Plan on about 9 h 21 min of driving for the 428-mile (689 km) trip from Uruguaiana to Fray Marcos, Uruguay, before any stops. You cross from Brazil into Uruguay at about mile 142.
- 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: “If you are in an accident involving injury, stay in place until a police officer arrives.”
| Distance | 428 mi (689 km) |
|---|---|
| Drive time without stops | 9 h 21 min |
| Main roads, in order | BR-290 → RSC-377 → BR-293 |
| Border crossing | about mile 142, Brazil → Uruguay |
| Regions on the route | Rio Grande do Sul, Rivera, Tacuarembó, Durazno, Florida |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 17.1 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 6 |
Getting across the Brazil–Uruguay border
The route crosses at about mile 142, 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.
On the road from Uruguaiana to Fray Marcos
BR-293 (59 mi) and BR-290 (43 mi) carry about 24% of the 428 miles. The first 142 miles are in Brazil; the last 286 are in Uruguay. It runs through 5 regions: Rio Grande do Sul, Rivera, Tacuarembó, Durazno, Florida. Of the 6 stops listed below, 5 are within a mile of the road.
Uruguaiana to Fray Marcos: the road sequence
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | Region |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–2 | 2 | Rio Grande do Sul |
| BR-290 | 2–45 | 43 | Rio Grande do Sul |
| RSC-377 | 45–80 | 35 | Rio Grande do Sul |
| BR-293 | 80–139 | 59 | Rio Grande do Sul |
| connecting roads | 139–143 | 4 | Rio Grande do Sul, Rivera |
| local roads | 143–414 | 271 | Rivera, Tacuarembó, Durazno, Florida |
| connecting roads | 414–416 | 2 | Florida |
| local roads | 416–428 | 12 | Florida |
- Mile 142 of this route: Rio Grande do Sul → Rivera (international border)
- Mile 192 of this route: Rivera → Tacuarembó (region line)
- Mile 301 of this route: Tacuarembó → Durazno (region line)
- Mile 349 of this route: Durazno → Florida (region line)
What to see on the way from Uruguaiana to Fray Marcos
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Cathedral of Tacuarembó (mile 212), Museo de Artes Visuales de Tacuarembó (mile 212), Casa de Rivera, Durazno (mile 340), Cathedral of Florida (mile 394), Piedra Alta (mile 395)
- Nature and outdoors: Chorro de Agua Fría (mile 237)
- Museums and history: Cathedral of Tacuarembó (mile 212), Museo de Artes Visuales de Tacuarembó (mile 212), Casa de Rivera, Durazno (mile 340), Cathedral of Florida (mile 394), Piedra Alta (mile 395)
Cathedral of Tacuarembó
Saint Fructuosus Cathedral is the main Catholic church of Tacuarembó, Uruguay, and has been the seat of the local diocese since 1960.
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.
Chorro de Agua Fría
In Uruguay's Tacuarembó Department, Chorro de Agua Fría is a waterfall that drops roughly 14 meters, the highest uninterrupted fall in the country.
Casa de Rivera, Durazno
Facing Plaza Independencia in Durazno, the Casa de Fructuoso Rivera (Casa de Rivera) is one of the town's main heritage sites and now houses the department's historical museum.
Cathedral of Florida
Florida's cathedral basilica is also Uruguay's national shrine of the Virgin of the Thirty-Three, the country's patroness, and keeps the original image; look for its bronze door by sculptor José Belloni and his son Stelio, stained glass and domes.
Piedra Alta
On the banks of the Santa Lucía Chico River outside the city of Florida, Piedra Alta is a rock formation of historic importance that appears on the department's coat of arms and flag.
More drives to Fray Marcos
- Nueva Helvecia to Fray Marcos
- Colonia del Sacramento to Fray Marcos
- Carmelo to Fray Marcos
- Paysandú to Fray Marcos
- Rivera to Fray Marcos
- Salto to Fray Marcos
More drives from Uruguaiana
- Uruguaiana to Erechim
- Uruguaiana to Chuí
- Uruguaiana to Berisso, Argentina
- Uruguaiana to Villa Carlos Paz, Argentina
- Uruguaiana to Chascomús, Argentina
- Uruguaiana to Adrogué, Argentina
Frequently asked questions
How long is the drive from Uruguaiana to Fray Marcos, Uruguay?
About 9 h 21 min of driving without stops, over 428 miles.
How far is Fray Marcos, Uruguay from Uruguaiana by car?
About 428 miles (689 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 Uruguaiana to Fray Marcos drive cross the border?
At about mile 142, from Brazil into Uruguay.
What do U.S. citizens need to drive from Uruguaiana 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 Uruguaiana to Fray Marcos 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.
What roads does the drive from Uruguaiana to Fray Marcos use?
In order: BR-290, RSC-377 and BR-293. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
Where can you stop on the way from Uruguaiana to Fray Marcos?
Closest to the road: Cathedral of Tacuarembó (cathedral, mile 212, 0.6 mi from the route); Casa de Rivera, Durazno (historic house museum, mile 340, 0.4 mi from the route); Piedra Alta (historic site, mile 395, 0.4 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.