You can drive to Argentina from each of the 5 surrounding countries with which it shares a land border. There are multiple border crossings between the neighbouring countries of Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Paraguay and Uruguay. It’s also possible to drive to Argentina from the U.S. as part of an epic Pan-American road trip. While there’s some complexity involved in crossing from North America to South America, the network of roads that form the Pan-American Highway make this a challenging but totally possible road trip. Over the course of this guide we’ll take a closer look at how to drive to Argentina and some of the practicalities involved.
Where is Argentina?
Argentina is located in the southern half of South America and is the continents second largest country by size. It shares land borders with 5 other South American countries; Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Paraguay and Uruguay. The country has an extensive coastline along the Atlantic Ocean that stretches for 2900 miles. In total the country covers an area of 1,073,500 square miles.
How to get to Argentina
There’s a host of different ways to get to Argentina. The country shares land borders with 5 other South American nations, all of which have multiple borders crossings with Argentina. The country is also well connected by a number of rivers, plus it has an extensive coastline. Therefore there’s also the possibility of travelling to Argentina by boat. Lastly, Argentina is well served by both local and international airlines with Buenos Aires one of the major flight hubs in South America. We’ll take a look at each of the different travel options below.
Argentina by Road
Argentina’s extensive land borders and good road network mean there’s no shortage of crossings into the country. These crossing vary in terms of opening times, volume of traffic and ease of access, so be sure to check ahead of time before travelling. The crossings listed below are the busiest and most convenient between Argentina and each of its neighbours.
Bolivia
There are three major land border crossings between Bolivia and Argentina. The most commonly used crossings are:
Villazón – La Quiaca: This is the main crossing between Bolivia and Argentina, located at the western end of the border. The crossing over the bridge is open 24 hours a day, and it is the most used crossing by travellers between the two countries.
Bermejo – Aguas Blancas: This crossing is located in the central area of the border between Argentina and the southern part of Bolivia. It is open from 8 am to 8 pm, and it is one of the busiest crossings in the region.
Yacuiba – Salvador Mazza: This crossing is located in the southeast of Bolivia and the north of Argentina. It’s the most easterly of the crossings and is open 24 hours a day.
Brazil
There are 4 main land border crossings between Brazil and Argentina:
Puerto Iguazu – Foz do Iguaçu: This is one of the busiest border crossings between Brazil and Argentina, located in the tri-border region where Argentina, Brazil, and Paraguay meet. It is open from 7 am to 10 pm.
Paso de los Libres – Uruguaiana: This crossing is located in the far south of Brazil and it’s less frequently used by tourists than the others. Despite this, it is open 24 hours a day.
Santo Tomé – São Borja: Another crossing located in the southern part of Brazil and the north eastern part of Argentina. It’s location isn’t particular convenient for any conventional tourist overland routes. It is open from 8 am to 8 pm.
Dionísio Cerqueira – Bernardo de Irigoyen: If you’re not visiting Iguazu Falls, this is you’re most likely crossing point for travel to and from Argentina.. It is open from 7 am to 10 pm.
Chile
Chile and Argentina share a 3298 mile border, so there are multiple crossings between the two countries. Much of the border is mountainous, so many of these crossings are amongst the most adventurous routes into Argentina. We’ve focused on the main crossings as some more remote routes can be dangerous and difficult to access.
The Paso Internacional Los Libertadores: This is the most important crossing between Chile and Argentina, located in the central Andes mountain range. The route is the main connection between the major cities of Santiago and Mendoza. It is open year-round, but can be closed during the winter months due to heavy snowfall.
Paso de Jama: This crossing is located in the northern part of Chile and the northwest of Argentina, at an altitude of over 4000 meters. It is open year-round, but can also be closed during severe weather conditions.
Huemules – Las Lajas: This crossing is the southernmost, located in the southern part of Chile and the southwest of Argentina. It is subject to weather conditions, particularly during the winter months.
Paraguay
There’s plenty of border crossings between Paraguay and Argentina, although many of these are concentrated in the east. The western part of the border is largely impenetrable, so most traffic tends to cross in the east close to Asuncion. The following are the major crossings between the two countries.
Ciudad del Este – Foz do Iguaçu: This is one of the busiest border crossings between Paraguay and Argentina, located in the tri-border region where Argentina, Brazil, and Paraguay meet. It is open 24 hours a day.
Clorinda – Puerto Falcón: This crossing is located in the northern part of Argentina and the south eastern part of Paraguay. It is open from 7 am to 10 pm.
Encarnación – Posadas: This crossing is located in the southern part of Paraguay and the north eastern part of Argentina. It is open from 7 am to 10 pm.
Pozo Hondo: This crossing is located in the far west of Paraguay and the north west of Argentina. It’s a very remote crossing and access to the area is via some roads of dubious quality.
Uruguay
There’s plenty of border crossings between Uruguay and Argentina across the River Uruguay, which separates the two countries. The following are the most popular and convenient crossings.
Fray Bentos – Gualeguaychú: This crossing is located in the western part of Uruguay and the eastern part of Argentina. It is open from 7 am to 10 pm.
Salto – Concordia: This crossing is located in the northwestern part of Uruguay and the eastern part of Argentina. It is open from 7 am to 10 pm.
Paysandú – Colón: This crossing is located in the western part of Uruguay and the eastern part of Argentina. It is open from 7 am to 10 pm.
Artigas – Quarai: This crossing is located in the northern part of Uruguay and the southern part of Brazil, with access to Argentina via the town of Quarai. It is open from 8 am to 6 pm.
Argentina by Air
Argentina is well served by a network of 32 airports of which 7 are international airports. The busiest by a considerable distance are the dual Buenos Aires Airports of Buenos Aires Ministro Pistarini Airport and Buenos Aires Jorge Newbery Airport. Almost all international travellers pass through one of these two airports.
Between this network of airports it’s possible to take direct flights from Argentina to other South American countries, North America, Africa and Europe. It’s even possible to fly to Antarctica from the far south of Argentina.
Argentina by Boat
There’s a number of different ways you can travel to Argentina by boat. The most popular route is by taking a ferry from Montevideo, Uruguay to Buenos Aires, Argentina. Sailing across the Rio de la Plata, the trip takes around 2-3 hours and there are several departures daily. There’s also a shorter crossing between Colonia del Sacramento in Uruguay and Buenos Aires in Argentina. This ferry crossing only takes around 1 hour and is popular with locals.
Another possible way of travelling by boat is to arrive from Paraguay via the Paraguay River or Parana River. Although these routes are largely used for cargo transportation, there are also some passenger ferries that operate between the two countries.
Can you Drive to Argentina from the U.S?
You can drive to Argentina from the U.S. by using a network of roads that are collectively referred to as the Pan-American Highway. The Pan-American Highway begins in Prudhoe Bay in northern Alaska and continues south through Canada, the U.S, Mexico and the countries of Central America. There is then a break in the road between Panama and Colombia. This part of the journey is the most troublesome and costly. The impenetrable jungle of the Darién Gap means you must ship your car from Panama to Colombia, before continuing by road. Further details on how to do this and how to travel to South America are featured in our blog post.
Once in South America, the route continues southwards passing through Colombia, Ecuador, Peru and Chile. The road then branches off at Valparaiso and crosses the border into Argentina, before finally ending in the capital city of Buenos Aires. It’s an epic journey and the distances involved are quite considerable. The table below shows the driving distance from major U.S. cities to Buenos Aires in Argentina.
Starting Point | Destination | Driving Distance | Driving Time |
Chicago | Buenos Aires | 8603 miles | 192 hours |
Los Angeles | Buenos Aires | 8604 miles | 194 hours |
New York | Buenos Aires | 9147 miles | 200 hours |
San Antonio | Buenos Aires | 7429 miles | 176 hours |
Seattle | Buenos Aires | 9570 miles | 207 hours |
Can you Drive in Argentina?
Any foreign national over the age of 18 is permitted to drive in Argentina providing they hold a valid visa and have a driving licence from their home country. If you’re planning on bringing your own vehicle, you must also have:
- Proof of insurance
- Vehicle registration document
There is no formal requirement for an International Driving Permit (IDP), however it can make life easier if you are stopped and you have one. Alternatively a translation of your home driving licence may be useful, particularly if it’s not in Spanish or English.
Is it Safe to Drive in Argentina?
Argentina is one of the safer countries in South America to drive in. Instances of violent crime are lower than in other countries and the roads are generally of good quality. This is particularly true of the major roads that link the towns and cities.
While Argentina might be safer to drive in than other South American countries, you should still exercise caution. The following are the biggest challenges when driving in Argentina:
- Poor road conditions – this is mainly relevant to rural areas but some urban area and major routes can also have large pot holes.
- Aggressive driving – driving in both Argentina and South America as a whole is a very different experience to driving in the U.S, Australia or Europe. Drivers can often be far more aggressive and ignore the rules of the road at junctions and traffic lights. Be sure to exercise defensive driving at all times.
- Mountain passes -with the Andes Mountains straddling the length of Argentina’s western flank, there’s plenty of mountain passes to navigate in this part of the country. These roads are often very narrow without guardrails, making them potentially very hazardous. This is particularly true in poor weather conditions.
- Weather conditions – outside of the summer months, southern areas in Argentina can become very cold. This can lead to some dangerous driving conditions, so be sure to exercise cautions if travelling in the area outside of summer.
- Steve King
- March 23, 2023
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