BST to EST Converter
Convert time between British Summer Time (BST) and Eastern Standard Time (EST)
British Summer Time (BST)
Eastern Standard Time (EST)
Time Difference
Eastern Standard Time (EST) is 0 hours ahead of British Summer Time (BST)
Select Date
Select Time
Quick Reference
| BST | EST |
|---|---|
| 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 EST Time Conversion
Converting time between British Summer Time (BST) and Eastern Standard Time (EST) is essential for coordinating activities between the UK and the US East Coast during daylight saving time. BST is UTC+1, while EST is UTC-5, making EST 6 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.
Common Use Cases for BST to EST Conversion
Business & Work
- Scheduling meetings between UK and East Coast US offices
- Coordinating London and New York financial markets operations
- Planning transatlantic conference calls and webinars
Personal & Travel
- Planning travel itineraries from UK to US East Coast
- Coordinating with family and friends across the Atlantic
- Scheduling virtual events with UK-US East Coast audiences
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 Standard Time (EST)
- UTC Offset: UTC-5 (UTC-4 during EDT)
- IANA Timezone: America/New_York
- Daylight Saving: Second Sunday in March to First Sunday in November
- Major Cities: New York, Philadelphia, Atlanta, Miami, Boston
- Coverage: Eastern United States and Canada
Quick Reference: BST to EST
Remember: EST is always 6 hours behind BST
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the time difference between BST and EST?
British Summer Time (BST) is UTC+1, while Eastern Standard Time (EST) is UTC-5. BST is 6 hours ahead of EST. This means when it's 12:00 PM (noon) in BST, it's 6:00 AM in EST. However, note that BST is only active during daylight saving time (late March to late October).
When is BST active and what happens the rest of the year?
British Summer Time (BST) is active from the last Sunday in March to the last Sunday in October. During the rest of the year (late October to late March), the UK observes Greenwich Mean Time (GMT), which is UTC+0. This affects the time difference: it's 6 hours during BST and 5 hours during GMT.
Does the US East Coast also observe daylight saving time?
Yes, the US East Coast observes daylight saving time. From mid-March to early November, it uses Eastern Daylight Time (EDT, UTC-4), and the rest of the year uses Eastern Standard Time (EST, UTC-5). During EDT, the difference from BST becomes 5 hours instead of 6. Be sure to account for daylight saving transitions when scheduling.
What are the major cities in BST and EST timezones?
BST covers major UK cities including London, Manchester, Edinburgh, Cardiff, and Belfast, as well as Dublin in Ireland. EST covers major East Coast US cities like New York, Boston, Philadelphia, Washington DC, and Atlanta. These are important business and cultural hubs where understanding the time difference is crucial.
How do I convert BST to EST manually?
To convert from BST to EST, subtract 6 hours from the BST time. For example, if it's 2:00 PM BST, it would be 8:00 AM EST. Remember that this conversion only applies during daylight saving time (late March to late October). Outside this period, use GMT (UTC+0) for UK time, which is only 5 hours ahead of EST.
What should I know about scheduling across BST and EST?
The UK and US East Coast have limited overlap during working hours. Morning BST times (8-10 AM) correspond to early morning EST times (2-4 AM), while afternoon BST (2-4 PM) corresponds to morning EST (8-10 AM). This makes transatlantic scheduling challenging but possible if one party works early or late hours. Always verify daylight saving dates to ensure correct timing.
Pro Tips
- • BST is always 6 hours ahead of EST - but only during late March to late October. Outside this period, use GMT which is 5 hours ahead.
- • Both UK and US observe daylight saving but on different dates. UK transitions change on the last Sunday of March and October, while US changes occur on the second Sunday of March and first Sunday of November.
- • Morning BST (8-10 AM) equals early morning EST (2-4 AM), while afternoon BST (2-4 PM) equals morning EST (8-10 AM), making mid-day a challenge for real-time meetings.
- • London lunch time (12-1 PM BST) happens during early morning (6-7 AM EST), which requires East Coast participants to join very early for business meetings.
- • For best transatlantic scheduling, consider evening UK times (5-7 PM BST = 11 AM-1 PM EST) or early morning US times (7-9 AM EST = 1-3 PM BST).
- • Always check daylight saving transition dates when scheduling events more than 2 months in advance, as UK and US change dates differ by about a week in spring.