Plan on about 8 h 26 min of driving for the 368-mile (593 km) trip from Santa Maria, Brazil to Paysandú, Uruguay, before any stops. You cross from Brazil into Uruguay at about mile 151.
- 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: “Use caution when walking or driving at night.”
- Uruguay: “Illumination, pavement markings, and road surfaces for secondary roads can be poor.”
| Total distance | 368 mi (593 km) |
|---|---|
| Time at the wheel, no stops | 8 h 26 min |
| Main roads, in order | BR-158 → BR-290 |
| Border crossing | about mile 151, Brazil → Uruguay |
| Regions on the route | Rio Grande do Sul, Rivera, Tacuarembó, Paysandú, Salto |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 14.7 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 3 |
Getting across the Brazil–Uruguay border
The route crosses at about mile 151, 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.
Driving Santa Maria to Paysandú: the shape of the trip
BR-158 (135 mi) and BR-290 (13 mi) carry about 40% of the 368 miles. The first 151 miles are in Brazil; the last 217 are in Uruguay. It runs through 5 regions: Rio Grande do Sul, Rivera, Tacuarembó, Paysandú, Salto. Of the 3 stops listed below, 2 are within a mile of the road.
Roads you'll take from Santa Maria to Paysandú
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | Region |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–3 | 3 | Rio Grande do Sul |
| BR-158 | 3–74 | 71 | Rio Grande do Sul |
| BR-290 | 74–87 | 13 | Rio Grande do Sul |
| BR-158 | 87–151 | 64 | Rio Grande do Sul |
| connecting roads | 151–152 | 1 | Rivera |
| local roads | 152–220 | 68 | Rivera, Tacuarembó |
| connecting roads | 220–222 | 2 | Tacuarembó |
| local roads | 222–368 | 146 | Tacuarembó, Paysandú, Salto |
- Mile 151 of this route: Rio Grande do Sul → Rivera (international border)
- Mile 201 of this route: Rivera → Tacuarembó (region line)
- Mile 244 of this route: Tacuarembó → Paysandú (region line)
- Mile 254 of this route: Paysandú → Salto (region line)
- Mile 259 of this route: Salto → Paysandú (region line)
Places worth a stop between Santa Maria and Paysandú
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Museo de Artes Visuales de Tacuarembó (mile 221), Museo Carlos Gardel (mile 237)
- Nature and outdoors: Pozo Hondo (mile 239)
- Museums and history: Museo de Artes Visuales de Tacuarembó (mile 221), Museo Carlos Gardel (mile 237)
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.
Museo Carlos Gardel
Dedicated to the life and work of Carlos Gardel, this museum is in Valle Edén, Tacuarembó department, 21 kilometers from the city of Tacuarembó.
Pozo Hondo
Pozo Hondo is a waterfall in Uruguay's Tacuarembó department, located between the towns of Valle Edén and Tambores.
In Paysandú itself
Nuestra Señora del Rosario y San Benito de Palermo, Paysandú
Paysandú's Catholic parish church of Our Lady of the Rosary and St. Benedict of Palermo was named a minor basilica in 1949 and remains an active parish of the city.
Teatro Florencio Sánchez
In the city of Paysandú, Teatro Florencio Sánchez is a theater and movie house that has been declared a national historic monument of Uruguay.
More drives to Paysandú
- Rivera to Paysandú
- Montevideo to Paysandú
- Buenos Aires to Paysandú, Uruguay
- Mar del Plata to Paysandú, Uruguay
- La Plata to Paysandú, Uruguay
- Berisso to Paysandú, Uruguay
More drives from Santa Maria
- Santa Maria, Brazil to Santa Cruz do Sul
- Santa Maria, Brazil to Bento Gonçalves
- Santa Maria, Brazil to Erechim
- Santa Maria, Brazil to Guaíra
- Santa Maria, Brazil to Umuarama
- Santa Maria, Brazil to Jaraguá do Sul
Continue Your Adventure
Frequently asked questions
How long is the drive from Santa Maria, Brazil to Paysandú, Uruguay?
About 8 h 26 min of driving without stops, over 368 miles.
What is the driving distance from Santa Maria, Brazil to Paysandú, Uruguay?
About 368 miles (593 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 Maria to Paysandú drive cross the border?
At about mile 151, from Brazil into Uruguay.
What do U.S. citizens need to drive from Santa Maria 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 Maria to Paysandú drive?
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.
Which highways go from Santa Maria to Paysandú?
In order: 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 Maria to Paysandú?
Closest to the road: Museo de Artes Visuales de Tacuarembó (museum, mile 221, 0.7 mi from the route); Museo Carlos Gardel (museum, mile 237, 0.4 mi from the route); Pozo Hondo (waterfall, mile 239, 2 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.