New York and London are two of the world's most connected cities — yet they operate on completely different clocks. Whether you're scheduling a transatlantic work call, trying to catch a live event, or figuring out when to call your family abroad, understanding the exact time difference is essential.
What is the exact time difference?
New York operates on Eastern Time (ET) and London operates on Greenwich Mean Time (GMT) or British Summer Time (BST). The gap between them changes twice a year:
- Winter (November to March): London is 5 hours ahead of New York. When it's noon in New York, it's 5 PM in London.
- Summer (March to November): London is only 4 hours ahead. When it's noon in New York, it's 4 PM in London.
The gap shrinks in spring because the US and UK switch their clocks on different dates — the US changes in March and November, the UK changes in March and October. For about 2-3 weeks per year, the gap is only 4 hours even in "winter".
Why does the difference change?
Both countries observe daylight saving time — but they don't do it on exactly the same date. The US switches clocks on the second Sunday of March and the first Sunday of November. The UK switches on the last Sunday of March and the last Sunday of October.
During the brief windows when one country has switched and the other hasn't, the time difference is temporarily 4 hours in winter and 6 hours in summer — before settling back to the normal 5 or 4 hour gap.
Best times to schedule New York — London calls
Finding overlap between New York and London working hours is one of the most common scheduling challenges for remote teams. Here's the sweet spot:
- 9 AM – 1 PM New York time = 2 PM – 6 PM London time (winter)
- 9 AM – 2 PM New York time = 1 PM – 6 PM London time (summer)
The ideal call time is 10 AM New York / 3 PM London — both parties are well into their workday and alert. Avoid anything after 1 PM New York time in winter — by then it's 6 PM in London and the working day is over.
New York vs London time — quick reference
Here's a quick reference table for the most common times (winter, London 5 hours ahead):
- 6 AM New York = 11 AM London
- 9 AM New York = 2 PM London
- 12 PM New York = 5 PM London
- 3 PM New York = 8 PM London
- 6 PM New York = 11 PM London
Use our Meeting Planner to find the perfect overlap time automatically.