CET to CAT
+1hCET
CETSOURCECAT
CATGreen rows indicate typical business hours (9 AM - 5 PM)
CET and CAT on the World Map
The map below highlights the CET (Central European Time) and CAT (Central Africa Time) timezone regions across the globe.
CET – Central European Time
UTC+01:00Central European Time (CET) is used across most of Western and Central Europe, 1 hour ahead of UTC.
- •CET covers more European countries than any other time zone.
- •Spain uses CET despite being geographically aligned with GMT/WET.
- •The Frankfurt Stock Exchange, Euronext (Amsterdam/Paris), and Borsa Italiana operate on CET.
- •Over 500 million people live in the CET time zone.
- •France moved to CET during the German occupation in WWII and never switched back.
CAT – Central Africa Time
UTC+02:00Central Africa Time (CAT, UTC+02:00) covers Zimbabwe, Zambia, Mozambique, Malawi and neighbouring countries.
- •Central Africa Time is fixed at UTC+02:00 with no daylight saving.
- •CAT matches South Africa Standard Time (SAST) all year.
- •It is the same offset as Central European Time in winter.
- •Harare is level with Johannesburg and one hour ahead of Lagos.
CET vs CAT: Offsets, DST and Best Call Times
CET runs on Central European Time (CET) at UTC+01:00. CAT runs on Central Africa Time (CAT) at UTC+02:00. That puts CET 1 hour ahead of CAT — a difference of +1h at the current offsets.
In practice, when it is 9:00 AM in CET it is 10:00 AM in CAT. Midnight in CET is 1:00 AM in CAT. Neither zone observes daylight saving time, so the offset between them stays constant all year.
CET to CAT time conversion table
| CET (CET) | CAT (CAT) | Day |
|---|---|---|
| 12:00 AM | 1:00 AM | same day |
| 6:00 AM | 7:00 AM | same day |
| 7:00 AM | 8:00 AM | same day |
| 8:00 AM | 9:00 AM | same day |
| 9:00 AM | 10:00 AM | same day |
| 12:00 PM | 1:00 PM | same day |
| 3:00 PM | 4:00 PM | same day |
| 5:00 PM | 6:00 PM | same day |
| 6:00 PM | 7:00 PM | same day |
| 9:00 PM | 10:00 PM | same day |
Why people convert CET to CAT time
- Scheduling a call from CET to CAT: a 10:00 AM start in CET lands at 11:00 AM in CAT, so you can confirm the slot without doing the arithmetic yourself.
- Finding shared working hours: both CET and CAT are inside the 9-to-5 working day between 9:00 AM and 4:00 PM CET time (10:00 AM–5:00 PM CAT). That is roughly 7 hours of usable overlap.
- Keeping family and friends in sync: knowing that 8:00 PM in CET is 9:00 PM in CAT makes it easy to avoid calling at 3 AM.
- Always state the zone abbreviation, not just the hour. "3:00 PM CET" is unambiguous; "3 PM" across a +1h gap is not.
- Block 9:00 AM–4:00 PM CET as the recurring meeting window if you work primarily from CET and need CAT colleagues present.
About CET (Central European Time)
Central European Time (CET) is the standard time zone for most of Europe, covering over 30 countries from Spain to Poland, and from Norway to Italy. CET is 1 hour ahead of GMT and is used by the European Union's most populous nations. During summer, most CET countries switch to Central European Summer Time (CEST, UTC+02:00). Major European financial markets in Frankfurt, Paris, and Amsterdam operate on CET.
About CAT (Central Africa Time)
Central Africa Time (CAT) is fixed at UTC+02:00 all year across a broad belt of southern and central Africa, including Zimbabwe, Zambia, Mozambique, Malawi, Rwanda, Burundi and the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo. None of these countries observes daylight saving time, so CAT never shifts. It is the same offset as South Africa Standard Time (SAST) and the winter version of Central European Time, which makes CAT a convenient bridge between African, European and Middle Eastern schedules — Harare is level with Johannesburg all year and one hour ahead of Lagos.
Best time to call between CET and CAT
Both CET and CAT sit inside the 9 AM – 5 PM working day between 9:00 AM–4:00 PM CET, which is 10:00 AM–5:00 PM CAT. That gives roughly 7 hours of shared time — the safest window for a live call or meeting.
Business hours overlap
CET and CAT share 7 hours of working-hours overlap (9:00 AM–4:00 PM CET), so scheduling a live meeting is straightforward.
CET is 1 hour ahead of CAT (CET UTC+01:00 → CAT UTC+02:00). The shared working window is 9:00 AM–4:00 PM CET. Remember to re-check around daylight-saving transitions.
🕐 Daylight Saving Time Info
CET
☀ Currently in DST
Standard: UTC+01:00 · DST: UTC+02:00
Clocks fall back on Sun, Oct 25, 2026
CAT
Does not observe DST
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 CET and CAT?
CET (CET, UTC+01:00) is 1 hour ahead of CAT (CAT, UTC+02:00). The gap is currently +1h.
How do I convert CET time to CAT time?
Add +1h to CET local time. For example, 9:00 AM in CET is 10:00 AM in CAT.
What time is it in CAT right now?
CAT uses CAT at UTC+02:00. Use the live converter at the top of this page — it updates in real time and already accounts for the +1h offset from CET.
What is the best time to call CAT from CET?
Call between 9:00 AM and 4:00 PM CET — that maps to 10:00 AM–5:00 PM CAT and keeps both parties inside the working day.
Which is ahead, CET or CAT?
CET is 1 hour ahead of CAT. When it is 12:00 PM in CET it is 1:00 PM in CAT.
Does daylight saving time affect the CET–CAT difference?
Neither zone observes daylight saving time, so the +1h offset between CET and CAT is fixed all year.
Which other cities share CET's time zone?
CET also covers Paris, Berlin, Rome, Madrid, Amsterdam, Brussels, Vienna, Warsaw and 10 more.
Which countries use CET, CET's zone?
CET is used in Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Netherlands, Belgium, Austria, Switzerland and 19 more.
Is there a day difference between CET and CAT?
Not normally. The +1h gap only pushes the date over for late-evening times.
What is the time difference between CET and CAT?
CAT is +1h from CET.
What timezone is CET in?
CET operates on its local timezone.
What timezone is CAT in?
CAT operates on its local timezone.
Which countries use CET (Central European Time)?
CET is used in Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Netherlands, Belgium, and 21 more countries.
Does CET observe daylight saving time?
Yes, CET switches to CEST during summer months.
What are some interesting facts about CET?
CET covers more European countries than any other time zone. Spain uses CET despite being geographically aligned with GMT/WET.
Which cities are in the CAT timezone?
Major cities in the CAT timezone include Harare, Lusaka, Maputo, Lilongwe, Kigali.
What is the UTC offset for CAT?
Central Africa Time (CAT) is at UTC+02:00.
What should I know about the CAT timezone?
Central Africa Time is fixed at UTC+02:00 with no daylight saving. CAT matches South Africa Standard Time (SAST) all year.
When is it midnight in CET, what time is it in CAT?
When it is 12:00 AM (midnight) in CET (CET), it is +1h later in CAT (CAT).
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