Shanghai to Helsinki
-5hShanghai
CSTSOURCEHelsinki
EESTGreen rows indicate typical business hours (9 AM - 5 PM)
CST and EEST on the World Map
The map below highlights the CST (China Standard Time) and EEST (Eastern European Time) timezone regions across the globe.
CST – China Standard Time
UTC+08:00China Standard Time (CST) covers all of mainland China, 8 hours ahead of UTC.
- •China uses a single time zone despite spanning 5 geographical zones.
- •In Xinjiang (western China), sunset can be as late as midnight in summer.
- •China abolished daylight saving time in 1991.
- •The Shanghai Stock Exchange operates on CST/Beijing Time.
EET – Eastern European Time
UTC+02:00Eastern European Time (EET) is used in Eastern Europe, the Middle East, and northeastern Africa, 2 hours ahead of UTC.
- •EET covers countries across three continents: Europe, Asia, and Africa.
- •Cairo is the most populous city in the EET zone.
- •Turkey used to be on EET but permanently moved to UTC+03:00 in 2016.
- •Finland, the Baltic states, and Greece all use EET.
About Shanghai
WikipediaShanghai operates on China Standard Time (CST), UTC+8. As China's economic powerhouse and home to the SSE, Shanghai time is essential for global investors.
The Maglev train from Shanghai airport reaches 431 km/h, the fastest commercial train in the world.
About Helsinki
WikipediaHelsinki operates on Eastern European Time (EET/EEST), UTC+2. As a global gaming and design hub, Helsinki coordinates with EU and Russian markets.
Finland has been ranked the world's happiest country for several consecutive years.
Understanding the -5h Gap: Shanghai vs Helsinki
Shanghai runs on China Standard Time (CST) at UTC+08:00. Helsinki runs on Eastern European Summer Time (EEST) at UTC+03:00, also currently on daylight saving time. That puts Shanghai 5 hours behind Helsinki — a difference of -5h at the current offsets.
In practice, when it is 9:00 AM in Shanghai it is 4:00 AM in Helsinki. Midnight in Shanghai is 7:00 PM in Helsinki.Helsinki observes daylight saving time while Shanghai does not, so the gap narrows or widens by an hour part of the year.
Shanghai to Helsinki time conversion table
| Shanghai (CST) | Helsinki (EEST) | 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 Shanghai to Helsinki time
- Scheduling a call from Shanghai to Helsinki: a 10:00 AM start in Shanghai lands at 5:00 AM in Helsinki, so you can confirm the slot without doing the arithmetic yourself.
- Finding shared working hours: both Shanghai and Helsinki are inside the 9-to-5 working day between 2:00 PM and 5:00 PM CST time (9:00 AM–12:00 PM EEST). That is roughly 3 hours of usable overlap.
- Booking travel or deliveries: tracking Helsinki local time against Shanghai keeps pickup windows and arrival estimates honest across the -5h offset.
- Always state the zone abbreviation, not just the hour. "3:00 PM CST" is unambiguous; "3 PM" across a -5h gap is not.
- Block 2:00 PM–5:00 PM CST as the recurring meeting window if you work primarily from Shanghai and need Helsinki colleagues present.
- Helsinki: Clocks fall back on Sun, Oct 25, 2026. Any meeting series spanning that date will shift by an hour in local time.
About CST (China Standard Time)
China Standard Time (CST, also known as Beijing Time) is used across all of mainland China despite the country spanning five geographical time zones. This single-timezone policy was adopted in 1949. China does not observe daylight saving time. CST is shared with Hong Kong (HKT), Macau, Taiwan, Singapore, Malaysia, and the Philippines, making UTC+08:00 one of the most used offsets in the world.
About EET (Eastern European Time)
Eastern European Time (EET) covers a wide geographical area including Eastern Europe (Finland, Greece, Romania, Bulgaria, Ukraine), the Middle East (Israel, Lebanon, Jordan), and northeastern Africa (Egypt, Libya). During summer, most EET countries switch to Eastern European Summer Time (EEST, UTC+03:00). Turkey permanently moved to UTC+03:00 in 2016, effectively leaving EET.
Best time to call between Shanghai and Helsinki
Both Shanghai and Helsinki sit inside the 9 AM – 5 PM working day between 2:00 PM–5:00 PM CST, which is 9:00 AM–12:00 PM EEST. That gives roughly 3 hours of shared time — the safest window for a live call or meeting.
Business hours overlap
Shanghai and Helsinki overlap for about 3 hours during the working day — enough for meetings if you avoid the edges of the window.
Shanghai is 5 hours behind Helsinki (CST UTC+08:00 → EEST UTC+03:00). The shared working window is 2:00 PM–5:00 PM CST. Remember to re-check around daylight-saving transitions.
🕐 Daylight Saving Time Info
Shanghai
Does not observe DST
Helsinki
☀ Currently in DST
Standard: UTC+02:00 · DST: UTC+03:00
Clocks fall back on Sun, Oct 25, 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 Shanghai and Helsinki?
Shanghai (CST, UTC+08:00) is 5 hours behind Helsinki (EEST, UTC+03:00). The gap is currently -5h.
How do I convert Shanghai time to Helsinki time?
Add -5h to Shanghai local time. For example, 9:00 AM in Shanghai is 4:00 AM in Helsinki.
What time is it in Helsinki right now?
Helsinki uses EEST at UTC+03:00. Use the live converter at the top of this page — it updates in real time and already accounts for the -5h offset from Shanghai.
What is the best time to call Helsinki from Shanghai?
Call between 2:00 PM and 5:00 PM CST — that maps to 9:00 AM–12:00 PM EEST and keeps both parties inside the working day.
Which is behind, Shanghai or Helsinki?
Shanghai is 5 hours behind Helsinki. When it is 12:00 PM in Shanghai it is 7:00 AM in Helsinki.
Do Shanghai and Helsinki use different time zones?
Shanghai (China) uses CST at UTC+08:00, while Helsinki (Finland) uses EEST at UTC+03:00. The IANA identifiers are Asia/Shanghai and Europe/Helsinki.
Does daylight saving time affect the Shanghai–Helsinki difference?
Yes at the moment: Helsinki is on daylight saving time and Shanghai is not, so the -5h gap shifts by an hour when exactly one of them changes clocks.
Which other cities share Shanghai's time zone?
CST also covers Shanghai, Beijing, Shenzhen, Guangzhou, Chengdu, Hong Kong, Taipei, Wuhan and 2 more.
Which countries use CST, Shanghai's zone?
CST is used in China, Hong Kong, Macau, Taiwan.
Is there a day difference between Shanghai and Helsinki?
Not normally. The -5h gap only pushes the date over the previous day.
What is the time difference between Shanghai and Helsinki?
Helsinki is -5h from Shanghai.
What timezone is Shanghai in?
Shanghai operates on China Standard Time (CST), UTC+8. As China's economic powerhouse and home to the SSE, Shanghai time is essential for global investors.
What timezone is Helsinki in?
Helsinki operates on Eastern European Time (EET/EEST), UTC+2. As a global gaming and design hub, Helsinki coordinates with EU and Russian markets.
What are the business hours in Shanghai?
Standard business hours in Shanghai are 9:00 AM - 6:00 PM CST.
What are the business hours in Helsinki?
Standard business hours in Helsinki are 8:00 AM - 4:00 PM EET.
What is the best time to schedule a call between Shanghai and Helsinki?
The best overlap for a call is when both cities are in business hours. Shanghai works 9:00 AM - 6:00 PM CST and Helsinki works 8:00 AM - 4:00 PM EET (-5h difference). Try scheduling during the overlapping window for maximum convenience.
What currencies are used in Shanghai and Helsinki?
Shanghai uses CNY (¥) while Helsinki uses EUR (€). Check current exchange rates when planning travel or business between these cities.
How do Shanghai and Helsinki compare in size?
Shanghai has a population of approximately 24.9 million (metro: 28.5 million), while Helsinki has approximately 656,000 (metro: 1.5 million).
What are the major landmarks in Shanghai and Helsinki?
Shanghai is known for The Bund, Oriental Pearl Tower, Yu Garden. Helsinki is famous for Helsinki Cathedral, Suomenlinna Fortress, Temppeliaukio Church.
Do Shanghai and Helsinki have stock exchanges?
Yes. Shanghai has the SSE (Shanghai Stock Exchange) and Helsinki has the Nasdaq Helsinki. The -5h time difference affects trading hour overlaps between these exchanges.
Which countries use CST (China Standard Time)?
CST is used in China, Hong Kong, Macau, Taiwan.
Does CST observe daylight saving time?
No, CST does not observe daylight saving time and remains at UTC+08:00 year-round.
What are some interesting facts about CST?
China uses a single time zone despite spanning 5 geographical zones. In Xinjiang (western China), sunset can be as late as midnight in summer.
Which cities are in the EET timezone?
Major cities in the EET timezone include Cairo, Athens, Helsinki, Bucharest, Kyiv, Sofia, Jerusalem, Tel Aviv.
What is the UTC offset for EET?
Eastern European Time (EET) is at UTC+02:00. During daylight saving time, it shifts to EEST.
What should I know about the EET timezone?
EET covers countries across three continents: Europe, Asia, and Africa. Cairo is the most populous city in the EET zone.
When is it midnight in Shanghai, what time is it in Helsinki?
When it is 12:00 AM (midnight) in Shanghai (CST), it is -5h later in Helsinki (EET).
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