Saranac Lake sits in the western Adirondack High Peaks region and is most easily reached by car. The drive from Albany takes about three hours via the Northway (I-87) and Route 73 through Lake Placid; from New York City it is closer to five and a half hours. Plattsburgh, on Lake Champlain, is about an hour east via Route 3 and has the nearest mainline rail station.
The small Adirondack Regional Airport (SLK) sits just west of the village and has limited Cape Air service connecting to Boston. Most fly-in visitors use Plattsburgh International Airport (PBG) or even Burlington (BTV) across Lake Champlain in Vermont, then rent a car. There is no in-town bus service beyond seasonal trolleys; once you are here, plan on driving or biking to anything outside the village core.