By road, Santa Cruz do Sul and Tacuarembó, Uruguay are about 309 miles (498 km) apart, or roughly 6 h 57 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: “Several of the main highways are particularly accident-ridden.”
| Distance | 309 mi (498 km) |
|---|---|
| Time at the wheel, no stops | 6 h 57 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 |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 12.4 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 5 |
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.
On the road from Santa Cruz do Sul to Tacuarembó
BR-158 (134 mi) and RSC-287 (79 mi) carry about 69% of the 309 miles. The first 239 miles are in Brazil; the last 70 are in Uruguay. It runs through 3 regions: Rio Grande do Sul, Rivera, Tacuarembó. Of the 5 stops listed below, 2 are within a mile of the road.
The route from Santa Cruz do Sul to Tacuarembó, road by road
| 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 |
- Mile 239 of this route: Rio Grande do Sul → Rivera (international border)
- Mile 289 of this route: Rivera → Tacuarembó (region line)
Breaking up the drive: stops between Santa Cruz do Sul and Tacuarembó
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Theatro Treze de Maio (mile 88), Museum Vincente Pallotti (mile 90)
- Museums and history: Aristides Carlos Rodrigues Museum (mile 25), Museum Vincente Pallotti (mile 90)
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.
Arriving in Tacuarembó
Museo del Indio y del Gaucho Washington Escobar
The Museo del Indio y del Gaucho, a museum of the Indigenous people and the gaucho, is located in the city of Tacuarembó, Uruguay.
Museo de Artes Visuales de Tacuarembó
The Museum of Visual Arts of Tacuarembó (Museo de Artes Visuales) is a museum 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.
More drives to Tacuarembó
- Montevideo to Tacuarembó
- Maldonado to Tacuarembó
- Buenos Aires to Tacuarembó, Uruguay
- Rosario, Argentina to Tacuarembó, Uruguay
- Santa Fe to Tacuarembó, Uruguay
- Paraná to Tacuarembó, 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 Tacuarembó, Uruguay?
About 6 h 57 min of driving without stops, over 309 miles.
How far is Tacuarembó, Uruguay from Santa Cruz do Sul by car?
About 309 miles (498 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 Tacuarembó 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.)
Is it safe to drive from Santa Cruz do Sul to Tacuarembó, 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.
What roads does the drive from Santa Cruz do Sul to Tacuarembó 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 Tacuarembó?
Closest to the road: Aristides Carlos Rodrigues Museum (museum, mile 25, 1 mi from the route); 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). 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.