Time Zone Difference Calculator

Calculate time differences between any two countries worldwide.

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Navigating World Time Zones

Time zones are regions of the Earth that have the same standard time. They are generally defined by their offset from Coordinated Universal Time (UTC) or Greenwich Mean Time (GMT).

Key Concepts

UTC vs. GMT

UTC is a time standard (atomic clock), while GMT is a time zone. In practice, they are often used interchangeably to refer to "Zero Hour."

DST (Daylight Saving)

A practice of advancing clocks during warmer months so that darkness falls later. Not all countries observe it, causing time gaps to shift twice a year.

Global Meeting Cheat Sheet

  • US (NY) to UK (London): 5 hour gap. Best overlap: 9 AM - 12 PM EST (2 PM - 5 PM GMT).
  • Europe (Berlin) to India (Delhi): 4.5 hour gap. Best overlap: 9 AM - 1 PM CET.
  • US (West) to Australia (Sydney): Huge gap. Sydney is ~18 hours ahead. West Coast evening is Sydney morning.

Popular Time Differences Between Countries

From To Difference
United States (NY) United Kingdom (London) +5 Hours
United Kingdom (London) India (New Delhi) +5:30 Hours
United States (LA) Japan (Tokyo) +16 Hours
Australia (Sydney) United States (NY) -14 to -16 Hours
Germany (Berlin) UAE (Dubai) +3 Hours

* Note: Time differences can change due to Daylight Saving Time adjustments in different regions.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why does India have a :30 minute offset?

Most time zones are whole hours, but some like India (IST), Iran, and parts of Australia use 30 or 45-minute offsets to better align solar time with their geography. India is UTC+5:30.

What is the International Date Line?

An imaginary line in the Pacific Ocean. Crossing it west adds a day; crossing east subtracts a day. It's why Australia sees the New Year before the USA.

When do clocks change for DST?

It depends on the country. The US usually changes in March and November. The EU changes in late March and late October. Southern Hemisphere countries (like Australia) change in opposite months.

How to combat jet lag?

Start adjusting your sleep schedule a few days before your flight. Upon arrival, seek sunlight in the morning to reset your circadian rhythm to the new time zone.

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