BST to PST Converter
Convert time between British Summer Time (BST) and Pacific Standard Time (PST)
British Summer Time (BST)
Pacific Standard Time (PST)
Time Difference
Pacific Standard Time (PST) is 0 hours ahead of British Summer Time (BST)
Select Date
Select Time
Quick Reference
| BST | PST |
|---|---|
| 02:00 | 18:00 |
| 04:00 | 20:00 |
| 06:00 | 22:00 |
| 08:00 | 00:00 |
| 10:00 | 02:00 |
| 12:00 | 04:00 |
| 14:00 | 06:00 |
| 16:00 | 08:00 |
| 18:00 | 10:00 |
| 20:00 | 12:00 |
| 22:00 | 14:00 |
| 00:00 | 16:00 |
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 PST Time Conversion
Converting time between British Summer Time (BST) and Pacific Standard Time (PST) is essential for coordinating activities between the UK and the US West Coast during daylight saving time. BST is UTC+1, while PST is UTC-8, making PST 9 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 Silicon Valley, planning travel, or coordinating with tech teams across time zones, our converter provides reliable results.
Common Use Cases for BST to PST Conversion
Business & Work
- Scheduling meetings between UK and US West Coast tech offices
- Coordinating London and Silicon Valley startup operations
- Planning international tech conferences and webinars
Personal & Travel
- Planning travel itineraries from UK to US West Coast
- Coordinating with family and friends in California and Washington
- Scheduling virtual events with UK-US West 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)
Pacific Standard Time (PST)
- UTC Offset: UTC-8 (UTC-7 during PDT)
- IANA Timezone: America/Los_Angeles
- Daylight Saving: Second Sunday in March to First Sunday in November
- Major Cities: Los Angeles, San Francisco, Seattle, Portland, San Diego
- Coverage: Pacific Coast of United States and Canada
Quick Reference: BST to PST
Remember: PST is always 9 hours behind BST
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the time difference between BST and PST?
British Summer Time (BST) is UTC+1, while Pacific Standard Time (PST) is UTC-8. BST is 9 hours ahead of PST. This means when it's 6:00 PM in BST, it's 9:00 AM in PST. 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 reduces the time difference to 8 hours during GMT. PST does not observe daylight saving time during this period.
Does the US West Coast also observe daylight saving time?
Yes, the US West Coast observes daylight saving time. From mid-March to early November, it uses Pacific Daylight Time (PDT, UTC-7), and the rest of the year uses Pacific Standard Time (PST, UTC-8). During PDT, the difference from BST becomes 8 hours instead of 9. Always verify which daylight saving period is active when scheduling.
What are the major cities in BST and PST timezones?
BST covers major UK cities including London, Manchester, Edinburgh, Cardiff, and Belfast. PST covers major West Coast US cities like Los Angeles, San Francisco, Seattle, Portland, and San Diego. These are important tech and business hubs where understanding the time difference is crucial for coordination.
How do I convert BST to PST manually?
To convert from BST to PST, subtract 9 hours from the BST time. For example, if it's 6:00 PM BST, it would be 9:00 AM PST. 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 8 hours ahead of PST.
What should I know about scheduling across BST and PST?
The UK and US West Coast have almost no working hour overlap during daylight hours. Morning BST times (8-10 AM) correspond to overnight PST times (11 PM-1 AM previous day), while afternoon BST (2-4 PM) corresponds to early morning PST (5-7 AM). Successful transatlantic scheduling requires flexibility from both parties.
Pro Tips
- • BST is always 9 hours ahead of PST - but only during late March to late October. Outside this period, use GMT which is 8 hours ahead.
- • Both UK and US West Coast observe daylight saving but on different dates. UK changes occur on the last Sunday of March and October, while US West Coast changes happen on the second Sunday of March and first Sunday of November.
- • Morning BST (8-10 AM) equals late evening PST previous day (11 PM-1 AM), making synchronous meetings very difficult without one party working overnight.
- • Afternoon BST (2-4 PM) roughly aligns with early morning PST (5-7 AM), which is the most practical window for transatlantic scheduling to avoid extreme hours.
- • For best scheduling results, early morning UK times (7-8 AM BST = 10-11 PM PST previous night) and evening UK times (6-8 PM BST = 9-11 AM PST) work best for West Coast business hours.
- • Always check daylight saving transition dates when scheduling events months in advance, as UK (late March/October) and US West Coast (mid-March/early November) change on different dates by 1-2 weeks.