Paraguay, landlocked, shares approximately 3,450 km of land and river borders with Argentina (2,531 km), Brazil (1,371 km) and Bolivia (753 km). Crossing one of these borders by bus, car or on foot is part of the experience for many travelers, whether to reach Iguazu Falls, cross into Posadas, or continue on to Santa Cruz de la Sierra. This guide details the most used crossings, their particularities and the precautions to know.
Border with Brazil: Ciudad del Este and Pedro Juan Caballero
What to remember
- •The Friendship Bridge between Ciudad del Este and Foz do Iguaçu is the most used crossing in the country, on foot, by bus or taxi
- •Pedro Juan Caballero / Ponta Porã, to the north, is an open border without a marked physical post: documentary vigilance is still necessary despite the absence of systematic control
- •Always check the entry conditions of the neighboring country (possible visa, yellow fever vaccine) before crossing, they are different from Paraguayan rules
- •Keep your passport and entry slip accessible, never store them at the bottom of a bag before a border crossing
The Friendship Bridge (Puente de la Amistad) connects Ciudad del Este with Foz do Iguaçu in Brazil, and is the most frequented crossing in the country, particularly for tourists visiting Iguazu Falls from the Paraguayan side. The bridge can be crossed on foot, by urban bus or by taxi: crossing on foot is usually fastest during peak times, as vehicles can get stuck in commercial truck lines. The checkpoint is open every day, but precise hours and traffic volumes vary greatly depending on the season and day of the week.
Further north, Pedro Juan Caballero and its Brazilian twin city Ponta Porã form a special case: the two cities are urbanly contiguous, separated by a simple avenue, with no marked physical border post for local pedestrian traffic. This porosity facilitates daily cross-border trade, but does not exempt international travelers from having their passports stamped at the competent immigration offices if they plan to stay on the Brazilian side or continue their journey further into the country. The area is also identified by diplomatic services as a region requiring heightened vigilance due to informal cross-border traffic.
Border with Argentina: Encarnación
The San Roque González de Santa Cruz bridge connects Encarnación with Posadas, on the Argentine side, over the Paraná River. It is a well-organized crossing, used daily by thousands of border workers and tourists, with buses connecting the two cities and stopping at checkpoints on both sides. The journey is quick outside peak hours (early morning and late afternoon, when border workers cross en masse).
This crossing is particularly practical for travelers combining a visit to the Paraguayan Jesuit missions (Trinidad, Jesús de Tavarangue) with the neighboring Argentine missions (San Ignacio Miní), or wishing to reach Iguazu Falls from the Argentine side rather than the Brazilian one.
Border with Bolivia: Crossing the Chaco to Infante Rivarola
The border with Bolivia is crossed via National Route 9 (Transchaco Route), fully paved from Asunción to the Cañada Oruro - Infante Rivarola border post, about 780 km from the capital and about 230 km beyond Mariscal Estigarribia. It is a long journey, usually made overnight by companies such as Stel Turismo or Yacyretá, which cover the Asunción-Santa Cruz de la Sierra connection via La Patria.
A multi-functional border post was inaugurated on the Bolivian side in 2023, and both countries have conducted tests to extend crossing hours for buses and tourist vehicles, aiming to streamline this route which remains one of the most isolated on the continent. Expect a good part of the night for the Asunción-border stretch, then a connection on the Bolivian side to Villamontes or directly Santa Cruz depending on the company. Network coverage is very irregular along the entire route beyond Mariscal Estigarribia: download your tickets and documents offline before departing.
Last updated:
Sources
- France Diplomatie: Conseils aux voyageurs Paraguay (2025)
- Aduana News: Extension des horaires au poste-frontière Bolivie-Paraguay (2026)
- Discovering Paraguay: Crossing into Bolivia (2025)
- Wikipedia: Route 9 (Paraguay) / Ruta Transchaco (2026)
- Wikipedia: Brazil-Paraguay border (2025)
- Hasta America: Geography of Paraguay - rivers, regions, climate (2025)
- Barry's Borderpoints: Paraguay (2025)
- SENATUR: Información Turística Paraguay (2025)
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