Travel to Uruguay

Flying to Uruguay

Airlines with regular flights to Montevideo's Carrasco airport include Iberia (www.iberia.com) and LATAM (www.latam.com).

The major airport is: Carrasco International Airport (Aeropuerto de Carrasco - Montevideo).

Notes

The oneworld Visit South America Pass (www.oneworld.com) is valid within Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Chile (except Easter Island), Ecuador, Paraguay, Peru, Uruguay and Venezuela. Participating airlines are American Airlines (AA), British Airways (BA), LATAM, Qatar Airways (QR), and their affiliates. The pass must be bought outside South America in the country of residence. It allows unlimited travel to over 60 destinations. You can take as many flights as you like, but a you must book a minimum of three flights.

Airport Guides

Flight times

From London - 16 hours 30 minutes (including stopover); New York - 13 hours 30 minutes (including stopover).

Departure tax

US$31 on international departures (US$17 to Buenos Aires), payable in cash (Uruguayan pesos or US Dollars) or by credit card at the airport fee counter near check-in. This departure tax is often included in the air fare; check with your airline.

Travelling to Uruguay by Rail

Driving to Uruguay

The main points of entry from Argentina are Paysandú (from Colón), Salto (from Concordia) and Fray Bentos (from Gualeguaychú).

From Brazil, the main point of entry is at Chuy (called Chuí on the Brazilian side). There are five lesser points of entry further west along the Uruguay-Brazil border: Río Branco (from Jaguarão), Aceguá (from Isidoro Noblía), Rivera (from Santana do Livramento), Artigas (from Quaraí), and Bella Unión (from Barra do Quaraí).

Uruguay's main international coach operator is EGA (tel: +598 2902 5335; www.egakeguay.com), with services to Argentina, Chile, Paraguay and Brazil. Flecha Bus (tel: +598 11 4000 5200; www.flechabus.com.ar) and Condor Estrella (tel: +54 221 423 2745; www.condorestrella.com.ar) also run regular coaches between Uruguay and Argentina.

Getting to Uruguay by boat

Montevideo, the main international port, is served by cargo lines and cruise ships from the USA and Europe.

Buquebus (www.buquebus.com) operates high-speed ferries between Montevideo and Buenos Aires (journey time - 2 hours 15 minutes). Colonia Express (www.coloniaexpress.com) and Seacat (www.seacatcolonia.com) offer services from Colonia (160km/100 miles west of Montevideo) to Buenos Aires by ferry and hydrofoil. A port departure tax may be levied.

River Routes

Cacciola (tel: +598 4542 4282; www.cacciolaviajes.com) runs twice-daily boats across the Rio de la Plata from Carmelo, Uruguay to the Buenos Aires suburb of Tigre.