Current Time in MET Time Zone

Where MET Applies and Who Uses It

MET is the primary time zone for most of Western and Central Europe. The zone is used by the following countries (in whole or in part): Albania, Andorra, Austria, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, France, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Kosovo, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Malta, Monaco, Montenegro, Netherlands, North Macedonia, Norway, Poland, San Marino, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain (except Canary Islands), Sweden, Switzerland, Vatican City. Additionally, the Spanish exclaves of Ceuta and Melilla in North Africa also observe MET. The zone is also used by the IANA identifiers Africa/Ceuta and Africa/El_Aaiun, though those cover specific territories that follow European DST rules.

Offset and Abbreviation Meaning

Standard time in MET is UTC+01:00, known as Central European Time (CET). During daylight saving, clocks advance to UTC+02:00, called Central European Summer Time (CEST). The abbreviation CET stands for Central European Time, while CEST stands for Central European Summer Time. The offset of +01:00 means that when it is noon in UTC, it is 13:00 in MET during winter, and 14:00 during summer (CEST). This offset places MET one hour ahead of Coordinated Universal Time, aligning it with much of Western Europe's standard time.

Daylight Saving Behavior and Yearly Rhythm

MET observes daylight saving time (DST) in accordance with European Union regulations. Clocks spring forward one hour on the last Sunday of March at 01:00 UTC (02:00 CET becomes 03:00 CEST) and fall back on the last Sunday of October at 01:00 UTC (03:00 CEST becomes 02:00 CET). For example, in 2025, DST begins on March 30 and ends on October 26. In 2026, it begins on March 29 and ends on October 25. This rhythm is consistent across all MET-observing countries, ensuring synchronization within the zone. The DST period lasts approximately seven months, from late March to late October, covering the warmer half of the year.

Main Countries and Cities

Major cities in MET include Paris (France), Berlin (Germany), Rome (Italy), Madrid (Spain), Warsaw (Poland), Vienna (Austria), Prague (Czech Republic), Budapest (Hungary), Stockholm (Sweden), Oslo (Norway), Copenhagen (Denmark), Amsterdam (Netherlands), Brussels (Belgium), Zurich (Switzerland), and Luxembourg City (Luxembourg). These cities represent the economic and political core of the European Union and the broader region. The zone also includes the microstates of Monaco, San Marino, and Vatican City.

Practical Guidance for Business Hours and Scheduling Calls

MET operates on a standard workday of 08:00 to 17:00 or 09:00 to 18:00 local time. For international coordination, note the following overlaps with other key zones:

• UTC (London, Lisbon): MET is one hour ahead during CET (winter) and two hours ahead during CEST (summer). Best overlap for calls is 09:00-17:00 MET (08:00-16:00 UTC) in winter, or 09:00-17:00 MET (07:00-15:00 UTC) in summer.
• Eastern Time (New York): MET is 6 hours ahead during CET (winter) and 5 hours ahead during CEST (summer). Good overlap is 14:00-17:00 MET (08:00-11:00 ET) in winter, or 14:00-17:00 MET (09:00-12:00 ET) in summer.
• India Standard Time (Mumbai): MET is 4.5 hours behind IST during CET, and 3.5 hours behind during CEST. Overlap is limited to early morning in MET (08:00-10:00 MET corresponds to 12:30-14:30 IST).
• China Standard Time (Beijing): MET is 7 hours behind CST during CET, and 6 hours behind during CEST. Overlap is narrow: 09:00-11:00 MET (16:00-18:00 CST) in winter, or 09:00-11:00 MET (15:00-17:00 CST) in summer.

When scheduling across multiple MET countries, remember that all observe the same DST transitions simultaneously, so no internal time differences occur. Always confirm whether a specific location observes DST (e.g., some territories in Africa that use CET do not observe DST, but those are not part of MET). For the most accurate scheduling, use the IANA time zone identifier 'MET' in software and systems.