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

The driving distance from Saranac Lake, NY to Buffalo, NY is about 333.4 miles (536.6 km), with a travel time of about 05h 39m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 257.5 miles (414.4 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 11h 19m of driving time before adding stops, traffic, or weather delays.
  • A comfortable departure window is usually 6:00 AM to 8:00 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
333.45 mi
05h 39m
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 Saranac Lake.

Flight Distance

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

Driving Distance

Road route
333.45 mi
Kilometers
536.64 km
Drive Time
05h 39m

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 05h 39m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in Buffalo
Thu, Apr 16, 11:54 AM EDT
Return by in Saranac Lake
Thu, Apr 16, 5:34 PM EDT
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave Saranac Lake
2026-04-16T06:14
Arrive Buffalo
Thu, Apr 16, 11:54 AM EDT
Route Timing
05h 39m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
6:00 AM to 8:00 AM EDT
Leave early for more breathing room
Arrive between
11:40 AM to 1:40 PM EDT

An early departure helps you fit a real stop into the day without turning the return into a late-night drive.

Leave by
5:40 AM EDT
Keeps a same-day return open with about 04h 00m at the destination.
Back in Saranac Lake
9:00 PM EDT
Early departure recommended

This departure sits inside the recommended comfort window for the route.

Halfway Point

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

Mid-route stop
Hastings
NY

Town in New York, USA

From Saranac Lake
164.8 mi
02h 49m
To Buffalo
168.6 mi
02h 49m

Route Weather Snapshot

Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.

Origin
66°F
Thursday

Showers And Thunderstorms

Starts
Thu, Apr 16 6:00 AM EDT
Wind
2 to 9 mph SW
Destination
49°F
Overnight

Showers And Thunderstorms Likely

Starts
Thu, Apr 16 12:00 AM EDT
Wind
9 mph SW

Driving Route Map

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

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

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

  1. 1

    Start on Church Street

    24 m · 8 sec · Church Street

  2. 2

    Turn left onto Bloomingdale Avenue

    150 m · 16 sec · Bloomingdale Avenue

  3. 3

    Turn left onto Broadway Street

    62 m · 6 sec · Broadway Street

  4. 4

    Turn right onto Olive Street

    2472 ft · 1 min · Olive Street

  5. 5

    Turn right onto George H Lapan Memorial Highway

    1.5 km · 2 min · George H Lapan Memorial Highway

  6. 6

    Continue on Algonquin Street

    1.4 mi · 2 min · Algonquin Street

  7. 7

    Continue on State Route 3

    5.9 mi · 8 min · State Route 3

  8. 8

    Continue on Tupper Lake Highway

    6.4 mi · 9 min · Tupper Lake Highway

  9. 9

    Continue on Adirondack Trail

    1 km · 51 sec · Adirondack Trail

  10. 10

    Continue on Tupper-Saranac Highway

    3.9 mi · 6 min · Tupper-Saranac Highway

  11. 11

    Continue on East Park Street

    1.2 km · 2 min · East Park Street

  12. 12

    Turn right onto McLaughlin Avenue

    3109 ft · 1 min · McLaughlin Avenue

  13. 13

    Turn left onto Santa Clara Avenue

    1069 ft · 48 sec · Santa Clara Avenue

  14. 14

    Turn right onto Demars Boulevard

    1.3 km · 2 min · Demars Boulevard

  15. 15

    Continue on Main Street

    1 mi · 3 min · Main Street

  16. 16

    Continue on State Route 3

    36.8 mi · 52 min · State Route 3

  17. 17

    Continue on State Route 3

    19.9 mi · 28 min · State Route 3

  18. 18

    Continue on State Highway 812

    1770 ft · 34 sec · State Highway 812

  19. 19

    Continue on State Street

    2079 ft · 59 sec · State Street

  20. 20

    Continue on Main Street

    1.2 km · 2 min · Main Street

  21. 21

    Continue on State Route 3

    15.8 mi · 22 min · State Route 3

  22. 22

    Turn right onto State Highway 3A

    5.2 mi · 7 min · State Highway 3A

  23. 23

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

    4.4 mi · 7 min · State Route 3

  24. 24

    Turn right onto Gray Street

    2062 ft · 56 sec · Gray Street

  25. 25

    Continue on Gray Street

    2804 ft · 1 min · Gray Street

  26. 26

    Keep slight right to continue on Pearl Street Road

    1.4 mi · 3 min · Pearl Street Road

  27. 27

    At the end of the road, turn left onto Pearl Street Road

    3068 ft · 1 min · Pearl Street Road

  28. 28

    Turn right

    1.7 mi · 3 min

  29. 29

    Turn left

    4.5 mi · 5 min

  30. 30

    Enter the roundabout and take exit 1 toward the route

    34 m · 2 sec

  31. 31

    Exit the roundabout

    629 ft · 11 sec

  32. 32

    Continue on Leray Street

    1.4 km · 1 min · Leray Street

  33. 33

    Continue straight

    1041 ft · 23 sec

  34. 34

    Turn right onto Coffeen Street

    1.6 mi · 3 min · Coffeen Street

  35. 35

    Take the ramp left toward I 81 South

    1224 ft · 30 sec

  36. 36

    Merge slight right

    60 mi · 1 hr 9 min

  37. 37

    Keep slight right

    2721 ft · 33 sec

  38. 38

    Continue straight

    4.2 mi · 5 min

  39. 39

    Take the exit slight right toward I 90: Albany, Buffalo

    2487 ft · 1 min

  40. 40

    Keep slight right to continue on I 90 West: Buffalo

    803 ft · 20 sec

  41. 41

    Merge slight left onto New York State Thruway

    138.1 mi · 2 hr 40 min · New York State Thruway

  42. 42

    Take the exit slight right toward NY 33 West: Buffalo

    1901 ft · 46 sec

  43. 43

    Merge slight left onto Kensington Expressway

    6.4 mi · 9 min · Kensington Expressway

  44. 44

    Keep slight left to continue on Oak Street

    2170 ft · 40 sec

  45. 45

    Continue on Oak Street

    131 m · 14 sec · Oak Street

  46. 46

    Turn right onto Genesee Street

    1172 ft · 39 sec · Genesee Street

  47. 47

    Turn right onto East Huron Street

    729 ft · 34 sec · East Huron Street

  48. 48

    Turn left onto Franklin Street

    716 ft · 23 sec · Franklin Street

  49. 49

    Turn right onto Genesee Street

    123 m · 12 sec · Genesee Street

  50. 50

    Enter the roundabout toward Niagara Square

    119 m · 12 sec · Niagara Square

  51. 51

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec · Niagara Square

Car Route Details

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

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
51 steps
21 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
8
3 merges, 5 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
15.3 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
New York State Thruway
138 mi · 41%
State Route 3
82.8 mi · 25%
I 81 South
64.9 mi · 19%
Tupper Lake Highway
6.43 mi · 2%
Kensington Expressway
6.41 mi · 2%
State Highway 3A
5.19 mi · 2%
Longest Stretch

New York State Thruway

Merge slight left onto New York State Thruway

138 mi · 02h 40m

Route Summary

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

Trip Read

A longer out-and-back drive

This is still possible in one day, but it becomes a long driving day. Leaving early and planning your stop window matters more here.

Drive Time
05h 39m
Long day trip
Same-Day Return
11h 20m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+75.9 mi
257.5 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
Hastings
02h 49m from Saranac Lake
Leave By
5:40 AM EDT
Early departure recommended
Weather Watch

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

Trip Questions

Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.

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

The road trip is about 333.4 miles (536.6 km) and usually takes 05h 39m in normal driving conditions.

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

This is still possible in one day, but it becomes a long driving day. Leaving early and planning your stop window matters more here.

What is the halfway point on this route?

Hastings is a useful midpoint, sitting about 164.8 miles from Saranac Lake and 168.6 miles from Buffalo.

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 75.9 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 8:00 AM EDT. If you want a more comfortable same-day return, try to leave by 5:40 AM EDT.

How much will gas cost for this route?

Using about 28.3 MPG, regular gas is estimated at $47.19 one way or $94.37 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 104.6 kg one way.

What should you check before leaving?

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

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 Saranac Lake and Buffalo. Straight-line distance: 257.52 mi (414.44 km).

Saranac Lake

#1 Saranac Lake

Village in New York

Population5,193
Coordinates44.3295000, -74.1312700
Altitude471
CountryUnited States
Buffalo

#2 Buffalo

The second most populous city in New York.

Population254,479
Coordinates42.8864500, -78.8783700
Altitude183
CountryUnited States
Start: Church Street (-74.131184, 44.329527)
End: Niagara Square (-78.878786, 42.886515)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 537 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)11h 06m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)08h 20m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)06h 40m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)05h 33m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)04h 45m
80 mph (129 km/h)04h 09m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
11.77 gal
44.54 L · about $47.19
Round trip
$94.37
23.54 gal · 89.08 L
Estimated CO2
104.6 kg one way
Round trip: 209.2 kg / 461 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $4.01 $47.19 $94.37
Mid-grade $4.48 $52.74 $105.48
Premium $4.86 $57.21 $114.43
Diesel $4.69 $55.25 $110.50

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 Saranac Lake and Buffalo. The current time is 06:14:58.

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.