How to cross the Río de la Plata: ferry, plane or bus

Crossing the Río de la Plata between Buenos Aires and Uruguay is one of the busiest connections in the Southern Cone, and you have three ways to do it: ferry, plane and bus. The most characteristic —and often the most practical— is the ferry: in a little over an hour you're on the other side.

This guide sums up how long each option takes, which companies operate and how to choose.

The short answer

• Direct ferry Buenos Aires → Montevideo: ~2 h 15 (Buquebus).
• Ferry Buenos Aires → Colonia del Sacramento: 1 h 15, the shortest crossing. From Colonia, a bus to Montevideo (2 h 30).
• Plane Buenos Aires → Montevideo: ~50 min flight (plus airport time).
• Bus: it exists by combining a ferry to Colonia + a coach, but there's no bridge: you can't cross entirely overland directly.

If you want the route-by-route detail, see how to get from Buenos Aires to Montevideo.

The ferry, option by option

Three companies dominate the crossing:

• Buquebus — the best known. It offers the direct crossing to Montevideo and the short crossing to Colonia, with fast boats.
• Colonia Express — strong on the Buenos Aires ↔ Colonia crossing, usually the cheaper alternative.
• Seacat Colonia — also covers the route to Colonia.

Direct to Montevideo or via Colonia?

There are two strategies:

1. Direct to Montevideo. You board the ferry and get off in Montevideo in ~2 h 15. Fewer transfers, ideal if your final destination is the capital.
2. Via Colonia. You cross to Colonia in ~1 h 15 and continue by bus. It's usually cheaper and, along the way, you get to see Colonia del Sacramento, a World Heritage site. Ideal if you have time.

And the plane?

The flight between Buenos Aires and Montevideo takes just ~50 minutes. On paper it's the fastest, but you have to add the trip to the airport, check-in and the wait. For such a short trip, the ferry is usually competitive in total time and drops you closer to downtown.

The plane wins when you're connecting to another flight or when you're traveling light and in a hurry.

How to choose

If you want…	Choose
The fastest to downtown Montevideo	Direct ferry
The cheapest	Ferry to Colonia + bus
To connect with another flight	Plane
To see Colonia on the way	Ferry to Colonia

Before you travel

• Documents: it's an international crossing. Bring an ID (Mercosur) or passport.
• Booking ahead: in high season (summer, long weekends) ferries fill up; buy your ticket early.
• Luggage: the ferry is more flexible than the plane with carry-on.

Heading to the other side? Also see what to do in Montevideo and how to get around Buenos Aires.

Times are approximate and may vary by company, weather and season. Check up-to-date schedules with each operator before traveling.