Germany
Berlin
Current time
Monday, June 22, 2026
- Capital
- Berlin
- Time zone
- Europe/Berlin
- UTC offset
- UTC+2
- DST
- DST
Germany observes Central European Time (CET, UTC+1) and switches to Central European Summer Time (CEST, UTC+2) during daylight saving period. The entire country follows the Europe/Berlin time zone, synchronized with neighboring nations like France and Poland. Berlin serves as the national time reference.
Time Zone & DST in Germany
Germany operates on CET (UTC+1) year-round, advancing to CEST (UTC+2) at 2:00 AM on the last Sunday of March and reverting at 3:00 AM on the last Sunday of October. Time difference with Beijing: +6 hours during DST or +7 hours otherwise.
A single time zone applies nationwide, including the offshore island of Heligoland. Situated at Europe's heart, Germany shares synchronized time with all 9 bordering countries, eliminating time conversions for cross-border activities.
Key Time Differences
Beijing is always ahead: +7 hours (standard time) or +6 hours (DST). New York (EST) lags by 6 hours (winter) or 5 hours (DST), while San Francisco (PST) trails by 8-9 hours. London maintains a consistent -1 hour difference.
Sydney time varies from +8 to +10 hours considering Australian DST. EU flight schedules display local times exclusively – Frankfurt Airport's boards showcase major global city times simultaneously.
FAQ
- Is Germany currently on daylight saving time?
- Depends on the date. DST (CEST, UTC+2) runs from the last Sunday of March to the last Sunday of October annually, with standard time (CET, UTC+1) otherwise. DST ends on the last Sunday of October each year.
- What's the time difference between Germany and China?
- Beijing is always ahead: +6 hours during German DST (March-October) or +7 hours in standard time. Example: Noon in Beijing equals 6 AM (DST) or 5 AM (standard time) in Berlin.
- Does all of Germany use the same time?
- Yes. Despite spanning 640km east-west, the entire nation (including Heligoland) follows Europe/Berlin time. Even remote areas like Zugspitze (2,962m altitude) adhere to the same standard.