How far is Buffalo, NY from Saranac Lake, NY?

The driving distance from Buffalo, NY to Saranac Lake, NY is about 331.5 miles (533.5 km), with a travel time of about 07h 07m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 257.5 miles (414.4 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 14h 14m of driving time before adding stops, traffic, or weather delays.
  • A comfortable departure window is usually 6:00 AM to 7:30 AM EDT.
Trip Tools

Reverse, save, or send this route

This drive is better planned with a longer stop or an overnight stay. Copy the route link, send it to another device, or print a clean version before you head out.

Reverse Route
Quick Snapshot
Road
331.5 mi
07h 07m
Flight
257.52 mi
414.44 km direct

This drive is better planned with a longer stop or an overnight stay.

Learn Distance

Choose another destination from Buffalo.

Flight Distance

Direct air line
257.52 mi
Kilometers
414.44 km
Flight Time
00h 31m

Driving Distance

Road route
331.5 mi
Kilometers
533.5 km
Drive Time
07h 07m

Gas Cost Calculator

Leave and Arrive Planner

Pick a departure time to see your estimated arrival and same-day return window.

Drive time stays fixed at 07h 07m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in Saranac Lake
Thu, Apr 16, 3:11 PM EDT
Return by in Buffalo
Thu, Apr 16, 10:18 PM EDT
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave Buffalo
2026-04-16T08:03
Arrive Saranac Lake
Thu, Apr 16, 3:11 PM EDT
Route Timing
07h 07m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
6:00 AM to 7:30 AM EDT
Treat this as a longer travel day
Arrive between
1:07 PM to 2:37 PM EDT

Starting early still helps, but most travelers will want a longer stop or an overnight stay on a route this long.

Leave by
9:46 PM EDT
Keeps a same-day return open with about 08h 00m at the destination.
Back in Buffalo
8:00 PM EDT
Overnight-style route

You are leaving earlier than the recommended window, which gives you extra margin for breaks and traffic.

Halfway Point

A useful midpoint for breaks, coffee, or meeting in the middle.

Mid-route stop
Hastings
NY

Town in New York, USA

From Buffalo
165.5 mi
03h 33m
To Saranac Lake
166 mi
03h 33m

Route Weather Snapshot

Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.

Origin
49°F
Overnight

Showers And Thunderstorms Likely

Starts
Thu, Apr 16 12:00 AM EDT
Wind
9 mph SW
Destination
66°F
Thursday

Showers And Thunderstorms

Starts
Thu, Apr 16 6:00 AM EDT
Wind
2 to 9 mph SW

Driving Route Map

The map below follows the saved road route between Buffalo and Saranac Lake.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Buffalo and Saranac Lake.

  1. 1

    Start on Niagara Square

    562 ft · 19 sec · Niagara Square

  2. 2

    Exit the rotary onto Court Street

    809 ft · 27 sec · Court Street

  3. 3

    Continue on Lafayette Square

    114 m · 18 sec · Lafayette Square

  4. 4

    Turn left onto Washington Street

    1309 ft · 45 sec · Washington Street

  5. 5

    Turn right onto Genesee Street

    1429 ft · 49 sec · Genesee Street

  6. 6

    Turn left onto Elm Street

    80 m · 8 sec · Elm Street

  7. 7

    Take the exit straight toward NY 33 East

    972 ft · 15 sec

  8. 8

    Continue on Kensington Expressway

    6.8 mi · 9 min · Kensington Expressway

  9. 9

    Take the exit slight right toward I 90 East: Niagara Falls, Albany

    1644 ft · 46 sec

  10. 10

    Merge slight left onto New York State Thruway

    138.6 mi · 2 hr 41 min · New York State Thruway

  11. 11

    Take the exit slight right toward I 81: Watertown, Binghamton

    152 m · 14 sec

  12. 12

    Continue on I 81: Watertown, Binghamton

    3052 ft · 1 min

  13. 13

    Turn straight onto I 81 North: Syracuse Airport, Watertown

    3027 ft · 1 min

  14. 14

    Merge slight left

    64.6 mi · 1 hr 15 min

  15. 15

    Take the exit slight right toward NY 12F: Airport

    1438 ft · 36 sec

  16. 16

    Turn right onto Coffeen Street

    1.5 mi · 3 min · Coffeen Street

  17. 17

    Turn left onto North Massey Street

    1041 ft · 19 sec · North Massey Street

  18. 18

    Continue on Leray Street

    1.6 km · 2 min · Leray Street

  19. 19

    Enter the roundabout and take exit 2 toward the route

    56 m · 2 sec

  20. 20

    Exit the roundabout

    2972 ft · 38 sec

  21. 21

    Keep slight right

    3.9 mi · 5 min

  22. 22

    Turn right

    1.7 mi · 3 min

  23. 23

    Turn left onto Pearl Street Road

    3053 ft · 59 sec · Pearl Street Road

  24. 24

    Continue on Pearl Street Road

    1.4 mi · 2 min · Pearl Street Road

  25. 25

    Continue on Gray Street

    2804 ft · 1 min · Gray Street

  26. 26

    At the end of the road, turn right onto Gray Street

    2062 ft · 57 sec · Gray Street

  27. 27

    At the end of the road, turn left onto State Route 3

    4.4 mi · 7 min · State Route 3

  28. 28

    Turn left onto State Highway 3A

    5.2 mi · 8 min · State Highway 3A

  29. 29

    At the end of the road, turn left onto State Route 3

    15.8 mi · 22 min · State Route 3

  30. 30

    Continue on Main Street

    1.2 km · 2 min · Main Street

  31. 31

    Continue on State Street

    2079 ft · 59 sec · State Street

  32. 32

    Continue on State Highway 812

    1770 ft · 34 sec · State Highway 812

  33. 33

    Continue on State Route 3

    56.6 mi · 1 hr 20 min · State Route 3

  34. 34

    Continue on Main Street

    1 mi · 3 min · Main Street

  35. 35

    Continue on Demars Boulevard

    1.3 km · 2 min · Demars Boulevard

  36. 36

    Turn left onto Santa Clara Avenue

    1069 ft · 51 sec · Santa Clara Avenue

  37. 37

    Turn right onto McLaughlin Avenue

    3109 ft · 1 min · McLaughlin Avenue

  38. 38

    Turn left onto East Park Street

    1.2 km · 2 min · East Park Street

  39. 39

    Continue on Tupper-Saranac Highway

    3.9 mi · 6 min · Tupper-Saranac Highway

  40. 40

    Continue on Adirondack Trail

    1 km · 51 sec · Adirondack Trail

  41. 41

    Continue on Tupper Lake Highway

    6.4 mi · 9 min · Tupper Lake Highway

  42. 42

    Continue on State Route 3

    5.9 mi · 8 min · State Route 3

  43. 43

    Continue on Algonquin Street

    1.4 mi · 2 min · Algonquin Street

  44. 44

    Continue on George H Lapan Memorial Highway

    1.5 km · 2 min · George H Lapan Memorial Highway

  45. 45

    Turn left onto Canaras Avenue

    67 m · 8 sec · Canaras Avenue

  46. 46

    Continue on Olive Street

    2252 ft · 1 min · Olive Street

  47. 47

    At the end of the road, turn left onto Broadway Street

    62 m · 7 sec · Broadway Street

  48. 48

    Turn right onto Bloomingdale Avenue

    150 m · 12 sec · Bloomingdale Avenue

  49. 49

    Turn right onto Church Street

    24 m · 1 sec · Church Street

  50. 50

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec · Church Street

Car Route Details

A richer read on the saved driving route between Buffalo and Saranac Lake.

OSRM road route
Drive Character

Long-distance drive

This route is long enough that fuel, rest stops, weather, and timing matter more than any single maneuver.

Directions
50 steps
22 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
9
2 merges, 7 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
15.1 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
New York State Thruway
139 mi · 42%
State Route 3
82.8 mi · 25%
I 81 North
65.2 mi · 20%
Kensington Expressway
6.81 mi · 2%
Tupper Lake Highway
6.43 mi · 2%
Leray Street
5.48 mi · 2%
Longest Stretch

New York State Thruway

Merge slight left onto New York State Thruway

139 mi · 02h 41m

Route Summary

A quick read on whether this route feels easy, ambitious, or worth planning around.

Trip Read

Better with a longer stop

This route is long enough that most travelers will be better off planning an overnight stay or a more deliberate stop window.

Drive Time
07h 07m
Overnight route
Same-Day Return
14h 14m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+74 mi
257.5 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
Hastings
03h 33m from Buffalo
Leave By
9:46 PM EDT
Overnight-style route
Weather Watch

Showers And Thunderstorms Likely leaving Buffalo and Showers And Thunderstorms near Saranac Lake.

Trip Questions

Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.

How long does it take to drive from Buffalo to Saranac Lake?

The road trip is about 331.5 miles (533.5 km) and usually takes 07h 07m in normal driving conditions.

Is this a same-day trip or an overnight route?

This route is long enough that most travelers will be better off planning an overnight stay or a more deliberate stop window.

What is the halfway point on this route?

Hastings is a useful midpoint, sitting about 165.5 miles from Buffalo and 166 miles from Saranac Lake.

How much longer is the road route than the straight-line distance?

The direct path is about 257.5 miles (414.4 km), while the road route adds roughly 74 extra miles because roads do not follow the straight air line.

When is the best time to leave for this route?

A good departure window is usually 6:00 AM to 7:30 AM EDT. Starting early still helps, but most travelers will want a longer stop or an overnight stay on a route this long.

How much will gas cost for this route?

Using about 28.3 MPG, regular gas is estimated at $46.91 one way or $93.81 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 104 kg one way.

What should you check before leaving?

Before you leave, expect Showers And Thunderstorms Likely around Buffalo and Showers And Thunderstorms near Saranac Lake.

Stop Ideas Near Hastings

Useful break, food, and waypoint ideas within about 15 miles of the route midpoint.

Mid-route Guidance
Local place coverage is thin around Hastings, so nearby transit and meeting points are shown instead.
Reviewed stop coverage is still thin around this midpoint, so practical transit waypoints are shown on the right.

Transit and Meeting Points

Useful pickup, handoff, or rendezvous points close to Hastings.

RAIL

William F. Walsh Regional Transportation Center

32 mi away
131 Alliance Bank Parkway
RAIL

Empire Expo Center

34 mi away
581 State Fair Blvd
RAIL

Rome station

60 mi away
6599 Martin Street
RAIL

Union Station

81 mi away
321 Main St.

Flight Path Map

This map shows the direct air route between Buffalo and Saranac Lake. Straight-line distance: 257.52 mi (414.44 km).

Buffalo

#1 Buffalo

The second most populous city in New York.

Population254,479
Coordinates42.8864500, -78.8783700
Altitude183
CountryUnited States
Saranac Lake

#2 Saranac Lake

Village in New York

Population5,193
Coordinates44.3295000, -74.1312700
Altitude471
CountryUnited States
Start: Buffalo (-78.87837, 42.88645)
End: Saranac Lake (-74.13127, 44.3295)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 534 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)11h 02m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)08h 17m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)06h 37m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)05h 31m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)04h 44m
80 mph (129 km/h)04h 08m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
11.7 gal
44.28 L · about $46.91
Round trip
$93.81
23.4 gal · 88.56 L
Estimated CO2
104 kg one way
Round trip: 208 kg / 459 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $4.01 $46.91 $93.81
Mid-grade $4.48 $52.43 $104.86
Premium $4.86 $56.87 $113.75
Diesel $4.69 $54.92 $109.84

Assumes 8.3 L/100 km (about 28.3 MPG). CO2 is an estimate and varies by vehicle, fuel blend, traffic, and terrain.

Prices in New York · Apr 16, 2026

There is no time difference between Buffalo and Saranac Lake. The current time is 08:03:46.

Distance to Other Cities

Planning a road trip? See the full trip guide on Trip.ovh — stops, fuel costs, weather, and departure timing.

How did we calculate? Place names are translated into coordinates. The Haversine formula calculates straight-line distance; driving distance uses road network data.