Introduction
When we decided to travel from Brazil to Uruguay, we wanted to do it the slow way — by land. Flights were expensive, and honestly, we thought taking the bus from Brazil to Uruguay would be a fun adventure (and cheaper too).
So, we packed our backpacks, left Florianópolis, and began a 23-hour trip through southern Brazil, across land borders, all the way to Punta del Diablo, Uruguay. Three buses, one night on the road, a few border stamps, and a lot of landscapes later — we made it!
In this article, we’ll share the full breakdown of our journey:
- The best route to take if you’re going from Florianópolis to Punta del Diablo or even Florianópolis to Montevideo.
- How the bus connections work between Pelotas, Chui (the border town), and Uruguay.
- And of course, a few things we wish we’d known before starting this long but memorable trip.
If you’re planning to take the bus to Punta del Diablo, this is everything you need to know — from schedules and border controls to real travel tips we learned on the way. And if like us, you are travelling in South America and through Uruguay, here is our complete Uruguay itinerary.
Leaving brazil
There are two main ways to travel by bus from Brazil to Uruguay when starting in Florianópolis — both passing through the southern state of Rio Grande do Sul and ending at the border town of Chuí (Brazil) / Chuy (Uruguay).
Here are your options:
- Florianópolis → Porto Alegre → Chuí
- Florianópolis → Pelotas → Chuí
We opted for the second option, and we’ll explain why.
The Florianópolis to Porto Alegre route takes about 6.5 hours for each leg. However, Porto Alegre isn’t exactly known for being the safest city in Brazil, and our Brazilian friends strongly advised us to avoid staying there overnight — especially at the bus terminal. Plus, that route doesn’t offer convenient night buses, meaning you’d lose a full day just in transfers.
Instead, we chose Florianópolis to Pelotas, which turned out to be the best decision. The first bus is an overnight journey of about 10 hours, followed by a 4-hour bus from Pelotas to Chuí. This way, we saved a night of accommodation and traveled while sleeping — always a win when backpacking!
If you’re planning to continue from Florianópolis to Montevideo, this route also works perfectly — you’ll just continue from Punta del Diablo or Chuy with another bus later on.
Florianópolis to Pelotas
We bought our tickets online one day in advance, which works great for booking long-distance routes in Brazil. Our bus from Florianópolis to Pelotas was operated by Viação Penha, departing at 9:30 p.m. and arriving around 7:35 a.m. the next morning. The ticket cost a bit more than a regular bus, but since it was an overnight ride, we also saved on one night of accommodation — something we often try to do when traveling long distances.
The bus itself was a double-decker with two seat types:
- Semi-leito (half-bed) on the upper deck
- Leito (full-bed) on the lower deck
We went for the semi-leito seats, and they were surprisingly comfortable. The bus had a working toilet and air conditioning, although the Wi-Fi barely worked (pretty standard in South America).
We managed to sleep for most of the ride — especially after our hike to Lagoinha do Leste earlier that week — but the bus made quite a few stops during the night, around four or five in total. Eventually, we arrived in Pelotas at 9:50 a.m., about two hours later than planned.
Despite the delay, it was a smooth and comfortable trip, and we were one step closer to crossing the border into Uruguay.
Pelotas to Chui
From Pelotas, there are three daily departures to Chuí — at 7:00 AM, 1:00 PM, and 6:00 PM — operated by Expresso Embaixador. The ride takes around 4 hours. As the timetable can change, we’d recommend checking the latest information on the Expresso Embaixador’s website.
Because our first bus from Florianópolis arrived with a 2-hour delay, we missed the 9:00 AM departure (that one doesn’t seem to exist anymore). Thankfully, we hadn’t bought our tickets in advance, which turned out to be a good thing. Once we reached the Pelotas bus terminal, we went straight to the counter to buy tickets for the 1:00 PM bus.
After several failed attempts to pay by card, we realized our international credit cards weren’t working. Luckily, there’s a 24-hour ATM upstairs in the terminal (from 25 Horas Banca). It charges a fee, so we withdrew enough to cover a few days and avoid multiple charges. Maybe we should have bought our tickets online.
We grabbed some breakfast — coffee, pastries, and sandwiches — at one of the cafés in the terminal, then relaxed in the departure lounge, which had air conditioning, water, and TV.
Our bus left on time, and the journey south was scenic and peaceful. The landscape turned into wide-open fields, dotted with cows, wind turbines, and endless skies — a preview of what’s waiting in Uruguay.
Around 4:55 PM, just before the border, the bus staff collected our passports. When we stopped at Brazilian immigration, the crew handled everything for us — they went inside with everyone’s passports and came back 15 minutes later with our exit stamps. No need to leave the bus.
A few minutes later, we reached Chuí, the last Brazilian town before crossing into Uruguay.
Chui or Chuy
Welcome to Chuí (Brazil) — or Chuy (Uruguay), depending on which side of the street you’re on! This twin border town is split right down the middle: one half Portuguese-speaking, one half Spanish-speaking. You can literally cross from Brazil to Uruguay just by walking across the avenue.
It’s a fascinating place — a mix of cultures, currencies, and languages — where you’ll find Brazilian reais and Uruguayan pesos accepted everywhere. Locals often come here for tax-free shopping, cheap groceries, or to exchange money at one of the many cambio shops.
When we arrived at the Chuí bus terminal, we expected to find a connection to Punta del Diablo right there — but we were wrong. There are actually two separate bus terminals:
- One for Brazilian buses, where we arrived.
- Another, the Terminal de Ómnibus, for Uruguayan routes — a short 10-minute walk away.
We asked a few locals (half in Portuguese, half in Spanish) for directions and finally found the right terminal just before 6 PM. Everyone we spoke with was friendly and helpful — even if communication was a mix of both languages!
Chui to Punta del Diablo
We reached the Terminal de Ómnibus (the Uruguayan bus terminal) around 5:50 PM, just in time to catch the next Rutas del Sol bus heading to Punta del Diablo. Tickets can be purchased directly at the counter — ours cost around 250 UYU each, and the bus was scheduled to leave at 6:15 PM.
The bus left a few minutes late, but everything ran smoothly. After just 5 minutes on the road, we stopped again — this time for immigration control.
At first, we weren’t sure what was happening since no one announced anything, but thankfully a kind local we had met at the terminal told us to get off the bus for passport checks. Inside the small border office, we got our entry stamps for Uruguay, which officially marked our arrival in a new country.
Fifteen minutes later, we were back on the bus and heading south through the quiet countryside. The ride from Chuy to Punta del Diablo takes about 45 minutes, and we arrived at 7:10 PM, just as the sun was setting.
From the small terminal, we easily walked to our guesthouse — tired but happy to finally be in Uruguay after more than 23 hours on the road and three different buses.
Read: All the best things to do in Punta Del Diablo
Where to stay in Punta del Diablo
If you’re making the long journey by bus from Brazil to Uruguay, Punta del Diablo is the perfect first stop — small, relaxed, and full of charm. The town has a great mix of eco-lodges, boutique stays, and cozy beach bungalows. Here are a few great places to rest after your 23-hour adventure:
(€) Eco House Via Verde – A friendly, budget-friendly eco-lodge surrounded by nature. It’s simple but cozy, with clean rooms, a shared kitchen, and a peaceful garden. Perfect if you’re traveling on a budget or backpacking across South America.
(€€) Eco Boutique B&B – A stylish bed & breakfast with a strong focus on sustainability and comfort. The breakfast here is delicious, and the rooms are warm and bright, ideal for a couple looking for a calm retreat after long travel days.
(€€€) Bella Bungalows – Beautifully designed wooden bungalows just a short walk from the beach. Each bungalow has a private terrace and nature views, making it perfect if you want to unwind and enjoy Punta del Diablo’s relaxed seaside atmosphere.
Here are all your accommodation options in Punta del Diablo
A very interesting and scientific article to develop your interests.
Great. This is very impressive. I really like.
I was very impressed with this trip. I hope to go again soon. Professionals work. Great.
I was very impressed with this trip. I hope to go again soon. Professionals work. Great.
I really liked the way the guys talk about their adventures and experiences. It feels like I also visited these countries. I envy those who have the opportunity to travel 😉. Good luck to you!
I am currently at the bus terminal in Pelotas and there is no bus at 9am.
Only at 6am and 1pm.
Hello Marie,
Thank you so much for letting us know. It seems that the timetable changed (and is not too reliable) as there are 3 departures each day (7am, 1pm and 6pm) on Expressoembaixador’s website but you only had two at 6am and 1pm.
We will update the article right away.
Safe travel :)