Montevideo to Colonia del Sacramento by car

Driving in Uruguay guide

Cobblestones, river and sunset.

It’s 180 km on Route 1, a divided highway all the way. Colonia is a place to walk slowly: the Historic Quarter is a World Heritage Site, and the sun sets over the Río de la Plata.

  • Distance180 km
  • Approx. time2 h 30 min
  • 2 tolls · $ 428 one way

The road, stop by stop

Kilometers from our office (La Paz 1319). Approximate times, without stops.

When to set off. Route 1 is a divided highway the whole way and rarely jams. What’s worth planning is the sunset: if you stay to watch it, you’ll drive back in the dark, about 2 h 30.

  1. km 23
    Barra de Santa Lucía toll · $ 214, paid when you return the car · Where you cross the Santa Lucía river.
  2. km 107
    Cufré toll · $ 214, paid when you return the car
  3. km 124
    Colonia Valdense and Nueva Helvecia

    Colonia Valdense and Nueva Helvecia

    Short detour

    Two towns founded by Waldensian and Swiss immigrants in the mid-19th century. Nueva Helvecia, a few km off the highway, keeps its Swiss feel and is known for its cheeses.

  4. km 180

    Colonia del Sacramento

    You made it. Below: what to see and where to leave the car.

  5. km 183
    Real de San Carlos

    Real de San Carlos

    About 5 km from the Historic Quarter, the 1910 bullring, closed for decades and restored as a cultural center.

Barra de Santa LucíaCufréMontevideoColonia del Sacramento
See all of Uruguay’s tolls

When you arrive

  • The Historic Quarter

    The Historic Quarter

    The 17th-century Portuguese town, a World Heritage Site since 1995. From above you see the river and the port, with ferries coming and going from Buenos Aires.

  • The lighthouse

    The lighthouse

    Next to the ruins of the San Francisco convent. You can climb it: one of the best views of the quarter and the river.

  • Sunset over the river

    Sunset over the river

    Colonia faces west: the sun sets over the Río de la Plata. Any spot along the waterfront works.

  • Where to leave the car

    There are few parking spots near the Historic Quarter and the streets are cobblestone. It’s best to leave the car outside the old town and explore on foot.

Choose your car

Lowest daily rates of the upcoming seasons: they vary with the dates. You’ll see the exact total when you choose yours.

See the whole fleet

Explore Uruguay at your own pace

For this trip

A round trip is about 360 km: the 300 km included in a 2-day rental won’t cover it, so rent for 3 days or more (unlimited mileage) or add extra km when you book.

Book your car
  • Everything is closeUruguay is small: from Montevideo, Punta del Este is just over 2 hours away and Colonia 2 h 30. In a few days you can combine coast, countryside and city.
  • Your own paceStop wherever you like, change plans on the go and reach places buses don’t.
  • Hassle-freePick up at the office, the Airport, the Port or Tres Cruces. The car has an electronic toll tag and from 3 days mileage is unlimited.

More getaways

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Before you go

What must be in the car

  • Your valid driver’s license, the physical card (local or foreign).
  • Your ID card or passport.
  • The car’s documents (a copy of the registration and of the insurance policy): they’re already in the car, don’t take them out.

Driving without fines

  • Low beams always on. On highways they must be on day and night.
  • Zero alcohol. The limit is 0.0 g/l for all drivers.
  • Speed limits. The general highway limit is 90 km/h, but signs show where it goes up or down along the way. Waze also shows the limit for each stretch and warns about speed cameras: it’s the app that works best for this.

Fines and the deposit

Traffic fines are sent to us, and local governments take about 15 to 20 days to notify us. That’s why the deposit stays held on your credit card for that period after you return the car. If a fine arrives after the return, it’s charged to the deposit.

Renting an electric car?

You can also make this trip in an electric car. Good to know:

  • Charging on the roadSeveral apps show public charging points, and some let you pay for the charge from your phone. UTE’s app is UTE Mueve, with points all over the country.
  • Emergency cableThe car comes with a cable of about 2 kW to plug into a Schuko outlet rated for that power. It charges slowly: it’s to get you out of a jam.

Photos: Wikimedia Commons. Some photos are cropped.

Diego Delso (CC BY-SA 3.0) · Marcelo Campi (CC BY-SA 3.0) · Mx. Granger (CC0) · Mike Peel (CC BY-SA 4.0) · Diego Delso (CC BY-SA 3.0) · Banfield (CC BY-SA 3.0)