By road, Santa Fe and Mercedes, Uruguay are about 234 miles (377 km) apart, or roughly 4 h 48 min of driving. 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: “Drivers should prepare in advance when taking long road trips and make sure to have adequate insurance coverage.”
- Uruguay: “Several of the main highways are particularly accident-ridden.”
| Distance | 234 mi (377 km) |
|---|---|
| Driving time, no stops | 4 h 48 min |
| Main roads, in order | RN168 → RN12 → RP39 → RP20 → RN136 |
| Border crossing | about mile 216, Argentina → Uruguay (the Gualeguaychú–Fray Bentos bridge) |
| Regions on the route | Santa Fe, Entre Ríos, Río Negro, Soriano |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 9.4 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 3 |
Getting across the Argentina–Uruguay border
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.
On the road from Santa Fe to Mercedes
RN12 (92 mi) and RP20 (55 mi) carry about 63% of the 234 miles. The first 216 miles are in Argentina; the last 18 are in Uruguay. It runs through 4 regions: Santa Fe, Entre Ríos, Río Negro, Soriano. None of the 3 stops below is right on the road, so plan each as a short side trip.
Which roads connect Santa Fe and Mercedes
| 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 | 216–234 | 18 | Río Negro, Soriano |
- 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)
Breaking up the drive: stops between Santa Fe and Mercedes
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, serves as the cathedral church of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Gualeguaychú in Argentina.
Frigorífico Anglo del Uruguay
The former Anglo meatpacking plant on the Uruguay River at Fray Bentos began shipping frozen meat in 1924, on the site where Liebig exported meat extract and corned beef from 1865. It is part of a UNESCO World Heritage landscape inscribed in 2015.
In Mercedes itself
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.
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.
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.
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 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 does it take to drive from Santa Fe to Mercedes, Uruguay?
About 4 h 48 min of driving without stops, over 234 miles.
How far is Mercedes, Uruguay from Santa Fe by car?
About 234 miles (377 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 Mercedes 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 Mercedes 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 Mercedes use?
In order: RN168, RN12, RP39, RP20 and RN136. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
What are good stops between Santa Fe and Mercedes?
Closest to the road: Paraná Cathedral (cathedral, mile 16, 2 mi from the route); Gualeguaychú Cathedral (cathedral, mile 194, 1 mi from the route); Frigorífico Anglo del Uruguay (industrial heritage site, mile 214, 5 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.