BST to EDT Converter
Convert time between British Summer Time (BST) and Eastern Daylight Time (EDT)
British Summer Time (BST)
Eastern Daylight Time (EDT)
Time Difference
Eastern Daylight Time (EDT) is 0 hours ahead of British Summer Time (BST)
Select Date
Select Time
Quick Reference
| BST | EDT |
|---|---|
| 02:00 | 21:00 |
| 04:00 | 23:00 |
| 06:00 | 01:00 |
| 08:00 | 03:00 |
| 10:00 | 05:00 |
| 12:00 | 07:00 |
| 14:00 | 09:00 |
| 16:00 | 11:00 |
| 18:00 | 13:00 |
| 20:00 | 15:00 |
| 22:00 | 17:00 |
| 00:00 | 19:00 |
Top 10 Most Common Time Zones
| Abbreviation | Full Name | UTC Offset | Typical Use |
|---|---|---|---|
| UTC | Coordinated Universal Time | UTC ±0 | Global reference standard (servers, logs, APIs) |
| EST / EDT | Eastern (US) Time | UTC −5 / −4 | New York, Toronto — North American business hub |
| CST / CDT | Central (US) Time | UTC −6 / −5 | Chicago, Dallas — US central business region |
| PST / PDT | Pacific (US) Time | UTC −8 / −7 | San Francisco, Los Angeles — tech industry standard |
| GMT / BST | Greenwich Mean / British Summer Time | UTC 0 / +1 | UK, used globally as a reference with UTC |
| CET / CEST | Central European (Summer) Time | UTC +1 / +2 | Paris, Berlin, Amsterdam — EU business core |
| IST | India Standard Time | UTC +5:30 | India — major IT & outsourcing region |
| CST | China Standard Time | UTC +8 | Beijing, Shanghai — East Asia business hub |
| JST | Japan Standard Time | UTC +9 | Tokyo — finance & tech hub |
| AEST / AEDT | Australian Eastern (Daylight) Time | UTC +10 / +11 | Sydney, Melbourne — APAC regional business |
Why Time Zone Abbreviations Are Ambiguous
Unlike standardized identifiers (like America/New_York or Europe/London from the IANA tz database), abbreviations such as "CST" or "IST" are not globally unique. They can refer to different time zones depending on context — country, region, or even time of year (due to daylight saving time).
Common Ambiguous Time Zone Abbreviations
| Abbrev. | Common Meaning(s) | UTC Offset | Region(s) |
|---|---|---|---|
| CST | Central Standard Time / China Standard Time / Cuba Standard Time | UTC−6 / UTC+8 / UTC−5 | North America, China, Cuba |
| IST | Indian Standard Time / Irish Standard Time / Israel Standard Time | UTC+5:30 / UTC+1 / UTC+2 | India, Ireland, Israel |
| AST | Atlantic Standard Time / Arabia Standard Time | UTC−4 / UTC+3 | Caribbean, Canada, Middle East |
| PST | Pacific Standard Time / Philippine Standard Time | UTC−8 / UTC+8 | North America, Philippines |
| EST | Eastern Standard Time (North America / Australia) | UTC−5 / UTC+10 | North America, Australia |
✅ Best Practice
To avoid ambiguity, always:
- Use IANA tz identifiers — e.g.,
America/New_Yorkinstead of "EST" - Specify UTC offset explicitly — e.g.,
UTC−5when abbreviations must be used - Include the full timezone name — e.g., "Eastern Standard Time (EST)" with UTC offset
Related Time Zone Conversions
About BST to EDT Time Conversion
Converting time between British Summer Time (BST) and Eastern Daylight Time (EDT) is essential for coordinating activities between the UK and the US East Coast during summer. BST is UTC+1, while EDT is UTC-4, making EDT 5 hours behind BST.
This time zone converter uses the IANA timezone database to ensure accurate calculations, accounting for daylight saving time transitions and regional variations. Whether you're scheduling business meetings between London and New York, planning travel, or coordinating with teams across time zones, our converter provides reliable results. The UK-US East Coast connection is one of the strongest business relationships globally, making accurate time conversion crucial.
Common Use Cases for BST to EDT Conversion
Business & Work
- Scheduling meetings between UK and US East Coast offices during summer
- Coordinating London and New York financial markets and trading
- Planning international conferences and webinars for East Coast audiences
Personal & Travel
- Planning travel itineraries from UK to US East Coast during summer
- Coordinating with family and friends in New York, Boston, and Philadelphia
- Scheduling virtual events with UK-US East Coast audiences during daylight saving time
Time Zone Information
British Summer Time (BST)
- UTC Offset: UTC+1 (UTC+0 during GMT)
- IANA Timezone: Europe/London
- Daylight Saving: Last Sunday in March to Last Sunday in October
- Major Cities: London, Manchester, Edinburgh, Cardiff, Belfast
- Coverage: United Kingdom and Ireland (during daylight saving time)
Eastern Daylight Time (EDT)
- UTC Offset: UTC-4 (UTC-5 during EST)
- IANA Timezone: America/New_York
- Daylight Saving: Second Sunday in March to First Sunday in November
- Major Cities: New York, Boston, Philadelphia, Atlanta, Miami
- Coverage: Eastern United States and Canada (during daylight saving time)
Quick Reference: BST to EDT
Remember: EDT is always 5 hours behind BST. In winter, the US East Coast uses EST (UTC-5), which is also 5 hours behind GMT (UTC+0).
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the time difference between BST and EDT?
British Summer Time (BST) is UTC+1, while Eastern Daylight Time (EDT) is UTC-4. BST is 5 hours ahead of EDT. This means when it's 6:00 PM in BST, it's 1:00 PM in EDT. Both regions observe daylight saving time during overlapping periods (late March to early November).
When are BST and EDT both active?
Both BST and EDT are active during overlapping summer months. The UK observes BST from the last Sunday in March to the last Sunday in October. The US East Coast observes EDT from the second Sunday in March to the first Sunday in November. During these overlapping periods, the time difference is 5 hours. Before late March and after early November, you'll need to adjust for different timezone standards.
What happens during daylight saving time transitions?
The UK and US East Coast change their clocks on different dates. The UK changes on the last Sunday of March (forward) and October (back). The US East Coast changes on the second Sunday of March (forward) and first Sunday of November (back). This creates brief periods where the standard time difference changes. Always verify the current date when scheduling international meetings during March and October/November.
What are the major cities in the EDT timezone?
Major cities in Eastern Daylight Time include New York (New York), Boston (Massachusetts), Philadelphia (Pennsylvania), Atlanta (Georgia), Miami (Florida), and Washington DC. These are important financial, business, and cultural centers on the US East Coast. During winter months, these cities switch to EST (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-5).
How do I convert BST to EDT manually?
To convert from BST to EDT, subtract 5 hours from the BST time. For example, if it's 6:00 PM BST, it would be 1:00 PM EDT. This conversion applies when both regions are observing daylight saving time (late March to early November). Outside this period, when the UK is in GMT and the US East Coast is in EST, the difference is 5 hours (GMT is UTC+0, EST is UTC-5).
What should I know about scheduling across BST and EDT?
The UK and US East Coast have better working hour overlap than other US regions. Morning BST times (8-10 AM) correspond to early morning EDT (3-5 AM), which is quite early but more manageable. Mid-morning BST (10 AM-12 PM) roughly aligns with mid-morning EDT (5-7 AM). Afternoon BST (2-4 PM) roughly aligns with late morning/early afternoon EDT (9-11 AM), which is excellent for transatlantic scheduling. This makes BST to EDT one of the best timezone pairs for coordinating between UK and US. Late afternoon UK times (5-6 PM BST) work perfectly for early afternoon EDT meetings (12-1 PM EDT).
Pro Tips
- • BST is 5 hours ahead of EDT during summer daylight saving time. When only one region observes daylight saving, the difference becomes 5 hours (GMT to EST). Unlike other US regions, EDT has the same difference as GMT to EST!
- • The UK and US East Coast change clocks on different dates. UK: last Sunday of March/October. US East Coast: second Sunday of March/first Sunday of November.
- • Early morning BST (8-10 AM) equals 3-5 AM EDT. While early, this is much more manageable than coordinating with West Coast US timezones.
- • Afternoon BST (2-4 PM) roughly aligns with late morning EDT (9-11 AM), which is excellent for transatlantic scheduling and conference calls.
- • Late afternoon UK times (5-6 PM BST) correspond to early afternoon East Coast times (12-1 PM EDT), making this the ideal window for important cross-timezone meetings.
- • New York, Boston, and Philadelphia are major financial and tech hubs. Plan ahead for daylight saving transitions when scheduling with teams in these cities, as markets and business operations are deeply affected.