Buenos Aires to Montevideo – How to travel between these cities

/ Buenos Aires

There are five different ways to get from Buenos Aires, Argentina to Montevideo, Uruguay.  The ferry is quick but can be expensive. Flying from Buenos Aires to Montevideo can also be expensive but is the fastest way to get there. You can also take a bus which is cheaper but takes significantly longer. 

CostDuration
Ferry$1502 hours 45 minutes
Ferry + bus$754 hours
Flight$120-$30045 minute flight 
Bus$908 hours
DriveDepends how long you rent the car(around $90 per day)4 hours with ferry/ 8 hours without

If you are visiting Uruguay, we recommend a two day trip because of its proximity. Three popular destinations are: Colonia, Montevideo and Punta del Este. 

Here’s how to travel from Buenos AIres to Uruguay: 

Buenos Aires to Uruguay by ferry

Buquebus is the biggest ferry company to make this journey. There are three types of tickets:  tourist, business and first. Pro tip! This is a relatively short trip, around three hours, so maybe you won’t need to buy the most expensive ticket. 

Pro tip2! When booking a trip to Montevideo, check the route. Some ferries go to Colonia first and then you have to take a bus to Montevideo (included in the ticket but that means it’ll take a bit longer to get there). 

Colonia Express is another ferry company that offers journeys to Colonia that are a bit over an hour and cost half the price. (from 6,300 ARS to 8,300 ARS, today August 2022). 

From Colonia, you can take a bus to other cities you may want to see in Uruguay. 

There are also two ports, Buenos Aires centre (CABA) and Tigre and there are ten destinations in Uruguay: Colonia, Carmelo, Montevideo, Punta del Este, Piriápolis, José Ignacio, La Pedrera, La Paloma, Atlantida and Nueva Palmira. 

As of August 2022, prices are varied, starting from 19,000 ARS to 40,000 ARS. But remember, that this is not a fixed price due to Argentina’s inflation and current economic situation.  

Buenos Aires to Montevideo by Plane

There are direct low cost flights from Buenos Aires to Montevideo,Punta del Este, Salto and Rivera if you don’t want to take the ferry. They take around 45 minutes. 

Some of them leave from Buenos Aires Jorge Newbery Airport arriving at Aeropuerto Internacional Carrasco (Uruguay)

Aerolineas Argentinas and LATAM Airlines both make this trip and you can book your flights here.

Bus/Coach from Buenos Aires to Uruguay 

There are long distance buses that travel from Buenos Aires. You take the bus from Terminal Retiro to Montevideo, Uruguay. This trip takes about 8 hours and costs around 12,000ARS (today, August, 2022). 

One advantage of travelling by coach is that there are more destinations to get to than the previous options. I recommend buying the tickets online or buying them directly at Retiro Bus Station. 

Drive from Buenos Aires to Montevideo 

If you have rented a car you might want to consider this option. Driving the 600 km distance from Buenos Aires to Montevideo takes about 6-8 hours. 

The best way to get there is driving from Buenos Aires, take the N 12 route (towards Gualeguaychú, Entre Ríos) and from there cross over to Uruguay. 

Remember if you are driving bring with you all the car documents, passports and ID. This option is quite complicated as you will need to fill in extra paperwork if you want to bring your rental car to Uruguay. A better option is to take the ferry to Uruguay and rent a car when you get there.  

Other questions about Buenos Aires to Montevideo

Here are some more questions that you might have about travelling between Montevideo and Buenos Aires.

Can you take a day-trip from Buenos Aires to Montevideo?

You can make it a day trip from Buenos Aires to Montevideo but I wouldn’t recommend it. There are lots of things to do and see in Montevideo so why not spend a night there and soak up the atmosphere. We stayed at the Cala di Volpe hotel and we recommend it.

Is it worth taking a trip from Buenos Aires to Montevideo?

Yes, it is worth the trip if you have more than 3 or 4 days in Buenos Aires. You can take the ferry and see the Río De la Plata and get to visit a new country!.  

Enjoy a day trip to Colonia del Sacramento, the first site in Uruguay to be declared a UNESCO World Heritage site. Explore the city with a round trip ferry ticket from Buenos Aires to Colonia city.

More Information

Do I need a visa for Uruguay?

Your need for a visa will depend on what country your passport is from. Travellers from the United States do not need a visa for Uruguay and can spend up to 90 days there. 

How far apart are Buenos Aires and Montevideo?

Buenos Aires and Montevideo are about 200 kilometers far apart from each other. If you drive taking the ferry boat that is about 280kilometers. If you decide not to take the ferry, the the distance is about 590kilometers. 

How much is the ferry from Buenos Aires to Montvideo?

The direct ferry from Buenos Aires to Montevideo costs around $150. The ferry that you go to the town Colonia and then take a bus costs around $75(including the bus).  

How long is the ferry from Buenos Aires to Montvideo?

The direct ferry from Buenos Aires to Montevideo takes 2 hours and 45 minutes. The ferry that you go to the town Colonia and then take a bus takes around 4 hours(including the bus).

Is there a train from Buenos Aires to Montvideo?

There is currently no train that goes from Buenos Aires to Montevideo. Your best bet is to take the ferry or fly unless you don’t mind spending a long time on a bus. 

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