The Wayro route from Santa Fe to Rocha, Uruguay is 519 miles (835 km), about 10 h 58 min of driving without 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: “Drivers should prepare in advance when taking long road trips and make sure to have adequate insurance coverage.”
- Uruguay: “Traffic fatalities are high in Uruguay.”
| Distance | 519 mi (835 km) |
|---|---|
| Driving time, no stops | 10 h 58 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, Rocha |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 20.8 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 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 Rocha
RN12 (92 mi) and RP20 (55 mi) carry about 28% of the 519 miles. The first 216 miles are in Argentina; the last 303 are in Uruguay. It runs through 9 regions: Santa Fe, Entre Ríos, Río Negro, Soriano, Colonia, San José, Canelones, Maldonado, Rocha. Of the 9 stops listed below, 3 are within a mile of the road.
Santa Fe to Rocha: 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 | 449–454 | 5 | Maldonado |
| local roads | 454–519 | 65 | Maldonado, Rocha |
- 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)
- Mile 500 of this route: Maldonado → Rocha (region line)
What to see on the way from Santa Fe to Rocha
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Cathedral of Mercedes (mile 233), 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 454), Laguna José Ignacio (mile 488)
- Museums and history: Paraná Cathedral (mile 16), Gualeguaychú Cathedral (mile 194), Cathedral of Mercedes (mile 233), Calera Real del Dacá (mile 233), Cathedral of San José de Mayo (mile 350), Museo Departamental de San José (mile 350)
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
Part of a UNESCO World Heritage landscape inscribed in 2015, the old Anglo meatpacking plant stands on the Uruguay River at Fray Bentos, where frozen meat shipments began in 1924.
Cathedral of Mercedes
Dedicated to Our Lady of Mercy, this cathedral is the main Catholic church of Mercedes, Uruguay, and has been the seat of the Diocese of Mercedes since 1960.
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 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.
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.
Laguna José Ignacio
In Uruguay's Maldonado Department, Laguna José Ignacio is a coastal lagoon kept apart from the Atlantic Ocean by a sandbank.
Once you reach Rocha
Teatro 25 de Mayo
Rocha's Teatro 25 de Mayo opened in 1910 as an Italian-style theater in the eclectic style, with room for about 400 people. Now a cultural complex, it is a stop on the city's self-guided heritage walk.
Observatorio Astronómico del CURE
Run by the University of the Republic's eastern campus (CURE), this small observatory in Rocha opened in 2016 and uses a 30 cm reflector telescope under a motorized dome for teaching, research and public outreach.
More drives to Rocha
- Montevideo to Rocha
- Tacuarembó to Rocha
- Salto to Rocha
- Rivera to Rocha
- Buenos Aires to Rocha, Uruguay
- Rosario, Argentina to Rocha, 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 Rocha, Uruguay?
About 10 h 58 min of driving without stops, over 519 miles.
How far is Rocha, Uruguay from Santa Fe by car?
About 519 miles (835 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 Rocha 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 Rocha 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 Rocha 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 Rocha?
Closest to the road: Cathedral of Mercedes (cathedral, mile 233, 0.7 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.