Santa Cruz do Sul to Mercedes, Uruguay is about 502 road miles (808 km): roughly 11 h 47 min at the wheel if you don't stop. 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: “Road maintenance is inadequate in many areas.”
- Uruguay: “Traffic fatalities are high in Uruguay.”
| Total distance | 502 mi (808 km) |
|---|---|
| Driving time, no stops | 11 h 47 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, Soriano |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 20.1 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 8 |
Crossing from Brazil into Uruguay
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.
What the drive from Santa Cruz do Sul to Mercedes is like
BR-158 (134 mi) and RSC-287 (79 mi) carry about 42% of the 502 miles. The first 239 miles are in Brazil; the last 263 are in Uruguay. It runs through 5 regions: Rio Grande do Sul, Rivera, Tacuarembó, Río Negro, Soriano. Of the 8 stops listed below, 4 are within a mile of the road.
Road-by-road breakdown: Santa Cruz do Sul to Mercedes
| 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 | 240–444 | 204 | Rivera, Tacuarembó, Río Negro |
| connecting roads | 444–447 | 3 | Río Negro |
| local roads | 447–502 | 55 | Río Negro, Soriano |
- 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)
- Mile 457 of this route: Río Negro → Soriano (region line)
Places worth a stop between Santa Cruz do Sul and Mercedes
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Educational Museum Gama D'Eça (mile 88), Theatro Treze de Maio (mile 88), Zoológico Municipal Dr. Mauricio López Lomba (mile 307), Museo del Deporte (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), Museo del Deporte (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.
Theatro Treze de Maio
Facing Praça Saldanha Marinho in central Santa Maria, Rio Grande do Sul, the Theatro Treze de Maio is a theater protected as a municipal heritage property.
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.
Museo del Deporte
Located in the city of Tacuarembó, Uruguay, the Museo del Deporte preserves and shares the sports history of the Tacuarembó department.
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 Mercedes
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.
Alejandro Berro Paleontology Museum
In a 19th-century building in Mercedes' Parque Castillo Mauá, this paleontology museum opened in 1946 around the collection of naturalist Alejandro Berro; a well-preserved glyptodon shell found on a nearby riverbank is a highlight.
Cathedral of Mercedes
Since 1960, the Diocese of Mercedes has had its seat at the Cathedral of Our Lady of Mercy, the main Catholic church in this Uruguayan city.
More drives to Mercedes
- Salto to Mercedes, Uruguay
- Rivera to Mercedes, Uruguay
- Artigas to Mercedes, Uruguay
- Montevideo to Mercedes, Uruguay
- Melo to Mercedes, Uruguay
- Buenos Aires to Mercedes, 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
Continue Your Adventure
Frequently asked questions
How long is the drive from Santa Cruz do Sul to Mercedes, Uruguay?
About 11 h 47 min of driving without stops, over 502 miles.
What is the driving distance from Santa Cruz do Sul to Mercedes, Uruguay?
About 502 miles (808 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 Mercedes 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 Mercedes 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 Mercedes 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 Mercedes?
Closest to the road: Educational Museum Gama D'Eça (didactic museum, mile 88, 0.4 mi from the route); Theatro Treze de Maio (theater, mile 88, 0.4 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.