By road, Villa Mercedes and Colonia Suiza, Argentina are about 431 miles (693 km) apart, or roughly 9 h 15 min of driving. You cross from Chile into Argentina at about mile 341, at Paso Cardenal Samoré.
Full advisory: Chile, Argentina. Advisory issued: Chile August 19, 2026; Argentina July 10, 2026; checked October 10, 2026.
On the roads, the State Department says:
- Chile: “There are minefields on Chile's borders with Peru and Bolivia, and Argentina in Patagonia. Stay on marked roads and trails in these areas.”
- Argentina: “Gas stations are often far apart and not always easily identified from the main roadway.”
| Total distance | 431 mi (693 km) |
|---|---|
| Driving time, no stops | 9 h 15 min |
| Main roads, in order | Q-45 → T-87 → T-981-U → RN231 → RN40 → RP237 → RP79 |
| Border crossing | about mile 341, Chile → Argentina (Paso Cardenal Samoré) |
| Regions on the route | Bío-Bío, La Araucanía, Los Ríos, Los Lagos, Neuquén, Río Negro |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 17.2 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 9 |
The border on the way to Colonia Suiza
The route crosses at about mile 341, at Paso Cardenal Samoré, from Los Lagos into Neuquén. Plan on two checks on each side: immigration for your passport and customs for the car.
| 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. |
| Entering Chile (U.S. citizens) | No visa needed for 90 days or less on a tourist passport; you get a Tourist Card valid for up to 90 days. Passport: must be valid for your whole stay. |
| Driving in Chile | A valid U.S. license works for the length of your tourist permit, usually 90 days. |
| The car, entering Argentina | Argentine customs (ARCA) registers the car's temporary entry. Bring the title or registration, liability insurance valid in Argentina and, if you don't own the car, a power of attorney signed before a notary. A rental car needs the rental company's MERCOSUR circulation authorization (ACM), and the company must be registered with Argentine customs. |
| 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, Argentina (updated July 16, 2026); U.S. State Department, Chile (updated July 02, 2026); ARCA (Argentine customs). Checked October 10, 2026; rules change, so confirm before you go.
How the Villa Mercedes to Colonia Suiza drive plays out
RN40 (53 mi) and T-981-U (22 mi) carry about 17% of the 431 miles. The first 341 miles are in Chile; the last 90 are in Argentina. It runs through 6 regions: Bío-Bío, La Araucanía, Los Ríos, Los Lagos, Neuquén, Río Negro. Of the 9 stops listed below, 5 are within a mile of the road.
Which roads connect Villa Mercedes and Colonia Suiza
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | Region |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–3 | 3 | Bío-Bío |
| Q-45 | 3–21 | 18 | Bío-Bío |
| local roads | 21–259 | 238 | Bío-Bío, La Araucanía, Los Ríos |
| T-87 | 259–274 | 15 | Los Ríos |
| T-981-U | 274–296 | 22 | Los Ríos, Los Lagos |
| local roads | 296–341 | 45 | Los Lagos, Los Ríos |
| RN231 | 341–360 | 19 | Neuquén |
| RN40 | 360–413 | 53 | Neuquén, Río Negro |
| RP237 | 413–424 | 11 | Río Negro |
| RP79 | 424–431 | 7 | Río Negro |
- Mile 52 of this route: Bío-Bío → La Araucanía (region line)
- Mile 199 of this route: La Araucanía → Los Ríos (region line)
- Mile 295 of this route: Los Ríos → Los Lagos (region line)
- Mile 318 of this route: Los Lagos → Los Ríos (region line)
- Mile 329 of this route: Los Ríos → Los Lagos (region line)
- Mile 341 of this route: Los Lagos → Neuquén (international border)
- Mile 406 of this route: Neuquén → Río Negro (region line)
Where to stop on the way to Colonia Suiza
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Teatro Municipal de Collipulli (mile 62), Puente Collilelfu (mile 222), Puente Chirre (mile 286), Francisco Moreno Museum of Patagonia (mile 418), Museo de Tropas de Montaña (mile 423)
- Nature and outdoors: Puyehue National Park (mile 328), Los Arrayanes National Park (mile 373)
- Museums and history: St. Mary of the Angels Cathedral (mile 21), St. Joseph Cathedral, Temuco (mile 121), Puente Collilelfu (mile 222), Puente Chirre (mile 286), Francisco Moreno Museum of Patagonia (mile 418), Museo de Tropas de Montaña (mile 423)
St. Mary of the Angels Cathedral
Los Ángeles Cathedral, formally the Cathedral of St. Mary of the Angels, is the Catholic cathedral of the Diocese of Santa María de Los Ángeles in Chile.
Teatro Municipal de Collipulli
Opened in 1942, the Teatro Municipal de Collipulli is a public cultural venue in this Malleco Province town in northern La Araucanía, and one of the commune's main architectural and cultural landmarks.
St. Joseph Cathedral, Temuco
Also known as Temuco Cathedral, St. Joseph Cathedral is the Roman Catholic cathedral church of the city of Temuco, Chile.
Puente Collilelfu
Puente Collilelfu is a bridge in the Los Lagos commune of Valdivia province, in Chile's Los Ríos Region.
Puente Chirre
Built in reinforced concrete between 1940 and 1945 as a railroad bridge, Puente Chirre in Río Bueno now carries road traffic and was declared a National Monument in 2017.
Puyehue National Park
In the Andes across the Los Ríos and Los Lagos regions, Puyehue National Park takes in hot springs, volcanoes and evergreen forests. It was expanded in 1950 and 1981.
Los Arrayanes National Park
Covering the Quetrihué Peninsula on Nahuel Huapi Lake, 3 km from Villa La Angostura in Neuquén, Los Arrayanes National Park protects 17.53 square kilometers.
Francisco Moreno Museum of Patagonia
Set in the Civic Center of Bariloche, the Francisco P. Moreno Museum of Patagonia covers natural history and cultural anthropology.
Museo de Tropas de Montaña
Founded in 1975, Museo de Tropas de Montaña is an Argentine Army military museum in Bariloche, housed within the garrison at the Military Mountain School.
Once you reach Colonia Suiza
Lago Moreno
Lago Moreno is a lake of glacial origin in the Bariloche department of Río Negro Province, Argentina.
Parque municipal Llao Llao
Located in the Bariloche department of Río Negro, the Llao Llao municipal park protects the area's natural landscape and the region's genetic diversity.
Laguna Negra
Inside Nahuel Huapi National Park, high in the Andes, Laguna Negra is a lake of about 13 hectares that lies under a thick layer of snow in winter.
More drives to Colonia Suiza
- San Martín de los Andes to Colonia Suiza
- Villa El Chocón to Colonia Suiza
- Neuquén to Colonia Suiza
- San Antonio Oeste to Colonia Suiza
- Viedma to Colonia Suiza
- Rawson to Colonia Suiza
More drives from Villa Mercedes
- Villa Mercedes to Pelluhue
- Villa Mercedes to Curicó
- Villa Mercedes to Santa Cruz, Chile
- Villa Mercedes to Pichilemu
- Villa Mercedes to El Colorado
- Villa Mercedes to Valle Nevado
Frequently asked questions
How long is the drive from Villa Mercedes to Colonia Suiza, Argentina?
About 9 h 15 min of driving without stops, over 431 miles.
How far is Colonia Suiza, Argentina from Villa Mercedes by car?
About 431 miles (693 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 Villa Mercedes to Colonia Suiza drive cross the border?
At about mile 341, from Chile into Argentina, at Paso Cardenal Samoré.
What do U.S. citizens need to drive from Villa Mercedes into Argentina?
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. A valid U.S. license usually works; an International Driving Permit is recommended. (U.S. State Department, updated July 16, 2026.)
What does the U.S. travel advisory say about the Villa Mercedes to Colonia Suiza drive?
The U.S. State Department rates Chile Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; Argentina Level 1: Exercise Normal Precautions. Read the full advisory before you go.
What roads does the drive from Villa Mercedes to Colonia Suiza use?
In order: Q-45, T-87, T-981-U, RN231, RN40, RP237 and RP79. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
What are good stops between Villa Mercedes and Colonia Suiza?
Closest to the road: Puente Chirre (historic bridge, mile 286, 0.3 mi from the route); Francisco Moreno Museum of Patagonia (museum, mile 418, 0.1 mi from the route); Museo de Tropas de Montaña (museum, mile 423, 0.2 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.