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Getting around in Uruguay

Air: 

Regularly scheduled commercial flights within Uruguay have been discontinued. Bus and rental car are the two best ways to get around the country.

Road: 

The main national routes, numbered 1 through 9, fan out from Montevideo like fingers of a hand. All are paved and well-maintained, including some excellent sections of 4-lane highway linking the capital to Colonia and Punta del Este. Secondary routes along the Río de la Plata, Río Uruguay and Atlantic Ocean are also of good quality. Travel elsewhere can be more challenging, often involving long sections of unpaved road.

Side of road: 
Right
Road quality: 

Road conditions vary but are excellent along the main coastal highways.

Outside of Montevideo, congestion is rarely a problem.

Car hire: 

Car hire is readily available at Carrasco and Punta del Este International Airports and in major cities including Montevideo, Punta del Este and Colonia. Drivers must be aged between 23 and 75.

Taxi: 

Metered taxis are available in all cities and from the airports at Carrasco and Punta del Este. Service is especially good in Montevideo, where taxis are safe, ubiquitous and reasonably priced. Drivers carry a list of fares. A surcharge is made for each item of baggage. Rates are 20% higher on nights, weekends and holidays. Taxi drivers expect a tip.

Coach: 

The major domestic coach routes from Montevideo are:

• West and north along the Río de la Plata and the Río Uruguay to Paysandú and Salto.
• East and north along the Río de la Plata and the Atlantic Ocean to Punta del Este and Rocha.
• North on national routes 3, 5, 7 and 8 to Tacuarembó and other cities of the interior.

Main coach operators include COT (tel 2409 4949; www.cot.com.uy), Copsa (tel 2 1975; www.copsa.com.uy), Chadre (tel 2 1717; www.agenciacentral.com.uy) and Turil (tel 2 1990; www.turil.com.uy).

Regulations: 

Drivers and passengers are required to wear seat belts. Use of mobile phones while driving is prohibited. Speed limits, ranging from 45 to 110 kph (68mph), are clearly posted.

Breakdown service: 

The Automóvil Club del Uruguay (www.acu.com.uy) offers year-round towing and mechanical assistance throughout the country.

Documentation: 

A valid driver's licence from your home country is required.

Getting around towns and cities: 

Extensive, dependable and safe bus services operate in Montevideo and most other Uruguayan cities. There are flat fares, one for the central area and another for suburban services.

Rail: 

A few local services run between Montevideo and surrounding suburbs. These are not usually used by tourists.

By water: 

There are no scheduled boat services along the principal rivers but the River Uruguay is navigable from Colonia to Salto, and the Río Negro (flowing across the country from northeast to northwest) is navigable as far as the port of Mercedes.

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