There is almost no information available online about this Argentina to Paraguay border crossing. I’ve made a comprehensive article to help you plan your border crossing from Formosa Asuncion at the Clorinda border crossing. Below is information on Paraguay’s entry requirements, the information you’ll need to plan your trip for three different travel options, and a few tips I wish I had known.
*Please note: As the inflation in Argentina changes often, it is likely these prices are not up to date when you’re reading this. Please check the websites or with locals where appropriate for up to date pricing. This article was written and based on information from 2025.
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Crossing the border at Clorinda from Formosa to Asuncion was a relatively easy crossing despite the flow of traffic being a bit confusing. The border crossing is open 24 hours. We crossed at 7pm on a Friday evening and it took us less than 30 minutes.
Step 1 – Plan your Paraguay border crossing
Before making your way to the border, make sure you review the visa requirements for your passport, entry requirements, related fees, and currency conversion rates.
Visa requirements: It is important to check your country’s entry requirements before planning your visit to Paraguay. Their migration website has a really helpful page which lists every country’s requirements as a tourist, if you’re planning to apply for residence, or if you’re travelling for business.
Yellow fever vaccination: I was not asked for this but some border guards or airlines may check to see that you have one when you enter or leave Paraguay.
Fees: There are no fees associated with crossing into Paraguay, however there is a toll to be paid on the road to Asuncion if you are driving (more on this later).
Know the exchange rate: This is incredibly important to know before every border crossing. I almost always change my money at the border as I’ve been caught out with a worse exchange rate in the town (after the Belize/Guatemala border). Unfortunately this is often a spot where scams occur, so it’s important to check the rate beforehand and check any money you’re given to ensure it’s real before you hand over your bills. I use this free Currency app which gives me the rates offline.
Accommodation in Asuncion: It’s always a good idea to have a booking for where you’re staying in Asuncion prior to arriving at the border crossing. I didn’t have to show my booking, however I was asked for the hostel name and its address. Although there’s reception at the border, make sure you have a screenshot of your accommodation and its address. There’s a map below where I’ve marked both the final stops of the direct and local buses to make it easy to see where to stay.
Step 2 – How to travel to the Paraguay Border Crossing at Clorinda
For an overview of travel times and costs, see the overview of border crossing travel options at the end of the article.
Driving: Of course, taking your own car or a car hire will be the quickest of all the options. I got a lift with a girl I met in Bañado las Estrellas and we crossed at 7pm. Take Ruta 11 north to the town of Clorinda. In the town, there’s a curve to the left and then a roundabout where you’ll turn right and continue until the border.
The border crossing was a bit confusing as there’s some poor designs of the road, but we followed the other cars. Generally cars go in the left hand lane and trucks and buses go in the right hand lane. The only costs were petrol (see my tips below) and the toll (see Step 4).
Direct bus: There seem to be two companies that service the Formosa to Asuncion route. These are Crucero del Norte and El Pulqui, however their services don’t leave everyday. They cost between 28-35,000 pesos* ($20-25 USD). See my tips below because there’s benefits and drawbacks, depending on whether you buy from their Argentinian or Paraguay website.
Local transport: This is my least recommended method. While it is possible, it is not that much cheaper and places you at risk of scams or waiting a long time for the bus on the Paraguay side (see Step 4). For this option, you need to:
- Take a Godoy or Flecha bus to the Terminal Omnibus in Clorinda. These don’t seem to leave everyday, so I would recommend checking on Busbud for your date of travel. They take about 2 hours and cost between 9-12,000 pesos* ($7-9 USD).
- To cross you have two options:
- If it’s a Mon-Sat 6am and 6pm, or 7am to 1pm on Sunday, you’ll be able to use the Pasarela de la Amistad footbridge crossing to Puerto Elsa. This is a 2 minute walk from the bus terminal across a river. Be mindful this is a soft border crossing and you’ll need to make sure you check in with the border officials to get your passport stamped.
- If it’s any time outside the hours above, you’ll need to cross at José Falcón. The bus terminal is not close to the José Falcón border crossing. Walking will take about an hour. The other option is to take a taxi. One person has stated they paid 7,000 pesos* ($5.25 USD).
- Cross the border crossing on foot and head to Asuncion (see Steps 3 and 4).
Step 3 – How to cross the Paraguay/Argentina border
I’ve only been to the José Falcón border crossing, so if you are walking across to Puerto Elsa, do your due diligence. The José Falcón border crossing is set up differently than many others than I’ve used. Instead of exiting Argentina on one side of the river and then entering Paraguay on the other, both the entry and exit are in the country you’re entering.
To cross the border you will:
- Line up on the Argentina side and get asked a few questions by the Argentina border guards. They’ll wave you through, and tell you to cross the bridge for immigration. There is nothing else you need to do on the Argentinian side of the river.
- Cross the bridge.
- After you cross the bridge, there is a curve to the right and the road splits into two options: the left hand entry is for if you are driving or are on foot, the right hand entry is for the buses.
- Line up on the Paraguay side. There are shipping containers with two windows. First you’ll drive/walk up to the Argentinian exit, then to the Paraguay entry. They’ll ask for your passport, travel plans (when and where you plan on leaving Paraguay), and information about your accommodation. My Uruguayan friend had to show her driver’s license and car registration information. Make sure you have your Travel insurance, International Drivers Permit and car insurance documents on hand for if they ask. If you have a hire car, I would recommend checking with your car hire company for any extra documentation you may need.
- After you’ve been granted entry, you’ll pass a small check point where they may ask you to stop and check your bag/car.
- You’re across!
Step 4 – How to travel to Asuncion from the Argentina border
Driving: From the border, head north on the Ruta Transchaco then take a right onto D075. Just before the bridge are tolls that cost 10,000 PYG ($1.40 USD). You can pay with cash or card for a 2 cent surcharge.
From there, you’ll cross the Héroes de Chaco bridge, take an exit on the left. This takes you to a roundabout which will take you back the way you came. Right before the road leads up the bridge, you’ll take the left hand exit which goes under the bridge. The first exit off the roundabout will take you along the Costanera (coast road) to Asuncion.
I would suggest having an Paraguay eSim ready to go and offline maps installed as a backup. The Google maps directions are a bit funny so pay close attention to the exits.
Direct bus: Nothing you need to do, sit back and relax.
Local transport: From the border, you have two options, depending on the routes:
- Take a public bus into the city centre. This option costs 3,400 PYG ($0.50 USD), however it’s unclear if you can pay with cash as some lines will accept cash but others won’t. You may be able to ask a local to tap their Más or Jaha card and you give them the cash directly.
- If you’ve crossed at José Falcón: Take the 101-B public bus. These leave on the hour, from 4am to 8pm. The bus takes 2.5 hours.
- If you’ve crossed at Puerto Elsa: Take the 101 public bus. These leave on the hour, from 3am to 11pm, however remember the border crossing is only open 6am to 6pm on most days and less on Sunday. The bus takes 2.75 hours.
- Using Uber or Bolt is another option, but prices will vary (an example is 80,000 PYG ($11 USD)). Typically Bolt will be cheaper than Uber.
Additional helpful tips to help with your Argentina to Paraguay border crossing
Buy petrol in Argentina
While Paraguay may be cheaper for many things, Paraguayans will spend hours waiting to cross the border to get cheaper petrol. I recommend filling up with a full tank before crossing the border from Argentina to Paraguay.
Tip for buying the direct bus tickets
You have the option to buy from the Paraguay Plataforma 10 website or the Argentinian Plataforma 10 website. The Argentina website has listings for both Crucero del Norte and El Pulqui, so there’s more options with departure times. The Paraguay website only lists Crucero del Norte, however, I just checked the prices and there’s a 30,000 peso* ($5.50 USD) difference! I suggest to check the Argentina website first, and if the Crucero del Norte option works best, to buy from the Paraguay website.
Be wary of poor exchange rates at the border
My friend and I were offered the worst currency exchange rate I’ve ever come across at this Paraguay border crossing. Normally exchange rates aren’t great and include a commission, however he offered us an rate of less than half of what the money was worth. Maybe it’s because he knew we would need to pay a toll (see Step 4), maybe he saw me and gave us a bad Gringo tax. Who knows. Maybe you’ll have better luck, but I would try exchanging some money while in Formosa or Clorinda as a safety measure.
For those crossing at Puerto Elsa
This is a soft border as many people walk across everyday to visit the neighbouring towns. If you are travelling on a passport, make sure you visit the immigration kiosks on either side and get your passport stamped on arrival in Paraguay. I have not passed through this border crossing, so double check with the border officials for what you need to ensure.
Purchase an eSim for the border crossing
I’m not a huge advocate for using eSims often as usually the local sim is easy to buy and cheaper, however I always buy one for border crossings. I have been stuck WAY too many times with no access to the internet and a problem with my accommodation. I buy an eSim for the border, if I’m arriving on a weekend or if I’m in a country for a short time. Make sure to install while you’re on wifi in your accommodation the night before and ensure that roaming is turned on.
Book your accommodation in advance
The border officials will likely ask where you are planning to stay while in Asuncion. Be prepared, book in advance and screenshot the accommodation’s name and address. I’ve marked both the bus terminal and the final stop of the 101-B local bus in the map below.
Or if you prefer hostels, you can search below.
Overview of Formosa to Asuncion Border Crossing travel options
For simplicity, these final costs have been calculated in USD. All times have a 30 minute border crossing time included. Keep in mind, the time to cross may vary depending on time of day, day of the week or if it’s a public holiday.
Driving: Direct and easy. Takes roughly 2.75 hours between Formosa and Asuncion. Costs $21.40 USD with a rough petrol cost of $20 USD (see my tip on filling up in Argentina below).
Direct bus: Takes longer due to the number of people on board but easy. Takes 3.5-5 hours, depending on the company, costs $20-25 USD.
Local transport: Can take a lot longer, depending which options you choose and has the risk of costing the same as the direct bus.
- Option 1: bus to Clorinda, walk across border to Puerto Elsa (6am-6pm), bus to Asuncion – 5.25 hours, $8.50 USD
- Option 2: bus to Clorinda, taxi to border (José Falcón), bus to Asuncion – 5.25 hours, $13.75 USD
- Option 3: bus to Clorinda, taxi to border (José Falcón), Uber/Bolt to Asuncion – 3.5 hours, $24.45 USD
My recommendation: If you don’t have a car, I would highly recommend taking the direct bus to reduce the potentially long wait for the public bus and the risk of not being able to pay with cash.
If you have had success with the public bus please leave a comment and I’ll update this post with the information you can share.
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See some of my other posts about Argentina: