The Wayro route from Santa Fe to Santa Maria, Brazil is 518 miles (834 km), about 11 h 9 min of driving without stops. You cross from Argentina into Brazil at about mile 280, at Paso de los Libres–Uruguaiana.
- Level 4: Do Not Travel in Brazil: informal housing developments (favelas, vilas, comunidades or conglomerados).
Full advisory: Argentina, Brazil. Advisory issued: Argentina July 10, 2026; Brazil August 31, 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.”
- Brazil: “Use caution when walking or driving at night.”
| Distance | 518 mi (834 km) |
|---|---|
| Driving time, no stops | 11 h 9 min |
| Main roads, in order | RN168 → RN12 → RN127 → RN14 → RN117 → BR-290 → BR-158 |
| Border crossing | about mile 280, Argentina → Brazil (Paso de los Libres–Uruguaiana) |
| Regions on the route | Santa Fe, Entre Ríos, Corrientes, Rio Grande do Sul |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 20.7 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 2 |
Crossing from Argentina into Brazil
The route crosses at about mile 280, at Paso de los Libres–Uruguaiana, from Corrientes into Rio Grande do Sul. Plan on two checks on each side: immigration for your passport and customs for the car.
| 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. |
| 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, Brazil (updated August 06, 2026); U.S. State Department, Argentina (updated July 16, 2026). Checked October 10, 2026; rules change, so confirm before you go.
Driving Santa Fe to Santa Maria: the shape of the trip
BR-290 (164 mi) and RN127 (115 mi) carry about 54% of the 518 miles. The first 280 miles are in Argentina; the last 238 are in Brazil. It runs through 4 regions: Santa Fe, Entre Ríos, Corrientes, Rio Grande do Sul. Of the 2 stops listed below, 1 are within a mile of the road.
Road-by-road breakdown: Santa Fe to Santa Maria
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | Region |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–2 | 2 | Santa Fe |
| RN168 | 2–24 | 22 | Santa Fe, Entre Ríos |
| RN12 | 24–101 | 77 | Entre Ríos |
| RN127 | 101–216 | 115 | Entre Ríos, Corrientes |
| connecting roads | 216–217 | 1 | Corrientes |
| RN14 | 217–272 | 55 | Corrientes |
| RN117 | 272–280 | 8 | Corrientes |
| BR-290 | 280–444 | 164 | Rio Grande do Sul |
| BR-158 | 444–515 | 71 | Rio Grande do Sul |
| local roads | 515–518 | 3 | Rio Grande do Sul |
- Mile 14 of this route: Santa Fe → Entre Ríos (region line)
- Mile 198 of this route: Entre Ríos → Corrientes (region line)
- Mile 280 of this route: Corrientes → Rio Grande do Sul (international border)
What to see on the way from Santa Fe to Santa Maria
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): St. Ann Cathedral, Uruguaiana (mile 280)
- Museums and history: Paraná Cathedral (mile 16), St. Ann Cathedral, Uruguaiana (mile 280)
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.
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.
Arriving in Santa Maria
Catedral de Nuestra Señora de la Concepción
Seat of the Archdiocese of Santa Maria in Rio Grande do Sul, this eclectic cathedral mixes neo-Baroque and neoclassical styles; construction started in 1902 under parish priest Caetano Pagliuca, and it opened in 1909.
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.
Educational Museum Gama D'Eça
The Gama D'Eça Educational Museum sits at Rua do Acampamento 81 in central Santa Maria, Rio Grande do Sul.
More drives to Santa Maria
- Porto Alegre to Santa Maria, Brazil
- Caxias do Sul to Santa Maria, Brazil
- Joinville to Santa Maria, Brazil
- Itajaí to Santa Maria, Brazil
- Blumenau to Santa Maria, Brazil
- Florianópolis to Santa Maria, Brazil
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 Santa Maria, Brazil?
About 11 h 9 min of driving without stops, over 518 miles.
What is the driving distance from Santa Fe to Santa Maria, Brazil?
About 518 miles (834 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 Santa Maria drive cross the border?
At about mile 280, from Argentina into Brazil, at Paso de los Libres–Uruguaiana.
What do U.S. citizens need to drive from Santa Fe into Brazil?
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. If you'll stay more than 180 days and drive, carry an Inter-American Driving Permit with your U.S. license. (U.S. State Department, updated August 06, 2026.)
Is it safe to drive from Santa Fe to Santa Maria, Brazil?
The U.S. State Department rates Argentina Level 1: Exercise Normal Precautions; Brazil Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution. Read the full advisory before you go.
What roads does the drive from Santa Fe to Santa Maria use?
In order: RN168, RN12, RN127, RN14, RN117, BR-290 and BR-158. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
Where can you stop on the way from Santa Fe to Santa Maria?
Closest to the road: Paraná Cathedral (cathedral, mile 16, 2 mi from the route); St. Ann Cathedral, Uruguaiana (cathedral, mile 280, 0.6 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.