Sydney to CAT
-8hSydney
AESTSOURCECAT
CATGreen rows indicate typical business hours (9 AM - 5 PM)
AEST and CAT on the World Map
The map below highlights the AEST (Australian Eastern Standard Time) and CAT (Central Africa Time) timezone regions across the globe.
AEST – Australian Eastern Standard Time
UTC+10:00Australian Eastern Standard Time (AEST) covers eastern Australia, 10 hours ahead of UTC.
- •Queensland does not observe daylight saving time, staying on AEST year-round.
- •Sydney and Melbourne switch to AEDT (UTC+11:00) in summer.
- •The Australian Securities Exchange (ASX) operates on AEST/AEDT.
- •AEST is 15 hours ahead of EST during winter.
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.
About Sydney
WikipediaSydney operates on Australian Eastern Standard Time (AEST/AEDT). As Australia's financial capital, Sydney opens global markets at the start of the business day.
Sydney is one of the first major cities to welcome the New Year.
Time Conversion Guide: Sydney to CAT
Sydney runs on Australian Eastern Standard Time (AEST) at UTC+10:00. CAT runs on Central Africa Time (CAT) at UTC+02:00. That puts Sydney 8 hours behind CAT — a difference of -8h at the current offsets.
In practice, when it is 9:00 AM in Sydney it is 1:00 AM in CAT. Midnight in Sydney is 4:00 PM in CAT. Neither zone observes daylight saving time, so the offset between them stays constant all year.
Sydney to CAT time conversion table
| Sydney (AEST) | CAT (CAT) | Day |
|---|---|---|
| 12:00 AM | 4:00 PM | previous day |
| 6:00 AM | 10:00 PM | previous day |
| 7:00 AM | 11:00 PM | previous day |
| 8:00 AM | 12:00 AM | same day |
| 9:00 AM | 1:00 AM | same day |
| 12:00 PM | 4:00 AM | same day |
| 3:00 PM | 7:00 AM | same day |
| 5:00 PM | 9:00 AM | same day |
| 6:00 PM | 10:00 AM | same day |
| 9:00 PM | 1:00 PM | same day |
Why people convert Sydney to CAT time
- Scheduling a call from Sydney to CAT: a 10:00 AM start in Sydney lands at 2:00 AM in CAT, so you can confirm the slot without doing the arithmetic yourself.
- Handling a -8h gap: Sydney and CAT have no overlap inside a normal 9-to-5 day, so real-time meetings need an early-morning or late-evening slot on one side. 9:00 AM in CAT is 1:00 AM in Sydney.
- Watching a live event or market open: Sydney viewers need 1:00 AM in CAT to catch a 9:00 AM start there, and 8:00 AM if the event is anchored to Sydney.
- Always state the zone abbreviation, not just the hour. "3:00 PM AEST" is unambiguous; "3 PM" across a -8h gap is not.
- With a -8h gap there is no shared 9-to-5 window, so alternate the early start: one week Sydney takes the early slot, the next week CAT does.
- Sydney: Clocks spring forward on Sat, Oct 3, 2026. Re-check this page after that date because the offset changes and so does the -8h gap.
About AEST (Australian Eastern Standard Time)
Australian Eastern Standard Time (AEST) is used in the eastern states of Australia including New South Wales, Victoria, Queensland, Tasmania, and the ACT. During summer (October to April), NSW, VIC, TAS, and ACT switch to Australian Eastern Daylight Time (AEDT, UTC+11:00), while Queensland remains on AEST year-round.
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 Sydney and CAT
With a -8h offset there is no overlap inside a normal 9 AM – 5 PM day. CAT opens at 9:00 AM CAT, which is 1:00 AM in Sydney, so real-time calls need an early-morning or late-evening slot on one side.
Business hours overlap
Sydney and CAT have no shared working hours because of the -8h gap. Teams need to alternate early starts or rely on asynchronous handovers.
Sydney is 8 hours behind CAT (AEST UTC+10:00 → CAT UTC+02:00). There is no shared 9-to-5 window, so plan around an early or late slot. Remember to re-check around daylight-saving transitions.
🕐 Daylight Saving Time Info
Sydney
❄ Currently in Standard Time
Standard: UTC+10:00 · DST: UTC+11:00
Clocks spring forward on Sat, Oct 3, 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 Sydney and CAT?
Sydney (AEST, UTC+10:00) is 8 hours behind CAT (CAT, UTC+02:00). The gap is currently -8h.
How do I convert Sydney time to CAT time?
Add -8h to Sydney local time. For example, 9:00 AM in Sydney is 1:00 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 -8h offset from Sydney.
What is the best time to call CAT from Sydney?
There is no shared working-hours window because of the -8h gap. The closest option is 1:00 PM in Sydney, which is 5:00 AM in CAT.
Which is behind, Sydney or CAT?
Sydney is 8 hours behind CAT. When it is 12:00 PM in Sydney it is 4:00 AM in CAT.
Do Sydney and CAT use different time zones?
Sydney (Australia) uses AEST at UTC+10:00, while CAT uses CAT at UTC+02:00. The IANA identifiers are Australia/Sydney and Africa/Harare.
Does daylight saving time affect the Sydney–CAT difference?
Neither zone observes daylight saving time, so the -8h offset between Sydney and CAT is fixed all year.
Which other cities share Sydney's time zone?
AEST also covers Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Canberra, Hobart, Gold Coast.
Which countries use AEST, Sydney's zone?
AEST is used in Australia (NSW, VIC, QLD, TAS, ACT), Papua New Guinea.
Is there a day difference between Sydney and CAT?
Not normally. The -8h gap only pushes the date over the previous day.
What is the time difference between Sydney and CAT?
CAT is -8h from Sydney.
What timezone is Sydney in?
Sydney operates on Australian Eastern Standard Time (AEST/AEDT). As Australia's financial capital, Sydney opens global markets at the start of the business day.
What timezone is CAT in?
CAT operates on its local timezone.
What are the business hours in Sydney?
Standard business hours in Sydney are 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM AEST.
Which countries use AEST (Australian Eastern Standard Time)?
AEST is used in Australia (NSW, VIC, QLD, TAS, ACT), Papua New Guinea.
Does AEST observe daylight saving time?
Yes, AEST switches to AEDT during summer months.
What are some interesting facts about AEST?
Queensland does not observe daylight saving time, staying on AEST year-round. Sydney and Melbourne switch to AEDT (UTC+11:00) in summer.
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 Sydney, what time is it in CAT?
When it is 12:00 AM (midnight) in Sydney (AEST), it is -8h later in CAT (CAT).
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