CEST — Central European Summer Time
UTC+02:00 · 2 hours ahead of UTC · DST active
Details
| Abbreviation | CEST |
| Full name | Central European Summer Time |
| UTC offset | UTC+02:00 |
| IANA identifier | Europe/Paris |
| DST status | Active |
| Standard offset | UTC+01:00 |
| DST offset | UTC+02:00 |
| Clocks forward | Sunday, March 29, 2026 |
| Clocks back | Sunday, October 25, 2026 |
Countries Using CEST
Time Difference from CEST
| City | Difference |
|---|---|
| New York | +6h |
| Chicago | +7h |
| Los Angeles | +9h |
| London | +1h |
| Moscow | -1h |
| Dubai | -2h |
| Mumbai | -3h 30m |
| Bangkok | -5h |
| Shanghai | -6h |
| Tokyo | -7h |
| Sydney | -8h |
| Auckland | -10h |
Using CEST in practice
Planning notes for business hours, handoffs, and recurring meetings in this timezone.
Right now
It is currently afternoon in CEST, which is inside a normal workday. Standard business-hour checks should use 9:00 AM-5:00 PM local time.
Best overlap
The best listed workday overlap is with London: 10:00 AM-5:00 PM CEST equals 9:00 AM-4:00 PM there.
Recurring events
This zone observes daylight saving time, so recurring meetings can shift by one hour for people outside the same DST rule.
| Market | CEST | Their time |
|---|---|---|
| London | 10:00 AM-5:00 PM | 9:00 AM-4:00 PM |
| Moscow | 9:00 AM-4:00 PM | 10:00 AM-5:00 PM |
| Dubai | 9:00 AM-3:00 PM | 11:00 AM-5:00 PM |
| Mumbai | 9:00 AM-2:00 PM | 12:30 PM-5:30 PM |
| Bangkok | 9:00 AM-12:00 PM | 2:00 PM-5:00 PM |
| New York | 3:00 PM-5:00 PM | 9:00 AM-11:00 AM |
Convert CEST to Other Time Zones
About CEST (Central European Summer Time)
CEST (Central European Summer Time) is a time zone with a UTC offset of +02:00, meaning it is 2 hours ahead of UTC. The IANA timezone database identifies it as Europe/Paris. It is used in 5 countries, including Democratic Republic of the Congo, Germany, Russia, South Africa, and others.
This time zone observes daylight saving time. During standard time, the offset is UTC+01:00. When DST is active, clocks are advanced by one hour to UTC+02:00. In 2026, DST begins on Sunday, March 29, 2026 and ends on Sunday, October 25, 2026. DST is currently active.
Major cities in CEST include Paris, Marseille, Lyon, Toulouse, Nice, Nantes, and 49 more.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is CEST?
CEST stands for Central European Summer Time. It is 2 hours ahead of UTC (UTC+02:00). The IANA timezone identifier is Europe/Paris.
What is the current time in CEST?
The current CEST time is shown at the top of this page and updates every second. CEST is UTC+02:00, which is 2 hours ahead of UTC.
Does CEST observe daylight saving time?
Yes. When DST is active, the offset changes from UTC+01:00 to UTC+02:00. In 2026, clocks spring forward on Sunday, March 29, 2026 and fall back on Sunday, October 25, 2026.
What countries use CEST?
Countries and regions using CEST include Democratic Republic of the Congo, Germany, Russia, South Africa, Spain.
How do I convert CEST to my local time?
Use our time zone converter to convert CEST to any other time zone. You can also check the time difference table on this page which shows the offset between CEST and 13 major world cities.