London to Zurich
+1hLondon
BSTSOURCEZurich
CESTGreen rows indicate typical business hours (9 AM - 5 PM)
BST and CEST on the World Map
The map below highlights the BST (Greenwich Mean Time) and CEST (Central European 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.
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.
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 Zurich
WikipediaZurich operates on Central European Time (CET/CEST). As the world's leading private banking center, Zurich time is essential for global wealth management.
Switzerland has four official languages: German, French, Italian, and Romansh.
London to Zurich Time Difference – Complete Guide
London runs on British Summer Time (BST) at UTC+01:00, currently observing daylight saving time. Zurich runs on Central European Summer Time (CEST) at UTC+02:00, also currently on daylight saving time. That puts London 1 hour ahead of Zurich — a difference of +1h at the current offsets.
In practice, when it is 9:00 AM in London it is 10:00 AM in Zurich. Midnight in London is 1:00 AM in Zurich. 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 Zurich time conversion table
| London (BST) | Zurich (CEST) | 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 London to Zurich time
- Scheduling a call from London to Zurich: a 10:00 AM start in London lands at 11:00 AM in Zurich, so you can confirm the slot without doing the arithmetic yourself.
- Finding shared working hours: both London and Zurich are inside the 9-to-5 working day between 9:00 AM and 4:00 PM BST time (10:00 AM–5:00 PM CEST). That is roughly 7 hours of usable overlap.
- Watching a live event or market open: London viewers need 10:00 AM in Zurich to catch a 9:00 AM start there, and 11:00 PM if the event is anchored to London.
- Always state the zone abbreviation, not just the hour. "3:00 PM BST" is unambiguous; "3 PM" across a +1h gap is not.
- Block 9:00 AM–4:00 PM BST as the recurring meeting window if you work primarily from London and need Zurich 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 +1h gap.
- Zurich: Clocks fall back on Sun, Oct 25, 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 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.
Best time to call between London and Zurich
Both London and Zurich sit inside the 9 AM – 5 PM working day between 9:00 AM–4:00 PM BST, which is 10:00 AM–5:00 PM CEST. That gives roughly 7 hours of shared time — the safest window for a live call or meeting.
Business hours overlap
London and Zurich share 7 hours of working-hours overlap (9:00 AM–4:00 PM BST), so scheduling a live meeting is straightforward.
London is 1 hour ahead of Zurich (BST UTC+01:00 → CEST UTC+02:00). The shared working window is 9:00 AM–4:00 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
Zurich
☀ Currently in DST
Standard: UTC+01:00 · DST: UTC+02:00
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 London and Zurich?
London (BST, UTC+01:00) is 1 hour ahead of Zurich (CEST, UTC+02:00). The gap is currently +1h.
How do I convert London time to Zurich time?
Add +1h to London local time. For example, 9:00 AM in London is 10:00 AM in Zurich.
What time is it in Zurich right now?
Zurich uses CEST 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 London.
What is the best time to call Zurich from London?
Call between 9:00 AM and 4:00 PM BST — that maps to 10:00 AM–5:00 PM CEST and keeps both parties inside the working day.
Which is ahead, London or Zurich?
London is 1 hour ahead of Zurich. When it is 12:00 PM in London it is 1:00 PM in Zurich.
Do London and Zurich use different time zones?
London (UK) uses BST at UTC+01:00, while Zurich (Switzerland) uses CEST at UTC+02:00. The IANA identifiers are Europe/London and Europe/Zurich.
Does daylight saving time affect the London–Zurich difference?
Both zones observe DST, so the difference stays at +1h 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 Zurich?
Not normally. The +1h gap only pushes the date over for late-evening times.
What is the time difference between London and Zurich?
Zurich is +1h 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 Zurich in?
Zurich operates on Central European Time (CET/CEST). As the world's leading private banking center, Zurich time is essential for global wealth management.
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 Zurich?
Standard business hours in Zurich are 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM CET.
What is the best time to schedule a call between London and Zurich?
The best overlap for a call is when both cities are in business hours. London works 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM GMT and Zurich works 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM CET (+1h difference). Try scheduling during the overlapping window for maximum convenience.
What currencies are used in London and Zurich?
London uses GBP (£) while Zurich uses CHF (Fr.). Check current exchange rates when planning travel or business between these cities.
How do London and Zurich compare in size?
London has a population of approximately 8.8 million (metro: 14.8 million), while Zurich has approximately 434,000 (metro: 1.8 million).
What are the major landmarks in London and Zurich?
London is known for Big Ben, Tower Bridge, Buckingham Palace. Zurich is famous for Old Town, Lake Zurich, Grossmünster.
Do London and Zurich have stock exchanges?
Yes. London has the LSE (London Stock Exchange) and Zurich has the SIX Swiss Exchange. The +1h 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 CET timezone?
Major cities in the CET timezone include Paris, Berlin, Rome, Madrid, Amsterdam, Brussels, Vienna, Warsaw.
What is the UTC offset for CET?
Central European Time (CET) is at UTC+01:00. During daylight saving time, it shifts to CEST.
What should I know about the CET timezone?
CET covers more European countries than any other time zone. Spain uses CET despite being geographically aligned with GMT/WET.
When is it midnight in London, what time is it in Zurich?
When it is 12:00 AM (midnight) in London (GMT), it is +1h later in Zurich (CET).
Related Developer Tools
Explore more tools that work great with timezone conversions for international teams:
Related Timezone Conversions
More London time conversions
- london to gmt
- london to bst
- london to uk
- london to dublin
- london to paris
- london to berlin
- london to amsterdam
- london to madrid
- london to rome
- london to stockholm
- london to moscow
- london to istanbul
- london to lisbon
- london to warsaw
- london to new york
- london to dubai
- london to tokyo
- london to singapore
- london to sydney
- london to los angeles
- london to delhi
- london to mumbai
- london to hong kong
- london to toronto
- london to kathmandu
- new york to london
- dubai to london
- tokyo to london
- singapore to london
- sydney to london
- los angeles to london
- paris to london
- delhi to london
- mumbai to london
- berlin to london
See every conversion from London →·See every conversion from Zurich →