By road, Santa Cruz do Sul and Paysandú, Uruguay are about 457 miles (735 km) apart, or roughly 10 h 33 min of driving. 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: “Drivers must have their daytime running lights on during the day and headlights on at night on Federal Highways.”
- Uruguay: “Illumination, pavement markings, and road surfaces for secondary roads can be poor.”
| Total distance | 457 mi (735 km) |
|---|---|
| Drive time without stops | 10 h 33 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, Paysandú, Salto |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 18.3 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 9 |
Border crossing: what to bring for 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.
The Santa Cruz do Sul–Paysandú drive in a few lines
BR-158 (134 mi) and RSC-287 (79 mi) carry about 47% of the 457 miles. The first 239 miles are in Brazil; the last 218 are in Uruguay. It runs through 5 regions: Rio Grande do Sul, Rivera, Tacuarembó, Paysandú, Salto. Of the 9 stops listed below, 5 are within a mile of the road.
Which roads connect Santa Cruz do Sul and Paysandú
| 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 | 240–309 | 69 | Rivera, Tacuarembó |
| connecting roads | 309–311 | 2 | Tacuarembó |
| local roads | 311–457 | 146 | Tacuarembó, Paysandú, Salto |
- Mile 239 of this route: Rio Grande do Sul → Rivera (international border)
- Mile 289 of this route: Rivera → Tacuarembó (region line)
- Mile 332 of this route: Tacuarembó → Paysandú (region line)
- Mile 342 of this route: Paysandú → Salto (region line)
- Mile 347 of this route: Salto → Paysandú (region line)
Breaking up the drive: stops between Santa Cruz do Sul and Paysandú
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Catedral de Nuestra Señora de la Concepción (mile 89), Museum Vincente Pallotti (mile 90), Zoológico Municipal Dr. Mauricio López Lomba (mile 307), Museo de Geociencias (mile 309), Museo Carlos Gardel (mile 326)
- Nature and outdoors: Pozo Hondo (mile 327)
- Museums and history: Aristides Carlos Rodrigues Museum (mile 25), Catedral de Nuestra Señora de la Concepción (mile 89), Museum Vincente Pallotti (mile 90), Museo de Geociencias (mile 309), Museo Carlos Gardel (mile 326)
- 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.
Catedral de Nuestra Señora de la Concepción
Seat of the Archdiocese of Santa Maria in Rio Grande do Sul, this eclectic cathedral mixes neo-Baroque and neoclassical styles; construction started in 1902 under parish priest Caetano Pagliuca, and it opened in 1909.
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.
Museo de Geociencias
Museo Carlos Gardel
Dedicated to the life and work of Carlos Gardel, this museum is in Valle Edén, Tacuarembó department, 21 kilometers from the city of Tacuarembó.
Pozo Hondo
Pozo Hondo is a waterfall in Uruguay's Tacuarembó department, located between the towns of Valle Edén and Tambores.
When you get to Paysandú
Nuestra Señora del Rosario y San Benito de Palermo, Paysandú
Paysandú's Catholic parish church of Our Lady of the Rosary and St. Benedict of Palermo was named a minor basilica in 1949 and remains an active parish of the city.
Teatro Florencio Sánchez
In the city of Paysandú, Teatro Florencio Sánchez is a theater and movie house that has been declared a national historic monument of Uruguay.
More drives to Paysandú
- Rivera to Paysandú
- Montevideo to Paysandú
- Buenos Aires to Paysandú, Uruguay
- Mar del Plata to Paysandú, Uruguay
- La Plata to Paysandú, Uruguay
- Berisso to Paysandú, 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 does it take to drive from Santa Cruz do Sul to Paysandú, Uruguay?
About 10 h 33 min of driving without stops, over 457 miles.
How far is Paysandú, Uruguay from Santa Cruz do Sul by car?
About 457 miles (735 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 Paysandú 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 Paysandú 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 Paysandú 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 Paysandú?
Closest to the road: 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); Museo Carlos Gardel (museum, mile 326, 0.4 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.