Current Time in London
Greenwich/British Summer (GMT/BST)
Time in London vs Other Cities
About London Time Zone
London operates on Greenwich/British Summer (GMT/BST). London observes summer time (DST), shifting clocks forward one hour in March and back in October.
Quick Time Zone Facts
Time Zone: Greenwich Mean Time / British Summer Time — Standard Offset: UTC+0 (GMT) — DST Offset: UTC+1 (BST)
Country: United Kingdom
London follows the time zone rules set by the local government, which may include seasonal adjustments. When scheduling across time zones, always verify the current offset rather than relying on memorized differences, as DST transitions happen on different dates in different countries and some regions opt out entirely.
The Prime Meridian
London holds a unique position in global timekeeping as the home of the Prime Meridian at the Royal Observatory in Greenwich. Greenwich Mean Time (GMT) serves as the baseline reference for every other time zone on Earth — all offsets are measured as hours ahead of or behind GMT. While UTC (Coordinated Universal Time) has technically replaced GMT as the world standard, the terms are often used interchangeably for civilian purposes. London sits at the literal center of world time.
Financial Markets
The London Stock Exchange opens at 8:00 AM GMT and closes at 4:30 PM GMT. London's time zone creates a crucial overlap window with both Asian and American markets. From roughly 8:00 AM to 9:00 AM GMT, London overlaps with the tail end of Asian trading. From 1:00 PM to 4:30 PM GMT (when New York opens at 9:30 AM ET), London overlaps with US markets. This overlap period sees the highest forex trading volumes globally — over 43% of all global foreign exchange transactions pass through London.
Daylight Saving Time
The UK switches to British Summer Time (BST) on the last Sunday in March, moving clocks forward one hour to UTC+1. Clocks fall back to GMT on the last Sunday in October. Because the UK and US change their clocks on different dates, the time difference between London and New York fluctuates: it's normally 5 hours, but drops to 4 hours for a few weeks in late March (when the US has already sprung forward but the UK hasn't yet) and again in late October.
Scheduling Tips
London time makes it a natural hub for international teams. A 9 AM meeting in London catches Hong Kong at 5 PM (end of their business day), Dubai at 1 PM, and New York at 4 AM (too early). The sweet spot for London-to-US calls is typically 2 PM to 5 PM GMT, which catches the East Coast at 9 AM to 12 PM. For London-to-Asia coordination, morning meetings in London work best — 8 AM GMT is 4 PM in Hong Kong and 5 PM in Tokyo.
Time Zone Guide: London
London operates on DOCT. When scheduling calls, meetings, or travel involving London, keep these practical tips in mind to avoid confusion and missed connections.
Business hours: Standard business hours in London are typically 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM local time. If you are scheduling across time zones, find the overlap window where both parties are within business hours. For international meetings, this often means early morning or late afternoon for one party.
Daylight Saving Time: Be aware that DST rules vary by country, particularly relevant for time in london, where local variables and personal factors interact with these broader trends to produce outcomes that differ from national averages.
Quick reference: When it is noon in London, use the time zone converter above to see what time it is in your location. Bookmark this page for quick access whenever you need to coordinate across time zones. For recurring meetings, set calendar events with the correct time zone specified to avoid confusion when DST changes occur.