London to Toronto
-5hLondon
BSTSOURCEToronto
EDTGreen rows indicate typical business hours (9 AM - 5 PM)
BST and EDT on the World Map
The map below highlights the BST (Greenwich Mean Time) and EDT (Eastern Standard Time) timezone regions across the globe.
GMT – Greenwich Mean Time
UTC+00:00Greenwich Mean Time (GMT) is the mean solar time at the Royal Observatory in Greenwich, London. It is the same as UTC+00:00.
- •GMT is based on the Prime Meridian (0° longitude) passing through Greenwich, London.
- •The Royal Observatory in Greenwich has been the reference point for GMT since 1884.
- •GMT and UTC are often used interchangeably, but UTC is based on atomic clocks.
- •Iceland uses GMT year-round and never observes daylight saving time.
- •The UK switches from GMT to BST (British Summer Time) in late March each year.
EST – Eastern Standard Time
UTC-05:00Eastern Standard Time (EST) is the time zone for the eastern United States and Canada, 5 hours behind UTC.
- •EST is the most widely used time zone in the United States by population.
- •The New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) and NASDAQ operate on Eastern Time, opening at 9:30 AM EST.
- •23 US states are fully or partially in the Eastern Time Zone.
- •EST was established by the Standard Time Act of 1918.
- •Over 47% of the US population lives in the Eastern Time Zone.
About London
WikipediaLondon, where Greenwich Mean Time (GMT) originates, is the world's leading financial center alongside New York. The city bridges European and American business hours.
Big Ben is actually the name of the bell inside the Elizabeth Tower, not the tower itself.
About Toronto
WikipediaToronto shares Eastern Time (EST/EDT) with New York. As Canada's largest city and financial center, Toronto's TSX is among North America's largest stock exchanges.
Toronto is the most multicultural city in the world - over 50% of residents were born outside Canada.
Everything You Need to Know About London and Toronto Time
London runs on British Summer Time (BST) at UTC+01:00, currently observing daylight saving time. Toronto runs on Eastern Daylight Time (EDT) at UTC-04:00, also currently on daylight saving time. That puts London 5 hours behind Toronto — a difference of -5h at the current offsets.
In practice, when it is 9:00 AM in London it is 4:00 AM in Toronto. Midnight in London is 7:00 PM in Toronto. Because both zones shift for daylight saving, the gap between them only changes during the few weeks each year when their transition dates differ.
London to Toronto time conversion table
| London (BST) | Toronto (EDT) | Day |
|---|---|---|
| 12:00 AM | 7:00 PM | previous day |
| 6:00 AM | 1:00 AM | same day |
| 7:00 AM | 2:00 AM | same day |
| 8:00 AM | 3:00 AM | same day |
| 9:00 AM | 4:00 AM | same day |
| 12:00 PM | 7:00 AM | same day |
| 3:00 PM | 10:00 AM | same day |
| 5:00 PM | 12:00 PM | same day |
| 6:00 PM | 1:00 PM | same day |
| 9:00 PM | 4:00 PM | same day |
Why people convert London to Toronto time
- Scheduling a call from London to Toronto: a 10:00 AM start in London lands at 5:00 AM in Toronto, so you can confirm the slot without doing the arithmetic yourself.
- Finding shared working hours: both London and Toronto are inside the 9-to-5 working day between 2:00 PM and 5:00 PM BST time (9:00 AM–12:00 PM EDT). That is roughly 3 hours of usable overlap.
- Coordinating a London-based team with Toronto contacts: quoting times in the other side's local clock — not your own — removes the single biggest source of missed meetings.
- Always state the zone abbreviation, not just the hour. "3:00 PM BST" is unambiguous; "3 PM" across a -5h gap is not.
- Block 2:00 PM–5:00 PM BST as the recurring meeting window if you work primarily from London and need Toronto colleagues present.
- London: Clocks fall back on Sun, Oct 25, 2026. Re-check this page after that date because the offset changes and so does the -5h gap.
- Toronto: Clocks fall back on Sun, Nov 1, 2026. Any meeting series spanning that date will shift by an hour in local time.
About GMT (Greenwich Mean Time)
Greenwich Mean Time (GMT) is the clock time at the Royal Observatory in Greenwich, London, which sits on the Prime Meridian (0° longitude). GMT serves as the reference point from which all other time zones are calculated. The United Kingdom uses GMT during winter months and switches to British Summer Time (BST, UTC+01:00) from late March to late October. Several West African nations use GMT year-round. GMT is often used interchangeably with UTC (Coordinated Universal Time), although technically they are different – UTC is based on atomic clocks while GMT is based on Earth's rotation.
About EST (Eastern Standard Time)
Eastern Standard Time (EST) is observed during the winter months in the eastern part of North America. It covers 23 US states and parts of Canada including Ontario and Quebec. EST is the most populous time zone in the United States, home to major financial centers like New York City and global organizations headquartered in Washington D.C. During daylight saving time (March–November), clocks shift to Eastern Daylight Time (EDT, UTC-04:00). The time zone also covers parts of the Caribbean and Central America including Panama, Jamaica, and the Cayman Islands.
Best time to call between London and Toronto
Both London and Toronto sit inside the 9 AM – 5 PM working day between 2:00 PM–5:00 PM BST, which is 9:00 AM–12:00 PM EDT. That gives roughly 3 hours of shared time — the safest window for a live call or meeting.
Business hours overlap
London and Toronto overlap for about 3 hours during the working day — enough for meetings if you avoid the edges of the window.
London is 5 hours behind Toronto (BST UTC+01:00 → EDT UTC-04:00). The shared working window is 2:00 PM–5:00 PM BST. Remember to re-check around daylight-saving transitions.
🕐 Daylight Saving Time Info
London
☀ Currently in DST
Standard: UTC+00:00 · DST: UTC+01:00
Clocks fall back on Sun, Oct 25, 2026
Toronto
☀ Currently in DST
Standard: UTC-05:00 · DST: UTC-04:00
Clocks fall back on Sun, Nov 1, 2026
Learn More About Time
Dive deeper into the fascinating world of timekeeping, time zones, and how they shape our global society:
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the time difference between London and Toronto?
London (BST, UTC+01:00) is 5 hours behind Toronto (EDT, UTC-04:00). The gap is currently -5h.
How do I convert London time to Toronto time?
Add -5h to London local time. For example, 9:00 AM in London is 4:00 AM in Toronto.
What time is it in Toronto right now?
Toronto uses EDT at UTC-04:00. Use the live converter at the top of this page — it updates in real time and already accounts for the -5h offset from London.
What is the best time to call Toronto from London?
Call between 2:00 PM and 5:00 PM BST — that maps to 9:00 AM–12:00 PM EDT and keeps both parties inside the working day.
Which is behind, London or Toronto?
London is 5 hours behind Toronto. When it is 12:00 PM in London it is 7:00 AM in Toronto.
Do London and Toronto use different time zones?
London (UK) uses BST at UTC+01:00, while Toronto (Canada) uses EDT at UTC-04:00. The IANA identifiers are Europe/London and America/Toronto.
Does daylight saving time affect the London–Toronto difference?
Both zones observe DST, so the difference stays at -5h for most of the year and only changes during the weeks when their transition dates do not line up.
Which other cities share London's time zone?
BST also covers London, Dublin, Lisbon, Accra, Reykjavik, Edinburgh, Casablanca, Dakar and 5 more.
Which countries use BST, London's zone?
BST is used in United Kingdom, Ireland, Iceland, Portugal (mainland), Ghana, Senegal, Mali, Mauritania and 7 more.
Is there a day difference between London and Toronto?
Not normally. The -5h gap only pushes the date over the previous day.
What is the time difference between London and Toronto?
Toronto is -5h from London.
What timezone is London in?
London, where Greenwich Mean Time (GMT) originates, is the world's leading financial center alongside New York. The city bridges European and American business hours.
What timezone is Toronto in?
Toronto shares Eastern Time (EST/EDT) with New York. As Canada's largest city and financial center, Toronto's TSX is among North America's largest stock exchanges.
What are the business hours in London?
Standard business hours in London are 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM GMT.
What are the business hours in Toronto?
Standard business hours in Toronto are 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM EST.
What is the best time to schedule a call between London and Toronto?
The best overlap for a call is when both cities are in business hours. London works 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM GMT and Toronto works 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM EST (-5h difference). Try scheduling during the overlapping window for maximum convenience.
What currencies are used in London and Toronto?
London uses GBP (£) while Toronto uses CAD (C$). Check current exchange rates when planning travel or business between these cities.
How do London and Toronto compare in size?
London has a population of approximately 8.8 million (metro: 14.8 million), while Toronto has approximately 2.9 million (metro: 6.3 million).
What are the major landmarks in London and Toronto?
London is known for Big Ben, Tower Bridge, Buckingham Palace. Toronto is famous for CN Tower, Royal Ontario Museum, Ripley's Aquarium.
Do London and Toronto have stock exchanges?
Yes. London has the LSE (London Stock Exchange) and Toronto has the TSX (Toronto Stock Exchange). The -5h time difference affects trading hour overlaps between these exchanges.
Which countries use GMT (Greenwich Mean Time)?
GMT is used in United Kingdom, Ireland, Iceland, Portugal (mainland), Ghana, Senegal, and 9 more countries.
Does GMT observe daylight saving time?
Yes, GMT switches to BST during summer months.
What are some interesting facts about GMT?
GMT is based on the Prime Meridian (0° longitude) passing through Greenwich, London. The Royal Observatory in Greenwich has been the reference point for GMT since 1884.
Which cities are in the EST timezone?
Major cities in the EST timezone include New York City, Washington D.C., Miami, Toronto, Philadelphia, Atlanta, Boston, Montreal.
What is the UTC offset for EST?
Eastern Standard Time (EST) is at UTC-05:00. During daylight saving time, it shifts to EDT.
What should I know about the EST timezone?
EST is the most widely used time zone in the United States by population. The New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) and NASDAQ operate on Eastern Time, opening at 9:30 AM EST.
When is it midnight in London, what time is it in Toronto?
When it is 12:00 AM (midnight) in London (GMT), it is -5h later in Toronto (EST).
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