EDT to BST Converter
Convert time between Eastern Daylight Time (EDT) and British Summer Time (BST)
Eastern Daylight Time (EDT)
British Summer Time (BST)
Time Difference
British Summer Time (BST) is 0 hours ahead of Eastern Daylight Time (EDT)
Select Date
Select Time
Quick Reference
| EDT | BST |
|---|---|
| 21:00 | 02:00 |
| 23:00 | 04:00 |
| 01:00 | 06:00 |
| 03:00 | 08:00 |
| 05:00 | 10:00 |
| 07:00 | 12:00 |
| 09:00 | 14:00 |
| 11:00 | 16:00 |
| 13:00 | 18:00 |
| 15:00 | 20:00 |
| 17:00 | 22:00 |
| 19:00 | 00:00 |
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 EDT to BST Time Conversion
Converting time between Eastern Daylight Time (EDT) and British Summer Time (BST) is essential for coordinating between the US East Coast and the United Kingdom. EDT is UTC-4 (used March to November), while BST is UTC+1 (used March to November). Both regions observe daylight saving time during the same period, creating a consistent 5-hour difference with the UK ahead. This makes EDT to BST one of the most common transatlantic timezone conversions.
This converter is valuable for business operations, travel planning, and personal coordination between the US East Coast and the UK. Major industries relying on this conversion include finance (New York-London banking), technology (US-UK tech companies), media and entertainment, consulting, and international trade. The 5-hour difference creates reasonable overlap for business hours coordination, with morning EDT calls reaching evening UK time and afternoon EDT calls reaching UK morning hours.
Common Use Cases for EDT to BST Conversion
Business & Work
- Scheduling meetings between US East Coast and UK offices
- Coordinating between New York and London financial centers
- Planning transatlantic conference calls and webinars
- Managing distributed teams across US and UK regions
- Coordinating international business announcements and launches
Personal & Travel
- Planning travel between the US East Coast and the UK
- Coordinating with family and friends in the UK
- Scheduling international calls and video conferences
- Understanding time differences for UK communications
- Planning vacation dates and meeting arrangements
Time Zone Information
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, Washington DC
- Coverage: Eastern United States and Eastern Canada
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, Birmingham, Glasgow, Edinburgh
- Coverage: United Kingdom and Ireland
Quick Reference: EDT to BST
Remember: BST is always 5 hours ahead of EDT. Both regions observe daylight saving time during overlapping periods (March-November with slight differences in exact dates)
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the time difference between EDT and BST?
Eastern Daylight Time (EDT) is UTC-4, while British Summer Time (BST) is UTC+1. This means BST is 5 hours ahead of EDT. When it's 12:00 PM in New York (EDT), it's 5:00 PM in London (BST). This is one of the most important transatlantic timezone conversions.
Why is EDT to BST important for business?
New York and London are the world's two largest financial centers. Finance professionals, tech companies, consulting firms, and international corporations regularly coordinate across these timezones. The 5-hour difference creates a reasonable overlap window: 8-9 AM EDT = 1-2 PM BST, and 12-1 PM EDT = 5-6 PM BST, allowing same-day coordination.
When do EDT and BST transitions occur?
Both EDT and BST observe daylight saving time, but on slightly different dates. EDT runs from the second Sunday in March to the first Sunday in November. BST runs from the last Sunday in March to the last Sunday in October. This creates brief periods when the difference is 4 hours instead of 5 (late March and late October). During winter (EST and GMT), the difference is still 5 hours.
What are the best times to schedule transatlantic calls?
Optimal meeting windows: 8-9 AM EDT (1-2 PM BST) for early New York morning/London afternoon, or 12-1 PM EDT (5-6 PM BST) for late New York morning/London evening. The worst times are 3-8 PM EDT (8 AM-1 PM next day BST, too late for same-day London coordination) and 9-11 PM EDT (2-4 AM next day BST, too early).
How does the transition period affect scheduling?
In late March (after US DST but before UK DST), the difference is 4 hours. In late October (after UK DST but before US DST), the difference is again 4 hours briefly. During winter, both regions use standard time (EST and GMT) but maintain a 5-hour difference. Always verify exact dates when scheduling critical transatlantic meetings during transition weeks.
Is EDT to BST the same as EST to GMT?
Both pairs have a 5-hour difference, but they apply during different times of year. EDT-BST applies March-November (with brief 4-hour periods). EST-GMT applies November-March. The important thing is understanding which pair is active when you're scheduling. Most transatlantic summer coordination uses EDT-BST since that's when both US and UK are in daylight saving time.
Pro Tips
- • Use "12 PM ET / 5 PM UK" format when scheduling calls - this double notation is essential for transatlantic clarity to prevent costly scheduling errors.
- • The 5-hour difference means 8 AM EDT = 1 PM BST and 12 PM EDT = 5 PM BST. Schedule morning EDT calls to reach UK afternoon (productive) and noon EDT calls to reach UK evening.
- • Watch for transition periods in late March and late October when the difference briefly becomes 4 hours due to staggered DST/GMT transitions between the US and UK.
- • For London-based teams, 8-9 AM EDT meetings allow them to meet in early afternoon. For New York-based teams, 12-1 PM EDT meetings reach London in early evening, both manageable hours.
- • Use calendar tools that show both EDT and BST/GMT automatically. Mistakes in transatlantic meeting scheduling are expensive and damage business relationships.
- • Document all transatlantic meetings with both timezones written explicitly: "10 AM EDT / 3 PM BST". Brief email confirmations prevent the most common source of transatlantic meeting failures.
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