The Wayro route from Tandil to Mercedes, Uruguay is 382 miles (614 km), about 7 h 38 min of driving without stops. You cross from Argentina into Uruguay at about mile 363, 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 in Argentina tend to be aggressive, especially in Buenos Aires, and often ignore traffic regulations.”
- Uruguay: “If you are in an accident involving injury, stay in place until a police officer arrives.”
| Distance by road | 382 mi (614 km) |
|---|---|
| Driving time, no stops | 7 h 38 min |
| Main roads, in order | RP30 → RN3 → RP6 → RN12 → RN14 → RN136 |
| Border crossing | about mile 363, Argentina → Uruguay (the Gualeguaychú–Fray Bentos bridge) |
| Regions on the route | Buenos Aires, Entre Ríos, Río Negro, Soriano |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 15.3 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 4 |
The border on the way to Mercedes
The route crosses at about mile 363, 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 Tandil to Mercedes
RP30 (93 mi) and RN3 (80 mi) carry about 45% of the 382 miles. The first 363 miles are in Argentina; the last 19 are in Uruguay. It runs through 4 regions: Buenos Aires, Entre Ríos, Río Negro, Soriano. None of the 4 stops below is right on the road, so plan each as a short side trip.
Tandil to Mercedes: the road sequence
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | Region |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–4 | 4 | Buenos Aires |
| connecting roads | 4–5 | 1 | Buenos Aires |
| RP30 | 5–98 | 93 | Buenos Aires |
| RN3 | 98–178 | 80 | Buenos Aires |
| RP6 | 178–250 | 72 | Buenos Aires |
| RN12 | 250–298 | 48 | Buenos Aires, Entre Ríos |
| RN14 | 298–334 | 36 | Entre Ríos |
| local roads | 334–341 | 7 | Entre Ríos |
| RN136 | 341–360 | 19 | Entre Ríos |
| connecting roads | 360–363 | 3 | Entre Ríos |
| local roads | 363–382 | 19 | Río Negro, Soriano |
- Mile 268 of this route: Buenos Aires → Entre Ríos (region line)
- Mile 363 of this route: Entre Ríos → Río Negro (international border)
- Mile 378 of this route: Río Negro → Soriano (region line)
Stops between Tandil and Mercedes
- Nature and outdoors: Reserva natural Guardia del Juncal (mile 165), Ciervo de los Pantanos National Park (mile 242)
- Museums and history: Gualeguaychú Cathedral (mile 340)
Reserva natural Guardia del Juncal
Guardia del Juncal nature reserve in Cañuelas covers 137 hectares, including a historic estate, the Guardia del Juncal Museum and a natural area; it became a provincial reserve in 2006.
Ciervo de los Pantanos National Park
Marsh deer give their name to Ciervo de los Pantanos National Park, a Ramsar Site in Campana, Buenos Aires province, where waterbirds are abundant.
Gualeguaychú Cathedral
St. Joseph's Cathedral, also called Gualeguaychú Cathedral, is the mother 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.
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.
Cathedral of Mercedes
Mercedes, Uruguay, centers its Catholic life on the Cathedral of Our Lady of Mercy, which became the seat of the local diocese in 1960.
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 Tandil
- Tandil to Tigre
- Tandil to Salto, Uruguay
- Tandil to Tacuarembó, Uruguay
- Tandil to Florida, Uruguay
- Tandil to Colonia del Sacramento, Uruguay
- Tandil to Fray Bentos, Uruguay
Continue Your Adventure
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to drive from Tandil to Mercedes, Uruguay?
About 7 h 38 min of driving without stops, over 382 miles.
How far is Mercedes, Uruguay from Tandil by car?
About 382 miles (614 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 Tandil to Mercedes drive cross the border?
At about mile 363, from Argentina into Uruguay, at the Gualeguaychú–Fray Bentos bridge.
What do U.S. citizens need to drive from Tandil 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 Tandil 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.
Which highways go from Tandil to Mercedes?
In order: RP30, RN3, RP6, RN12, RN14 and RN136. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
What are good stops between Tandil and Mercedes?
Closest to the road: Reserva natural Guardia del Juncal (nature reserve, mile 165, 5 mi from the route); Gualeguaychú Cathedral (cathedral, mile 340, 1 mi from the route); Frigorífico Anglo del Uruguay (industrial heritage site, mile 362, 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.