Current Time in CEST (Central European Summer Time)
About CEST
The daylight saving time for many European countries, one hour ahead of Central European Time (CET). Used from the last Sunday in March to the last Sunday in October. Equivalent to MEST (Middle European Summer Time).
UTC Offset: +02:00
Current time shown is based on the representative IANA zone: Europe/Paris
Central European Summer Time (CEST)
Central European Summer Time (CEST) is the daylight saving time observed in most of continental Europe during the summer months. It is 2 hours ahead of Coordinated Universal Time (UTC+02:00). CEST is the summer counterpart of Central European Time (CET, UTC+01:00), which is used in winter. The abbreviation CEST stands for Central European Summer Time.
What is Central European Summer Time?
CEST is a daylight saving time zone used primarily in Europe. It begins on the last Sunday of March at 01:00 UTC, when clocks are set forward by one hour from CET (UTC+01:00) to CEST (UTC+02:00). It ends on the last Sunday of October at 01:00 UTC, when clocks are set back to CET. The offset of UTC+02:00 is the same as Eastern European Time (EET) and South African Standard Time (SAST), but CEST is only used during summer.
Regions and Countries Using CEST
CEST is observed by many European countries, including all of the following (except overseas territories):
- Western Europe: France, Belgium, Netherlands, Luxembourg, Monaco, Andorra, Spain (including Ceuta and the Balearic Islands), Gibraltar (British Overseas Territory)
- Central Europe: Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Liechtenstein, Italy, San Marino, Vatican City, Malta, Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Kosovo, Albania, Hungary, Czechia, Slovakia, Poland
- Northern Europe: Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Finland (except Åland), Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania
- Other: Svalbard and Jan Mayen (Norway), Bouvet Island (Norway), Arctic/Longyearbyen, Atlantic/Jan_Mayen
Major cities in CEST include Paris, Berlin, Rome, Madrid, Amsterdam, Brussels, Vienna, Warsaw, Prague, Budapest, Stockholm, Oslo, Copenhagen, and Zagreb.
How CEST Differs from Neighbouring Zones
To the west, CEST is one hour ahead of Western European Summer Time (WEST, UTC+01:00), used in Portugal, the UK, and Ireland. To the east, CEST aligns with Eastern European Summer Time (EEST, UTC+03:00) during summer, but the boundary is political; countries like Finland and the Baltic states use EEST, while Poland and Czechia use CEST. To the south, CEST is the same as Central Africa Time (CAT) and Eastern European Time (EET) in winter, but those zones do not observe daylight saving. To the north, Svalbard and Jan Mayen use CEST despite their high latitude.
Practical Business Hours Guidance
During CEST, standard business hours in major cities like Berlin or Paris are typically 09:00 to 17:00 or 09:00 to 18:00 local time. This corresponds to 07:00 to 15:00 UTC. For calls from New York (EDT, UTC-04:00), the overlap is limited: 09:00 CEST is 03:00 EDT, so best to call in the European afternoon (14:00-17:00 CEST = 08:00-11:00 EDT). From London (BST, UTC+01:00), the overlap is good: 09:00-17:00 CEST = 08:00-16:00 BST. From Tokyo (JST, UTC+09:00), 09:00 CEST is 16:00 JST, so late afternoon in Europe works for morning in Tokyo.
Frequently Asked Questions
When does Central European Summer Time start and end?
CEST starts on the last Sunday of March at 01:00 UTC, when clocks spring forward from CET (UTC+01:00) to CEST (UTC+02:00). It ends on the last Sunday of October at 01:00 UTC, when clocks fall back to CET.
What is the difference between CET and CEST?
CET (Central European Time) is UTC+01:00 and is used in winter. CEST (Central European Summer Time) is UTC+02:00 and is used in summer. The switch occurs twice a year: forward in March, backward in October.
Which countries use CEST?
Most of continental Europe uses CEST, including France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Poland, the Netherlands, Belgium, Austria, Switzerland, Czechia, Slovakia, Hungary, Croatia, Slovenia, Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Albania, Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Finland, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Monaco, Andorra, San Marino, Vatican City, and Gibraltar. Also Svalbard and Jan Mayen, and Bouvet Island.
Is CEST the same as EEST?
Both are UTC+02:00, but CEST is Central European Summer Time, while EEST is Eastern European Summer Time. They are used in different regions: CEST in central and western Europe, EEST in eastern Europe (e.g., Finland, Baltic states, Greece, Romania, Bulgaria, Turkey). During summer, they share the same offset but are distinct time zones.
What is the time difference between CEST and UTC?
CEST is 2 hours ahead of Coordinated Universal Time (UTC+02:00). For example, when it is 12:00 UTC, it is 14:00 CEST.
Does the UK use CEST?
No, the United Kingdom uses British Summer Time (BST, UTC+01:00) during summer, which is one hour behind CEST. The UK does not observe Central European Summer Time.