The Wayro route from Santa Cruz do Sul to Fray Bentos, Uruguay is 507 miles (816 km), about 11 h 50 min of driving without stops. You cross from Brazil into Uruguay at about mile 239.
- Level 4: Do Not Travel in Brazil: informal housing developments (favelas, vilas, comunidades or conglomerados).
Full advisory: Brazil, Uruguay. Advisory issued: Brazil August 31, 2026; Uruguay July 28, 2026; checked October 10, 2026.
On the roads, the State Department says:
- Brazil: “Driving on Brazil’s roads poses significant risks.”
- Uruguay: “Illumination, pavement markings, and road surfaces for secondary roads can be poor.”
| Distance by road | 507 mi (816 km) |
|---|---|
| Drive time without stops | 11 h 50 min |
| Main roads, in order | RSC-287 → BR-158 → BR-290 |
| Border crossing | about mile 239, Brazil → Uruguay |
| Regions on the route | Rio Grande do Sul, Rivera, Tacuarembó, Río Negro |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 20.3 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 8 |
The border on the way to Fray Bentos
The route crosses at about mile 239, from Rio Grande do Sul into Rivera. 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 Brazil (U.S. citizens) | Visa required: apply and get approved before you travel; travelers without visas can't enter. Passport: must be valid for one month at entry, with a blank page for each stamp. |
| Driving in Brazil | If you'll stay more than 180 days and drive, carry an Inter-American Driving Permit with your U.S. license. |
| 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, Brazil (updated August 06, 2026). Checked October 10, 2026; rules change, so confirm before you go.
The Santa Cruz do Sul–Fray Bentos drive in a few lines
BR-158 (134 mi) and RSC-287 (79 mi) carry about 42% of the 507 miles. The first 239 miles are in Brazil; the last 268 are in Uruguay. It runs through 4 regions: Rio Grande do Sul, Rivera, Tacuarembó, Río Negro. Of the 8 stops listed below, 4 are within a mile of the road.
Santa Cruz do Sul to Fray Bentos: the road sequence
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | Region |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–3 | 3 | Rio Grande do Sul |
| RSC-287 | 3–82 | 79 | Rio Grande do Sul |
| connecting roads | 82–87 | 5 | Rio Grande do Sul |
| local roads | 87–91 | 4 | Rio Grande do Sul |
| BR-158 | 91–162 | 71 | Rio Grande do Sul |
| BR-290 | 162–176 | 14 | Rio Grande do Sul |
| BR-158 | 176–239 | 63 | Rio Grande do Sul |
| connecting roads | 239–240 | 1 | Rivera |
| local roads | 240–498 | 258 | Rivera, Tacuarembó, Río Negro |
| connecting roads | 498–500 | 2 | Río Negro |
| local roads | 500–507 | 7 | Río Negro |
- Mile 239 of this route: Rio Grande do Sul → Rivera (international border)
- Mile 289 of this route: Rivera → Tacuarembó (region line)
- Mile 393 of this route: Tacuarembó → Río Negro (region line)
Where to stop on the way to Fray Bentos
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Educational Museum Gama D'Eça (mile 88), Museum Vincente Pallotti (mile 90), Zoológico Municipal Dr. Mauricio López Lomba (mile 307), Cathedral of Tacuarembó (mile 309)
- Nature and outdoors: Chorro de Agua Fría (mile 334)
- Museums and history: Aristides Carlos Rodrigues Museum (mile 25), Educational Museum Gama D'Eça (mile 88), Museum Vincente Pallotti (mile 90), Cathedral of Tacuarembó (mile 309)
- With kids: Zoológico Municipal Dr. Mauricio López Lomba (mile 307)
Aristides Carlos Rodrigues Museum
In the town of Candelária, Rio Grande do Sul, the Aristides Carlos Rodrigues Museum is part of the Paleorrota Geopark and offers information about the region.
Aqueduto de Candelária
In Candelária, Rio Grande do Sul, the Aqueduto de Candelária stands in the Linha Curitiba area. It was commissioned by João Kochenborger, one of the first German immigrants to reach the municipality, in 1862.
Planetário Professor José Mariano da Rocha Filho
Founded in 1971 at the Federal University of Santa Maria, this planetarium seats 120 people and has used a Digistar 4 digital projector since 2011.
Educational Museum Gama D'Eça
The Gama D'Eça Educational Museum sits at Rua do Acampamento 81 in central Santa Maria, Rio Grande do Sul.
Museum Vincente Pallotti
On Avenida Presidente Vargas in Santa Maria, Rio Grande do Sul, the Vicente Pallotti Museum shares a complex with Palotina College.
Zoológico Municipal Dr. Mauricio López Lomba
Reachable from Route 5 at kilometer 390, the Mauricio López Lomba reserve is a wildlife reserve in the city of Tacuarembó, Uruguay.
Cathedral of Tacuarembó
Saint Fructuosus Cathedral is the main Catholic church of Tacuarembó, Uruguay, and has been the seat of the local diocese since 1960.
Chorro de Agua Fría
In Uruguay's Tacuarembó Department, Chorro de Agua Fría is a waterfall that drops roughly 14 meters, the highest uninterrupted fall in the country.
Once you reach Fray Bentos
Miguel Young Theatre, Fray Bentos
The Miguel Young Theatre in Fray Bentos, Uruguay, was built in 1913 to plans by Antonio Llambías de Olivar.
Museo Luis Alberto Solari
Museo Luis Alberto Solari is a fine arts museum in Fray Bentos, capital of Uruguay's Río Negro department, welcoming the general public, students and foreign visitors.
Frigorífico Anglo del Uruguay
Liebig exported meat extract and corned beef from this spot on the Uruguay River at Fray Bentos starting in 1865. In 1924, the Anglo plant began shipping frozen meat from the same site.
More drives to Fray Bentos
- Florida, Uruguay to Fray Bentos
- Minas to Fray Bentos
- Rivera to Fray Bentos
- Rocha to Fray Bentos
- Melo to Fray Bentos
- Buenos Aires to Fray Bentos, Uruguay
More drives from Santa Cruz do Sul
- Santa Cruz do Sul to Guaíra
- Santa Cruz do Sul to Tubarão
- Santa Cruz do Sul to Santana do Livramento
- Santa Cruz do Sul to Chuí
- Santa Cruz do Sul to Salto, Uruguay
- Santa Cruz do Sul to Maldonado, Uruguay
Frequently asked questions
How long is the drive from Santa Cruz do Sul to Fray Bentos, Uruguay?
About 11 h 50 min of driving without stops, over 507 miles.
What is the driving distance from Santa Cruz do Sul to Fray Bentos, Uruguay?
About 507 miles (816 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 Santa Cruz do Sul to Fray Bentos drive cross the border?
At about mile 239, from Brazil into Uruguay.
What do U.S. citizens need to drive from Santa Cruz do Sul 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 Santa Cruz do Sul to Fray Bentos drive?
The U.S. State Department rates Brazil Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; Uruguay Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution. Read the full advisory before you go.
What roads does the drive from Santa Cruz do Sul to Fray Bentos use?
In order: RSC-287, BR-158 and BR-290. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
Where can you stop on the way from Santa Cruz do Sul to Fray Bentos?
Closest to the road: Educational Museum Gama D'Eça (didactic museum, mile 88, 0.4 mi from the route); Museum Vincente Pallotti (museum, mile 90, 0.1 mi from the route); Zoológico Municipal Dr. Mauricio López Lomba (zoo, mile 307, 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.