By road, Santa Cruz do Sul and Salto, Uruguay are about 462 miles (744 km) apart, or roughly 9 h 56 min of driving. You cross from Brazil into Uruguay at about mile 370.
- 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: “Several of the main highways are particularly accident-ridden.”
| Distance | 462 mi (744 km) |
|---|---|
| Drive time without stops | 9 h 56 min |
| Main roads, in order | RSC-287 → BR-158 → BR-290 → BR-472 |
| Border crossing | about mile 370, Brazil → Uruguay |
| Regions on the route | Rio Grande do Sul, Artigas, Salto |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 18.5 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 7 |
The border on the way to Salto
The route crosses at about mile 370, from Rio Grande do Sul into Artigas. 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–Salto drive in a few lines
BR-290 (161 mi) and RSC-287 (79 mi) carry about 52% of the 462 miles. The first 370 miles are in Brazil; the last 92 are in Uruguay. It runs through 3 regions: Rio Grande do Sul, Artigas, Salto. Of the 7 stops listed below, 3 are within a mile of the road.
Santa Cruz do Sul to Salto: 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 | 162–323 | 161 | Rio Grande do Sul |
| connecting roads | 323–326 | 3 | Rio Grande do Sul |
| BR-472 | 326–368 | 42 | Rio Grande do Sul |
| local roads | 368–462 | 94 | Rio Grande do Sul, Artigas, Salto |
- Mile 370 of this route: Rio Grande do Sul → Artigas (international border)
- Mile 409 of this route: Artigas → Salto (region line)
Places worth a stop between Santa Cruz do Sul and Salto
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Theatro Treze de Maio (mile 88), Museum Vincente Pallotti (mile 90), Parque Estadual do Espinilho (mile 364)
- Nature and outdoors: Parque Estadual do Espinilho (mile 364)
- Museums and history: Aristides Carlos Rodrigues Museum (mile 25), Museum Vincente Pallotti (mile 90), St. Ann Cathedral, Uruguaiana (mile 324)
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.
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.
Museum Vincente Pallotti
On Avenida Presidente Vargas in Santa Maria, Rio Grande do Sul, the Vicente Pallotti Museum shares a complex with Palotina College.
St. Ann Cathedral, Uruguaiana
Uruguaiana's St. Ann Cathedral grew out of the parish of Santana, created in 1846 together with the town, and was built between 1861 and 1874.
Parque Estadual do Espinilho
Created in 1975 and expanded in 2002 to about 1,617 hectares, Espinilho State Park is a protected area in Barra do Quaraí, in the far southwest of Rio Grande do Sul.
When you get to Salto
Cathedral of Salto
The Cathedral Basilica of Saint John the Baptist is Salto's main Catholic church and has been the seat of the local diocese since 1939.
Museo del Centro Cultural Casa Horacio Quiroga
In Salto, the Museo del Centro Cultural Casa Horacio Quiroga (Casa Quiroga) tells the life and work of writer Horacio Quiroga inside a house that was one of his family's summer homes.
Museo del Hombre y la Tecnología
In Uruguay's Salto department, the Museo del Hombre y la Tecnología shows how changing technology has shaped daily life in Uruguay and elsewhere.
More drives to Salto
- Montevideo to Salto
- Buenos Aires to Salto, Uruguay
- Córdoba, Argentina to Salto, Uruguay
- Rosario, Argentina to Salto, Uruguay
- Mar del Plata to Salto, Uruguay
- Santa Fe to Salto, 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 Maldonado, Uruguay
- Santa Cruz do Sul to Rivera, Uruguay
Continue Your Adventure
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to drive from Santa Cruz do Sul to Salto, Uruguay?
About 9 h 56 min of driving without stops, over 462 miles.
What is the driving distance from Santa Cruz do Sul to Salto, Uruguay?
About 462 miles (744 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 Salto drive cross the border?
At about mile 370, 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.)
Is it safe to drive from Santa Cruz do Sul to Salto, Uruguay?
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.
Which highways go from Santa Cruz do Sul to Salto?
In order: RSC-287, BR-158, BR-290 and BR-472. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
What are good stops between Santa Cruz do Sul and Salto?
Closest to the road: Theatro Treze de Maio (theater, mile 88, 0.4 mi from the route); Museum Vincente Pallotti (museum, mile 90, 0.1 mi from the route); Parque Estadual do Espinilho (state park, mile 364, 1 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.