built around natural hot springs, along the old road from Mendoza toward the Uspallata Pass and Chile.
Christ the Redeemer of the Andes
High in the Andes at 3,832 meters on the Argentina–Chile border, Christ the Redeemer of the Andes was unveiled on March 13, 1904, to mark the peaceful settlement of a border dispute between the two countries.
St. Philip's Cathedral, San Felipe
San Felipe Cathedral, dedicated to St. Philip, is a Catholic parish in San Felipe, Valparaíso Region, and serves as the cathedral of the Diocese of San Felipe de Aconcagua.
Museo Palmira Romano
Run by the municipality of Limache in the Valparaíso Region, the Museo Palmira Romano is a museum listed in Chile's museum registry.
Teatro Pompeya
Teatro Pompeya is a theater on Paseo Latorre in the city of Villa Alemana, in Chile's Valparaíso Region.
Balneario Las Salinas
Balneario Las Salinas is a beach in Viña del Mar, in Chile's Valparaíso Region, lying just north of the neighborhood of the same name.
Teatro Municipal
Teatro Municipal de Viña del Mar is a heritage building in Viña del Mar, in Chile's Valparaíso Region, facing Plaza Vergara.
Museo Histórico de Placilla
About 14 km from Valparaíso, the Museo Histórico de Placilla opened in August 2009 under the Placilla Cultural Center and is the only museum in the Placilla de Peñuelas area.
Lago Peñuelas National Reserve
Chile's Lago Peñuelas National Reserve surrounds Peñuelas Lake, a freshwater reservoir that supplies drinking water to Valparaíso and Viña del Mar.
More drives to Quintay
- Reñaca to Quintay
- Coquimbo to Quintay
- La Serena to Quintay
- Vicuña to Quintay
- Punta de Choros to Quintay
- Copiapó to Quintay
More drives from San Rafael
- San Rafael to San Agustín de Valle Fértil
- San Rafael to Coquimbo, Chile
- San Rafael to Chillán, Chile
- San Rafael to Villa Mercedes, Chile
- San Rafael to Curicó, Chile
- San Rafael to Los Andes, Chile
Frequently asked questions
How long is the drive from San Rafael to Quintay, Chile?
About 8 h 36 min of driving without stops, over 389 miles.
What is the driving distance from San Rafael to Quintay, Chile?
About 389 miles (626 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 Rafael to Quintay drive cross the border?
At about mile 243, from Argentina into Chile, at the Cristo Redentor crossing.
What do U.S. citizens need to drive from San Rafael 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.)
What does the U.S. travel advisory say about the San Rafael to Quintay drive?
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.
What roads does the drive from San Rafael to Quintay use?
In order: RN143, RN40, RN7 and F-800. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
What are good stops between San Rafael and Quintay?
Closest to the road: Christ the Redeemer of the Andes (statue, mile 242, 0.9 mi from the route); St. Philip's Cathedral, San Felipe (cathedral, mile 295, 0.9 mi from the route); Museo Histórico de Placilla (archaeological museum, mile 370, 0.7 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.