You can drive to Argentina from each of the 5 surrounding countries with which it shares a land border. Multiple border crossings exist between the neighboring 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 makes this a challenging but possible road trip. Throughout this guide, we’ll look at how to drive to Argentina, including some of the practicalities involved in making the trip.
Argentina is located in the southern half of South America and is the continent’s 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.
There’s a host of different ways to get to Argentina. The country shares land borders with 5 other South American nations, all with multiple border crossings with Argentina. The country is also well connected by several rivers and has an extensive coastline. Therefore, there’s also the possibility of traveling 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’s extensive land borders and good road network mean there’s no shortage of crossings into the country. These crossings vary in terms of opening times, the volume of traffic, and ease of access, so be sure to check before traveling. The crossings listed below are the busiest and most convenient between Argentina and each of its neighbors.
There are three primary 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 travelers 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 is one of the region’s busiest crossings.
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.
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 in the far south of Brazil. Tourists less frequently use it than the other crossings. Despite this, it is open 24 hours a day.
Santo Tomé – São Borja: Another crossing in the southern part of Brazil and the northeastern part of Argentina. Its location isn’t particularly 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 your most likely crossing point for travel to and from Argentina. It is open from 7 am to 10 pm daily.
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.
There are 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 southeastern 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 northeastern 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 northwest of Argentina. It’s a very remote crossing, and access to the area is via some roads of dubious quality.
There are 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 is well served by a network of 32 airports, of which 7 are international airports. The busiest by a considerable distance is the dual Buenos Aires airports of Buenos Aires Ministro Pistarini Airport and Buenos Aires Jorge Newbery Airport. Almost all international travelers 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.
There are several different ways you can travel to Argentina by boat. The most popular route is a ferry from Montevideo, Uruguay, to Buenos Aires, Argentina. Sailing across the Rio de la Plata, the trip takes 2-3 hours, with several daily departures. 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 traveling by boat is to arrive from Paraguay via the Paraguay River or Parana River. Although these routes are largely used for cargo transportation, some passenger ferries operate between the two countries.
You can drive to Argentina from the U.S. using a network of roads collectively called 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 |
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 vehicle, you must also have:
There is no formal requirement for an International Driving Permit (IDP); however, it can make life easier if you are stopped and have one. Alternatively, a translation of your home driving license may be useful, particularly if it’s not in Spanish or English.
Argentina is one of the safest countries in South America to drive in. Violent crime is lower than in other countries, and the roads are generally of good quality. This is particularly true of the major roads linking 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:
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