Time Zone Converter

This free time zone converter shows the live time difference between any two cities, acting as a world clock, a time difference calculator and a meeting time planner all in one. Find out what time is it in another country, convert local times across zones with this local time converter, and see overlapping working hours instantly — daylight saving time is handled automatically.

Time Zone Converter: How to Calculate the Time Difference

This time zone calculator finds the difference between two cities' or countries' time zones using UTC (Coordinated Universal Time) as the reference — which also makes it a simple GMT converter. Pick two cities and click "Calculate Time Difference"; the live difference, both cities' current local times and the overlapping working hours appear automatically.

A miscalculated time difference leads to missed meetings, late flights or calls at the wrong hour. Calculating the difference between two times is critical for people keeping in touch with loved ones abroad, remote workers and international project managers.

UTC, Time Zones and Daylight Saving Time

The world is divided into time zones defined by their offset from UTC. Some are whole hours (UTC+1, UTC-5), while a few are offset by 30 or 45 minutes (India is UTC+5:30, Nepal UTC+5:45). Many countries shift their clocks for part of the year under Daylight Saving Time (DST), which changes the difference to other countries seasonally.

Most of Europe and North America move clocks forward in spring and back in autumn, though the exact dates differ by a few weeks. Countries such as China, Japan, India, the UAE, Turkey and Russia do not observe DST, so their offset stays constant all year.

Time Difference Table for Major Cities

The table below shows the standard UTC offset and whether DST is observed for frequently compared cities. Because of DST, the exact difference between two cities can shift by an hour around the transition dates.

* Australia observes DST in the Southern-Hemisphere summer (October-April), which overlaps with the Northern-Hemisphere winter. All values are standard references and can shift by ±1 hour around DST transition dates. This tool uses live time-zone data, so it always reflects the current offset.

Meeting Time Planner for Remote Teams

For people working with distributed teams across countries, finding the time difference is one of the most-needed tasks, and this tool doubles as a meeting time planner. The "Overlapping Working Hours" feature automatically calculates the window where 09:00-18:00 office hours coincide in both cities. On a New York-Tokyo line that overlap shrinks to a very small window or disappears entirely, so meetings must be scheduled at the early morning or late evening edge.

Daylight Saving Time and DST Transitions

Daylight Saving Time (DST) is when countries move their clocks forward or back by one hour for part of the year. Most of Europe shifts on the last Sunday of March and October; the US and Canada use slightly different dates. Countries like China, Japan, India, the UAE, Turkey and Russia do not observe DST, so the difference to them stays constant all year.

Because this tool uses live time-zone data, it updates automatically on DST transition dates; unlike fixed table values, the real-time calculation is always correct.

Practical Use Cases

The users who benefit most from a time-zone converter and typical scenarios:

• Keeping in touch abroad: answer "what time is it in" any country at a glance, and instantly find a good time to call family and friends without waking them up.
• International business meetings: find the overlapping working-hours window for team members in different zones; never call anyone at midnight.
• Travel planning: work out flight departure and arrival in local time, and check the time difference in advance so you don't miss connections.
• Stock and crypto tracking: learn when the New York exchange opens in your local time, when London markets close, and when to follow the Tokyo exchange.
• Online classes and webinars: convert a live-stream or class time into everyone's local time for participants from different countries.

Calculating the time difference quickly and accurately removes most of the delays and misunderstandings of international communication. With large gaps like New York-Tokyo, even a small mistake can cause a missed meeting or a wrongly planned flight. This tool gives you instant, accurate time-difference information.

How to Use This Time Zone Converter

1. Choose the first country and city: from the left dropdowns, pick the country and then the city. United States is selected by default.
2. Choose the second country and city: from the right dropdowns, pick the country and city you want to compare.
3. Click Calculate: press "Calculate Time Difference". The live difference, both cities' current local time and the overlapping working hours appear.
4. Swap cities (optional): use the middle arrow button to switch the two locations.
5. Share the result: use "Copy Result" or "Share" to share the calculated time difference.