Santa Maria, Brazil to Treinta y Tres, Uruguay is about 290 road miles (467 km): roughly 7 h 17 min at the wheel if you don't stop. You cross from Brazil into Uruguay at about mile 186.
- 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: “Drivers must have their daytime running lights on during the day and headlights on at night on Federal Highways.”
- Uruguay: “Traffic fatalities are high in Uruguay.”
| Total distance | 290 mi (467 km) |
|---|---|
| Drive time without stops | 7 h 17 min |
| Main roads, in order | BR-392 → BR-153 |
| Border crossing | about mile 186, Brazil → Uruguay |
| Regions on the route | Rio Grande do Sul, Cerro Largo, Treinta y Tres |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 11.6 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 4 |
Getting across the Brazil–Uruguay border
The route crosses at about mile 186, from Rio Grande do Sul into Cerro Largo. 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.
How the Santa Maria to Treinta y Tres drive plays out
BR-153 (113 mi) and BR-392 (68 mi) carry about 62% of the 290 miles. The first 186 miles are in Brazil; the last 104 are in Uruguay. It runs through 3 regions: Rio Grande do Sul, Cerro Largo, Treinta y Tres. None of the 4 stops below is right on the road, so plan each as a short side trip.
The route from Santa Maria to Treinta y Tres, road by road
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | Region |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–2 | 2 | Rio Grande do Sul |
| BR-392 | 2–70 | 68 | Rio Grande do Sul |
| BR-153 | 70–183 | 113 | Rio Grande do Sul |
| local roads | 183–290 | 107 | Rio Grande do Sul, Cerro Largo, Treinta y Tres |
- Mile 186 of this route: Rio Grande do Sul → Cerro Largo (international border)
- Mile 252 of this route: Cerro Largo → Treinta y Tres (region line)
Stops between Santa Maria and Treinta y Tres
Forte de D. Pedro II de Caçapava
North of the town of Caçapava do Sul, in Rio Grande do Sul, Forte de D. Pedro II de Caçapava is a fort listed as protected heritage by IPHAN, Brazil's national heritage institute.
Dom Diogo de Souza Museum
Founded in 1956 by historian Tarcísio Taborda, Bagé's Dom Diogo de Souza Museum has been housed since 1975 in the Portuguese Beneficence Society building.
Cathedral of Melo
The Cathedral of Our Lady of the Pillar and St. Raphael is the main Roman Catholic church in the city of Melo, Uruguay.
Regional History Museum of Melo
Founded on June 27, 1976, Melo's municipal history museum displays archaeological pieces and historical items from the region and hosts temporary exhibitions and talks.
Once you reach Treinta y Tres
Museo Agustín Araújo
Treinta y Tres's departmental fine arts museum, the Museo Agustín Araújo is a public museum in the city of Treinta y Tres, Uruguay.
More drives to Treinta y Tres
- Montevideo to Treinta y Tres
- Rivera to Treinta y Tres
- Colonia del Sacramento to Treinta y Tres
- Salto to Treinta y Tres
- Fray Bentos to Treinta y Tres
- Buenos Aires to Treinta y Tres, 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 Treinta y Tres, Uruguay?
About 7 h 17 min of driving without stops, over 290 miles.
How far is Treinta y Tres, Uruguay from Santa Maria, Brazil by car?
About 290 miles (467 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 Treinta y Tres drive cross the border?
At about mile 186, 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.)
Is it safe to drive from Santa Maria, Brazil to Treinta y Tres, Uruguay?
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.
What roads does the drive from Santa Maria to Treinta y Tres use?
In order: BR-392 and BR-153. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
What are good stops between Santa Maria and Treinta y Tres?
Closest to the road: Forte de D. Pedro II de Caçapava (fort, mile 62, 1 mi from the route); Regional History Museum of Melo (museum, mile 219, 1 mi from the route); Cathedral of Melo (cathedral, mile 219, 1 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.