By road, Uberaba and Barbacena are about 406 miles (654 km) apart, or roughly 9 h 11 min of driving.
- Level 4: Do Not Travel in Brazil: informal housing developments (favelas, vilas, comunidades or conglomerados).
Full advisory: Brazil. Advisory issued: Brazil August 31, 2026; checked October 10, 2026.
On the roads, the State Department says:
- Brazil: “Driving on Brazil’s roads poses significant risks.”
| Distance by road | 406 mi (654 km) |
|---|---|
| Time at the wheel, no stops | 9 h 11 min |
| Main roads, in order | BR-050 → SP-330 → BTZ-030 → SP-334 → SP-345 → MG-444 → MG-344 → MG-050 → MG-164 → MG-260 → BR-494 → BR-381 → BR-265 |
| States on the route | Minas Gerais, São Paulo |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 16.2 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 5 |
What the drive from Uberaba to Barbacena is like
MG-050 (130 mi) and BR-494 (63 mi) carry about 48% of the 406 miles. It runs through 2 states: Minas Gerais, São Paulo. Of the 5 stops listed below, 1 are within a mile of the road.
Which roads connect Uberaba and Barbacena
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | State |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–3 | 3 | Minas Gerais |
| BR-050 | 3–20 | 17 | Minas Gerais, São Paulo |
| SP-330 | 20–26 | 6 | São Paulo |
| local roads | 26–37 | 11 | São Paulo |
| BTZ-030 | 37–50 | 13 | São Paulo |
| local roads | 50–62 | 12 | São Paulo |
| SP-334 | 62–77 | 15 | São Paulo |
| SP-345 | 77–99 | 22 | São Paulo |
| MG-444 | 99–114 | 15 | Minas Gerais |
| MG-344 | 114–130 | 16 | Minas Gerais |
| MG-050 | 130–260 | 130 | Minas Gerais |
| MG-164 | 260–273 | 13 | Minas Gerais |
| connecting roads | 273–275 | 2 | Minas Gerais |
| MG-260 | 275–290 | 15 | Minas Gerais |
| BR-494 | 290–314 | 24 | Minas Gerais |
| BR-381 | 314–329 | 15 | Minas Gerais |
| BR-494 | 329–368 | 39 | Minas Gerais |
| connecting roads | 368–372 | 4 | Minas Gerais |
| BR-265 | 372–403 | 31 | Minas Gerais |
| local roads | 403–406 | 3 | Minas Gerais |
- Mile 19 of this route: Minas Gerais → São Paulo (state line)
- Mile 99 of this route: São Paulo → Minas Gerais (state line)
Places worth a stop between Uberaba and Barbacena
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Jardim Zoobotânico de Franca (mile 71)
- Nature and outdoors: Cachoeira da Capivara (mile 167)
- Museums and history: José Chiachiri Municipal Historical Museum (mile 76), Cathedral Basilica of Our Lady of the Pillar, São João del Rei (mile 370), Museu de Sant'Ana (mile 374)
- With kids: Jardim Zoobotânico de Franca (mile 71)
Jardim Zoobotânico de Franca
In the city of Franca, the Jardim Zoobotânico de Franca is a public zoo and botanical garden that preserves plants and native forest. It began as a 1950s tree nursery and became a zoobotanical garden in the 1990s.
José Chiachiri Municipal Historical Museum
Franca's municipal history museum opened to the public in 1959 and bears the name of its first director, journalist José Chiachiri. Its eclectic collection, donated piece by piece by local residents, ranges from antique furniture to parts of the city's old animal-drawn tram.
Cachoeira da Capivara
In Capitólio, the Ribeirão da Capivara spills over this waterfall on its way into Furnas Lake. A trail of about 900 meters leads to the falls, which drop into a pool roughly 16 meters deep.
Cathedral Basilica of Our Lady of the Pillar, São João del Rei
Also called the São João del Rei Cathedral, this Catholic shrine is a protected heritage site known for colonial-era art, with gold decoration, paintings and statues inside.
Museu de Sant'Ana
Founded in 2014 by the Instituto Cultural Flávio Gutierrez, this Tiradentes art museum specializes in images of Saint Anne, with a collection of 291 statues.
Arriving in Barbacena
Museu da Loucura
Housed in the restored 1922 Torreão of the former Hospital Colônia de Barbacena, the Museu da Loucura opened in 1996 and uses objects, equipment, photos and documents to tell the history of psychiatric care in Minas Gerais.
More drives to Barbacena
- Rio de Janeiro to Barbacena
- Niterói to Barbacena
- Pouso Alegre to Barbacena
- Araruama to Barbacena
- Cabo Frio to Barbacena
- Poços de Caldas to Barbacena
From Uberaba to other places in Brazil
- Uberaba to Paranapiacaba
- Uberaba to Cubatão
- Uberaba to Itanhaém
- Uberaba to São Vicente
- Uberaba to Jacareí
- Uberaba to Taubaté
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to drive from Uberaba to Barbacena?
About 9 h 11 min of driving without stops, over 406 miles.
What is the driving distance from Uberaba to Barbacena?
About 406 miles (654 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.
What does the U.S. travel advisory say about the Uberaba to Barbacena drive?
The U.S. State Department rates Brazil Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution. Read the full advisory before you go.
What roads does the drive from Uberaba to Barbacena use?
In order: BR-050, SP-330, BTZ-030, SP-334, SP-345, MG-444, MG-344, MG-050, MG-164, MG-260, BR-494, BR-381 and BR-265. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
What are good stops between Uberaba and Barbacena?
Closest to the road: Jardim Zoobotânico de Franca (zoo, mile 71, 0.4 mi from the route); José Chiachiri Municipal Historical Museum (museum, mile 76, 1 mi from the route); Cachoeira da Capivara (waterfall, mile 167, 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.