Paraguay Driving Advice and Car Hire Info
Driving In Paraguay
Paraguay drives on the right and drivers from countries outside South America should officially bring their own licence and an International Driving Permit, though I have rented a car in Asuncion and wasn’t asked for an IDP. Speed limits are 110kmh on highways, 80km on rural roads and 50kmh in urban areas. Dipped headlights should be used at all times- the police are keen on this and will fine you for non compliance.
Paraguay has around 60,000km of roads, with less than 10% classed as National routes.These routes will generally be paved but many have deteriorated into a poor condition.
Key National roads in the country are-
Ruta Nacional 1 – Asunción to Encarnación.
Ruta Nacional 2 – Asunción – Coronel Oviedo then joins Route 7 to Ciudad del Este.
Ruta Nacional 3 – Asunción – Bella Vista
Ruta Nacional 4 – San Ignacio-Pilar- Paso de Patria
Ruta Nacional 5 -Pozo Colorado -Pedro Juan Caballero.
Ruta Nacional 6 – Ciudad del Este – Encarnación
Ruta Nacional 7 – Coronel Oviedo -Ciudad del Este -The section of road between Caaguazu and Ciudad del Este is a toll road.
Ruta Nacional 8 – San Estanislao – Coronel Bogado
Ruta Nacional 9 – The 835km Trans Chaco highway – Asuncion through the Chaco desert to Villamontes in Bolivia.
Ruta Nacional 10 – Villa del Rosario- Salto del Guairá, intersects with NR3+8
Ruta Nacional 11 – Antequera -Capitán Bado
The section of RN7 mentioned above is currently Parguay’s only toll road, though there are plans to introduce tolls on RN2.
Roads in Asuncion and other main cities are paved and usually in good condition but can be prone to flooding after heavy rain. National routes in rural areas, including the Trans Chaco highway are likely to have some deep pot holes, so you should generally assume your trip will take longer than the distance may suggest. Smaller rural roads will be dirt or cobbles and again may be in a bad condition after heavy rain.
Although Asuncion is a large city, it’s fairly easy to navigate by car, though expect the usual rush hour traffic experienced in most large urban areas. Drivers generally abide by road rules in cities but tend to drive at high speed and may overtake recklessly on open roads. Driving or traveling at night is not advisable outside Asuncion because pedestrians, animals, and vehicles without lights are often found on the roads.
Although I try and keep the information in the site updated as much as possible, in a rapidly moving world, situations can change daily. Therefore please use the site as an approximate guide, and in conjunction with other resources in order to form your view on driving conditions, roads, safety etc.
Paraguay Car Rental –
Hertz, National and Avis and South American company Localiza have outlets in Paraguay.
We currently have no local car rental partners in Paraguay. If you are a local car rental company who would like to feature on DriverAbroad.com please check details on our Partnering page or contact us on ADriverAbroad@Outlook.com
