Central European Summer Time (CEST)

Central European Summer Time (CEST) is a daylight saving time zone that is UTC +2:00, meaning it is 2 hours ahead of Coordinated Universal Time.

It is used across many European countries during the summer months when clocks are set forward by one hour from Central European Time (CET).

CURRENT CEST TIME

00:00:00 CEST

Quick Facts

Time Standard: Central European Summer Time (CEST)
Offset: UTC +02:00
Daylight Saving Time: Yes (summer time only)
Used By: Most European countries during summer
Also Known As: CEST

Time Difference From CEST

Central European Summer Time is 2 hours ahead of UTC.

Examples:

New York: CEST −6 hours (−5 during DST)
London: CEST −1 hour (same as BST during summer)
Sydney: CEST +8 hours (or +9 during DST)

Daylight Saving Time

CEST itself is the daylight saving time used in Europe. It begins on the last Sunday in March and ends on the last Sunday in October, when clocks return to Central European Time (CET, UTC +1).

Best Time to Call

CEST is ideal for coordinating between Europe, Africa, and parts of Asia.

For example:

14:00 CEST may correspond to morning in North America and evening in Asia.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does CEST stand for?
CEST stands for Central European Summer Time.

Is CEST the same as CET?
No, CEST is the daylight saving version of CET and is one hour ahead.

When is CEST used?
CEST is used during the summer months in many European countries.

Where CEST Is Used

Central European Summer Time is used in:

Additional Notes

For a live CEST clock, use an IANA timezone like Europe/Paris, which automatically switches between CET and CEST depending on the time of year.