Riyadh to Toronto
-7hRiyadh
ASTSOURCEToronto
EDTGreen rows indicate typical business hours (9 AM - 5 PM)
AST and EDT on the World Map
The map below highlights the AST (Arabia Standard Time) and EDT (Eastern Standard Time) timezone regions across the globe.
AST – Arabia Standard Time
UTC+03:00Arabia Standard Time (AST, UTC+03:00) is the time zone for Saudi Arabia and the other Gulf states of the Arabian peninsula.
- •None of the Gulf states on Arabia Standard Time observe daylight saving.
- •AST is the same offset as Moscow Standard Time and East Africa Time.
- •Riyadh is one hour ahead of Central European Time in winter.
- •The AST abbreviation is shared with Atlantic Standard Time (UTC-04:00).
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 Riyadh
WikipediaRiyadh operates on Arabia Standard Time (AST), UTC+3. As OPEC's de facto capital and home to Tadawul, Riyadh time impacts global energy markets.
Riyadh is growing rapidly as part of Saudi Vision 2030 modernization.
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.
Riyadh vs Toronto: Offsets, DST and Best Call Times
Riyadh runs on Arabian Standard Time (AST) at UTC+03:00. Toronto runs on Eastern Daylight Time (EDT) at UTC-04:00, also currently on daylight saving time. That puts Riyadh 7 hours behind Toronto — a difference of -7h at the current offsets.
In practice, when it is 9:00 AM in Riyadh it is 2:00 AM in Toronto. Midnight in Riyadh is 5:00 PM in Toronto.Toronto observes daylight saving time while Riyadh does not, so the gap narrows or widens by an hour part of the year.
Riyadh to Toronto time conversion table
| Riyadh (AST) | Toronto (EDT) | Day |
|---|---|---|
| 12:00 AM | 5:00 PM | previous day |
| 6:00 AM | 11:00 PM | previous day |
| 7:00 AM | 12:00 AM | same day |
| 8:00 AM | 1:00 AM | same day |
| 9:00 AM | 2:00 AM | same day |
| 12:00 PM | 5:00 AM | same day |
| 3:00 PM | 8:00 AM | same day |
| 5:00 PM | 10:00 AM | same day |
| 6:00 PM | 11:00 AM | same day |
| 9:00 PM | 2:00 PM | same day |
Why people convert Riyadh to Toronto time
- Scheduling a call from Riyadh to Toronto: a 10:00 AM start in Riyadh lands at 3:00 AM in Toronto, so you can confirm the slot without doing the arithmetic yourself.
- Finding shared working hours: both Riyadh and Toronto are inside the 9-to-5 working day between 4:00 PM and 5:00 PM AST time (9:00 AM–10:00 AM EDT). That is roughly 1 hours of usable overlap.
- Coordinating a Riyadh-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 AST" is unambiguous; "3 PM" across a -7h gap is not.
- Block 4:00 PM–5:00 PM AST as the recurring meeting window if you work primarily from Riyadh and need Toronto colleagues present.
- Toronto: Clocks fall back on Sun, Nov 1, 2026. Any meeting series spanning that date will shift by an hour in local time.
About AST (Arabia Standard Time)
Arabia Standard Time (AST) is fixed at UTC+03:00 all year across Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain, Iraq and Yemen. None of these countries observes daylight saving time, so the offset never changes. The abbreviation collides with Atlantic Standard Time (UTC-04:00) used in eastern Canada and the Caribbean; this page covers the Arabian peninsula meaning. Arabia Standard Time is the same offset as Moscow Standard Time and East Africa Time, which makes scheduling with Europe straightforward — Riyadh is one hour ahead of Central European Time in winter and level with it during European summer time.
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 Riyadh and Toronto
Both Riyadh and Toronto sit inside the 9 AM – 5 PM working day between 4:00 PM–5:00 PM AST, which is 9:00 AM–10:00 AM EDT. That gives roughly 1 hours of shared time — the safest window for a live call or meeting.
Business hours overlap
Riyadh and Toronto overlap for only 60 minutes (4:00 PM–5:00 PM AST), so meetings have to be booked precisely.
Riyadh is 7 hours behind Toronto (AST UTC+03:00 → EDT UTC-04:00). The shared working window is 4:00 PM–5:00 PM AST. Remember to re-check around daylight-saving transitions.
🕐 Daylight Saving Time Info
Riyadh
Does not observe DST
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 Riyadh and Toronto?
Riyadh (AST, UTC+03:00) is 7 hours behind Toronto (EDT, UTC-04:00). The gap is currently -7h.
How do I convert Riyadh time to Toronto time?
Add -7h to Riyadh local time. For example, 9:00 AM in Riyadh is 2:00 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 -7h offset from Riyadh.
What is the best time to call Toronto from Riyadh?
Call between 4:00 PM and 5:00 PM AST — that maps to 9:00 AM–10:00 AM EDT and keeps both parties inside the working day.
Which is behind, Riyadh or Toronto?
Riyadh is 7 hours behind Toronto. When it is 12:00 PM in Riyadh it is 5:00 AM in Toronto.
Do Riyadh and Toronto use different time zones?
Riyadh (Saudi Arabia) uses AST at UTC+03:00, while Toronto (Canada) uses EDT at UTC-04:00. The IANA identifiers are Asia/Riyadh and America/Toronto.
Does daylight saving time affect the Riyadh–Toronto difference?
Yes at the moment: Toronto is on daylight saving time and Riyadh is not, so the -7h gap shifts by an hour when exactly one of them changes clocks.
Which other cities share Riyadh's time zone?
AST also covers Riyadh, Jeddah, Doha, Kuwait City, Baghdad.
Which countries use AST, Riyadh's zone?
AST is used in Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain, Iraq, Yemen.
Is there a day difference between Riyadh and Toronto?
Not normally. The -7h gap only pushes the date over the previous day.
What is the time difference between Riyadh and Toronto?
Toronto is -7h from Riyadh.
What timezone is Riyadh in?
Riyadh operates on Arabia Standard Time (AST), UTC+3. As OPEC's de facto capital and home to Tadawul, Riyadh time impacts global energy markets.
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 Riyadh?
Standard business hours in Riyadh are 8:00 AM - 4:00 PM AST (Sunday-Thursday).
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 Riyadh and Toronto?
The best overlap for a call is when both cities are in business hours. Riyadh works 8:00 AM - 4:00 PM AST (Sunday-Thursday) and Toronto works 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM EST (-7h difference). Try scheduling during the overlapping window for maximum convenience.
What currencies are used in Riyadh and Toronto?
Riyadh uses SAR (﷼) while Toronto uses CAD (C$). Check current exchange rates when planning travel or business between these cities.
How do Riyadh and Toronto compare in size?
Riyadh has a population of approximately 7.7 million (metro: 7.7 million), while Toronto has approximately 2.9 million (metro: 6.3 million).
What are the major landmarks in Riyadh and Toronto?
Riyadh is known for Kingdom Centre, Masmak Fortress, National Museum. Toronto is famous for CN Tower, Royal Ontario Museum, Ripley's Aquarium.
Do Riyadh and Toronto have stock exchanges?
Yes. Riyadh has the Tadawul (Saudi Stock Exchange) and Toronto has the TSX (Toronto Stock Exchange). The -7h time difference affects trading hour overlaps between these exchanges.
Which countries use AST (Arabia Standard Time)?
AST is used in Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain, Iraq, Yemen.
Does AST observe daylight saving time?
No, AST does not observe daylight saving time and remains at UTC+03:00 year-round.
What are some interesting facts about AST?
None of the Gulf states on Arabia Standard Time observe daylight saving. AST is the same offset as Moscow Standard Time and East Africa Time.
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 Riyadh, what time is it in Toronto?
When it is 12:00 AM (midnight) in Riyadh (AST), it is -7h later in Toronto (EST).
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