The Posadas-Encarnación border, spanning the Paraná River over the 2-km-long San Roque González de Santa Cruz Bridge, is the busiest border crossing between Argentina and Paraguay. We crossed it both ways during a day trip from Posadas to the Jesuit Mission of La Trinidad de Paraná. Below, I’ve compiled all the essential information you might need to navigate the crossing yourself.
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Your Two Options: Train or Bus
You can cross the bridge either by international train or by bus. We tried both—taking the train in the morning and returning by bus in the evening—and the difference was night and day.
- Bus: More expensive (11,000 PYG ≈ €1.30) than the train and, during rush hour, much slower. On our return trip, we spent nearly an hour stuck in traffic. At one point, we even asked the driver to let us out so we could walk the rest of the way, but no luck. Unless you have a specific reason to use it, the bus isn’t worth it.
- Train: Cheap (1,380 ARS ≈ €1), fast, and comfortable. It bypasses the traffic entirely and takes only about eight minutes to cross the bridge.
Train Stations and Schedules
The Posadas train station (location) sits beside the bridge, about a 30-minute walk from the city center. In Encarnación, the station is located on the city’s southern outskirts, a one-hour walk from the center.
At the time of our trip (May 2025), trains were running every half hour from 07:15 to 18:15. Arriving early is wise—tickets are sold on-site, and you’ll need to pass through immigration before boarding. In our case, there were no lines at all, and the whole process took just a few minutes.
That was the timetable during our trip:
Posadas-Encarnación Train Timetable
| Train No. | Encarnación → Posadas | Posadas → Encarnación |
|---|---|---|
| 6002 | 07:30 – 07:38 | 6001 – 07:15 – 07:23 |
| 6004 | 08:00 – 08:08 | 6003 – 07:45 – 07:53 |
| 6006 | 08:30 – 08:38 | 6005 – 08:15 – 08:23 |
| 6008 | 09:00 – 09:08 | 6007 – 08:45 – 08:53 |
| 6010 | 09:30 – 09:38 | 6009 – 09:15 – 09:23 |
| 6012 | 10:00 – 10:08 | 6011 – 09:45 – 09:53 |
| 6014 | 10:30 – 10:38 | 6013 – 10:15 – 10:23 |
| 6016 | 11:00 – 11:08 | 6015 – 10:45 – 10:53 |
| 6018 | 11:30 – 11:38 | 6017 – 11:15 – 11:23 |
| 6020 | 12:00 – 12:08 | 6019 – 11:45 – 11:53 |
| 6022 | 12:30 – 12:38 | 6021 – 12:15 – 12:23 |
| 6024 | 13:00 – 13:08 | 6023 – 12:45 – 12:53 |
| 6026 | 13:30 – 13:38 | 6025 – 13:15 – 13:23 |
| 6028 | 14:00 – 14:08 | 6027 – 13:45 – 13:53 |
| 6030 | 14:30 – 14:38 | 6029 – 14:15 – 14:23 |
| 6032 | 15:00 – 15:08 | 6031 – 14:45 – 14:53 |
| 6034 | 15:30 – 15:38 | 6033 – 15:15 – 15:23 |
| 6036 | 16:00 – 16:08 | 6035 – 15:45 – 15:53 |
| 6038 | 16:30 – 16:38 | 6037 – 16:15 – 16:23 |
| 6040 | 17:00 – 17:08 | 6039 – 16:45 – 16:53 |
| 6042 | 17:30 – 17:38 | 6041 – 17:15 – 17:23 |
| 6044 | 18:00 – 18:08 | 6043 – 17:45 – 17:53 |
| 6046 | 18:30 – 18:38 | 6045 – 18:15 – 18:23 |
Bus Stations and Schedules
There are two good reasons you might want to take the bus instead:
- You travel late—whereas trains stop by 18:30, buses run until 22:00.
- You continue your trip straight away after arriving at either city’s bus terminal by interurban bus from some other place.
What you need to know if you’re going to cross the border by bus:
- Route & Operators: The main provider is Expreso Paraguay S.A., running direct services between Posadas’ Terminal Quaranta (location) and Encarnación’s bus terminal (location). Other operators like Beato Roque González and Casimiro Zbikoski also run services along the bridge.
- Duration & Frequency: The buses typically cross in about 30 minutes and depart quite frequently, around every 10–15 minutes, depending on the time of day. Taking the bus from Encarnación to Posadas during the evening rush hour, the trip lasted more than an hour.
- Hours of Operation: Expect service roughly between 06:00 and 22:00 on weekdays, with similar hours on weekends, though frequency may dip on Sundays.
Immigration Procedures
Border control is handled at the departure station on each side. You’ll get stamped out of one country before boarding and stamped into the other upon arrival. Carry your passport and any required documents for both Argentina and Paraguay. Entering Paraguay, ensure they stamp your passport. They often omit it, and you may get into trouble down the road.
Accommodation & Activities in Paraguay
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