From Santa Maria to Caxias do Sul, Brazil
My motorcycle journey this time takes me from Santa Maria to Caxias do Sul in Brazil.
The distance is approximately 300 km.
I am departing from Santa Maria.
The Centro area has many slopes, so I proceed with caution.
Road conditions do not appear to be very good.
I arrived at the first toll station about an hour after setting off.
The toll for a motorcycle was R$2.70, or approximately USD 0.52.
There is a second toll gate another 30 minutes later.
The fee is the same as the previous one.
We’ll reach the third toll gate in another 30 minutes.
The toll is the same here, too.
We’ll be at the toll gate in another 30 minutes.
Since motorcycles go through for free here, I’ll filter through the rightmost lane.
An hour later, there’s yet another toll gate.
It’s free for motorcycles here too, but the sheer number of toll gates really wears me down.
And from here, a short, enjoyable stretch of the road begins.
About four hours after setting off, I arrived in Farroupilha, a town next to Caxias do Sul.
This town has many steep slopes, so I need to be careful.
Since the streets are paved with cobblestones, I absolutely do not want to drive on rainy days.
And then I entered Caxias do Sul.
The traffic gets heavier as I approach the city center.
There are some steep sections, so it’s pretty tough.
And finally, I arrive at Dante Alighieri Square, the city’s central plaza.
On this leg of my journey, the route was largely monotonous and filled with heavy vehicles.
However, once I passed Garibaldi, the road became a fun, undulating route where I was able to enjoy the ride for about 30 minutes.
In Rio Grande do Sul, the speed limit is generally 80 km/h, and since most drivers tend to stick to it, travel times can drag out on single-lane roads with heavy oncoming traffic.
While I based my travel time estimates on 90 km/h for Argentina, Chile, Paraguay, and Bolivia,
and 80 km/h for Uruguay and Peru, I will likely need to calculate based on 70 km/h for Brazil.
Date of ride: September 23, 2026
