Plan on about 9 h 53 min of driving for the 476-mile (766 km) trip from Santa Fe to Maldonado, Uruguay, before any stops. You cross from Argentina into Uruguay at about mile 216, at the Gualeguaychú–Fray Bentos bridge.
Full advisory: Argentina, Uruguay. Advisory issued: Argentina July 10, 2026; Uruguay July 28, 2026; checked October 10, 2026.
On the roads, the State Department says:
- Argentina: “Gas stations are often far apart and not always easily identified from the main roadway.”
- Uruguay: “Illumination, pavement markings, and road surfaces for secondary roads can be poor.”
| Distance | 476 mi (766 km) |
|---|---|
| Driving time, no stops | 9 h 53 min |
| Main roads, in order | RN168 → RN12 → RP39 → RP20 → RN136 → I-B |
| Border crossing | about mile 216, Argentina → Uruguay (the Gualeguaychú–Fray Bentos bridge) |
| Regions on the route | Santa Fe, Entre Ríos, Río Negro, Soriano, Colonia, San José, Canelones, Maldonado |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 19.0 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 8 |
Crossing from Argentina into Uruguay
The route crosses at about mile 216, at the Gualeguaychú–Fray Bentos bridge, from Entre Ríos into Río Negro. 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 Argentina (U.S. citizens) | No visa needed for visits of 90 days or less. Passport: must be valid when you enter; leave a blank page for the entry and exit stamps. |
| Driving in Argentina | A valid U.S. license usually works; an International Driving Permit is recommended. |
| 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, Argentina (updated July 16, 2026). Checked October 10, 2026; rules change, so confirm before you go.
What the drive from Santa Fe to Maldonado is like
RN12 (92 mi) and RP20 (55 mi) carry about 31% of the 476 miles. The first 216 miles are in Argentina; the last 260 are in Uruguay. It runs through 8 regions: Santa Fe, Entre Ríos, Río Negro, Soriano, Colonia, San José, Canelones, Maldonado. Of the 8 stops listed below, 2 are within a mile of the road.
Santa Fe to Maldonado: the road sequence
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | Region |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–2 | 2 | Santa Fe |
| RN168 | 2–19 | 17 | Santa Fe, Entre Ríos |
| connecting roads | 19–20 | 1 | Entre Ríos |
| RN12 | 20–112 | 92 | Entre Ríos |
| RP39 | 112–138 | 26 | Entre Ríos |
| RP20 | 138–193 | 55 | Entre Ríos |
| RN136 | 193–213 | 20 | Entre Ríos |
| connecting roads | 213–216 | 3 | Entre Ríos |
| local roads | 216–312 | 96 | Río Negro, Soriano |
| connecting roads | 312–313 | 1 | Soriano |
| local roads | 313–349 | 36 | Colonia, San José |
| connecting roads | 349–352 | 3 | San José |
| local roads | 352–449 | 97 | San José, Canelones, Maldonado |
| I-B | 449–469 | 20 | Maldonado |
| local roads | 469–476 | 7 | Maldonado |
- Mile 14 of this route: Santa Fe → Entre Ríos (region line)
- Mile 216 of this route: Entre Ríos → Río Negro (international border)
- Mile 231 of this route: Río Negro → Soriano (region line)
- Mile 313 of this route: Soriano → Colonia (region line)
- Mile 330 of this route: Colonia → San José (region line)
- Mile 374 of this route: San José → Canelones (region line)
- Mile 443 of this route: Canelones → Maldonado (region line)
Stops between Santa Fe and Maldonado
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Cathedral of San José de Mayo (mile 350), Museo Departamental de San José (mile 350)
- Nature and outdoors: Cerro Pan de Azúcar Native Wildlife Breeding Station (mile 456)
- Museums and history: Paraná Cathedral (mile 16), Gualeguaychú Cathedral (mile 194), Alejandro Berro Paleontology Museum (mile 230), Cathedral of San José de Mayo (mile 350), Museo Departamental de San José (mile 350), Iglesia de Cristo Obrero y Nuestra Señora de Lourdes (mile 420)
Paraná Cathedral
Paraná Cathedral, formally Our Lady of the Rosary Cathedral, is the main Catholic church of Paraná in Entre Ríos Province. It faces the 1 de Mayo Square on San Francisco street, between Urquiza and 25 de Mayo.
Gualeguaychú Cathedral
St. Joseph's Cathedral, also called Gualeguaychú Cathedral, is the mother church of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Gualeguaychú in Argentina.
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.
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 San José de Mayo
The main Catholic church of San José de Mayo, the Cathedral Basilica of St. Joseph has been the diocesan seat since 1955, a minor basilica since 1957 and Uruguay's national shrine of Saint Joseph.
Museo Departamental de San José
Set in central San José de Mayo, the Museo Departamental de San José is a history and fine arts museum that also runs a library, archives and cultural programs.
Iglesia de Cristo Obrero y Nuestra Señora de Lourdes
Engineer Eladio Dieste's Church of Christ the Worker in Estación Atlántida, inaugurated in 1960, joined UNESCO's World Heritage List in 2021. Look for its wavy brick walls and roof, an openwork brick bell tower and an underground baptistery.
Cerro Pan de Azúcar Native Wildlife Breeding Station
Near Piriápolis in Maldonado, this breeding station for native wildlife on Cerro Pan de Azúcar is surrounded by native vegetation and offers guided visits, including a native wildlife trail and a path up the hill.
Arriving in Maldonado
Laguna del Diario
Close to Maldonado and Punta del Este, Laguna del Diario is a lagoon where the first settlement of Maldonado was built in 1755, before the town moved to its present site in 1757.
Museum of the Sea
Opened in 1996 in La Barra, Maldonado, the Museum of the Sea is a natural history museum of about 2,300 square meters split into four large halls.
Cathedral of Maldonado
The Cathedral of Saint Ferdinand is Maldonado's main Roman Catholic church and has been a cathedral since 1966, when the Diocese of Maldonado-Punta del Este was founded.
More drives to Maldonado
- Salto to Maldonado
- Buenos Aires to Maldonado, Uruguay
- Rosario, Argentina to Maldonado, Uruguay
- Paraná to Maldonado, Uruguay
- La Plata to Maldonado, Uruguay
- Concordia to Maldonado, Uruguay
More drives from Santa Fe
- Santa Fe to San Nicolás de los Arroyos
- Santa Fe to Tigre
- Santa Fe to Adrogué
- Santa Fe to La Plata
- Santa Fe to Berisso
- Santa Fe to Magdalena
Continue Your Adventure
Frequently asked questions
How long is the drive from Santa Fe to Maldonado, Uruguay?
About 9 h 53 min of driving without stops, over 476 miles.
What is the driving distance from Santa Fe to Maldonado, Uruguay?
About 476 miles (766 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 Fe to Maldonado drive cross the border?
At about mile 216, from Argentina into Uruguay, at the Gualeguaychú–Fray Bentos bridge.
What do U.S. citizens need to drive from Santa Fe 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 Fe to Maldonado drive?
The U.S. State Department rates Argentina Level 1: Exercise Normal Precautions; Uruguay Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution. Read the full advisory before you go.
What roads does the drive from Santa Fe to Maldonado use?
In order: RN168, RN12, RP39, RP20, RN136 and I-B. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
What are good stops between Santa Fe and Maldonado?
Closest to the road: Gualeguaychú Cathedral (cathedral, mile 194, 1 mi from the route); Museo Departamental de San José (history museum, mile 350, 0.7 mi from the route); Cathedral of San José de Mayo (cathedral, mile 350, 0.9 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.