The Romania time difference is +2 hours from London and +7 hours from New York all year round (briefly different for a few weeks in spring and autumn, when the UK and the US change their clocks on different dates).
In practice, when it is noon in London, it is 14:00 in Bucharest all year. When it is noon in New York, it is 19:00 in Bucharest all year.
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Live local time
Calculated by your browser from the IANA time zone database.
Time in Romania: key facts
- Time zone: UTC+2 (standard time) / UTC+3 (daylight saving time), IANA identifier
Europe/Bucharest - Difference with London: +2 h all year
- Difference with New York: +7 h in both Eastern Standard Time and Eastern Daylight Time
- Daylight saving in Romania: yes, see the dates below
- Next clock changes: UK on Sunday 25 October 2026 (BST to GMT) and Sunday 28 March 2027; US on Sunday 1 November 2026 (EDT to EST) and Sunday 14 March 2027
Time difference between London, New York and Romania
| Time in London | In Bucharest (UK winter, GMT) | In Bucharest (UK summer, BST) |
|---|---|---|
| 08:00 | 10:00 | 10:00 |
| 12:00 | 14:00 | 14:00 |
| 18:00 | 20:00 | 20:00 |
| 22:00 | 00:00 (next day) | 00:00 (next day) |
| Time in New York | In Bucharest (US winter, EST) | In Bucharest (US summer, EDT) |
|---|---|---|
| 08:00 (8 am) | 15:00 | 15:00 |
| 12:00 (noon) | 19:00 | 19:00 |
| 18:00 (6 pm) | 01:00 (next day) | 01:00 (next day) |
| 22:00 (10 pm) | 05:00 (next day) | 05:00 (next day) |
The gap stays the same for most of the year because Romania and the UK change their clocks on the same dates; it differs only for a few weeks in spring and autumn, when the US changes its clocks on a different date.
Clock changes 2026–2027
Romania observes daylight saving time. Planned dates (local time in Bucharest):
- Sunday 25 October 2026: from UTC+3 to UTC+2
- Sunday 28 March 2027: from UTC+2 to UTC+3
- Sunday 31 October 2027: from UTC+3 to UTC+2
Clocks also change in the UK and the US on the following dates:
- UK, Sunday 25 October 2026: BST (UTC+1) to GMT (UTC+0)
- US, Sunday 1 November 2026: EDT (UTC−4) to EST (UTC−5) in New York
- US, Sunday 14 March 2027: EST (UTC−5) to EDT (UTC−4)
- UK, Sunday 28 March 2027: GMT (UTC+0) to BST (UTC+1)
- UK, Sunday 31 October 2027: BST (UTC+1) to GMT (UTC+0)
- US, Sunday 7 November 2027: EDT (UTC−4) to EST (UTC−5)
When to call Romania from the UK or the US
To reach someone between 09:00 and 20:00 Bucharest time, call between 07:00 and 18:00 London time all year. From New York, call between 02:00 and 13:00 all year.
On 15 January 2027, office hours (09:00–17:00) overlap for 6 hours with London and for 1 hour with New York. Always state the time zone in your meeting invitations.
Time difference and jet lag: practical tips
With a gap of at most 2 hours from London, the trip does not disrupt your rhythm much; the main trap is forgetting to set your watch or calendar to local time for a booked train, tour or meeting. From North America the gap is larger (+7 hours from New York), so a few simple rules help you adjust to local time:
- Set your watch and phone to local time as soon as you board.
- Align meals and bedtime with local time from the first day.
- Plan a light first day, with no important meetings or long drives.
- Get out in daylight when you arrive and avoid long naps.
- If you take medication at fixed times, ask your doctor how to adapt the schedule to the time difference.
Romania time zone: IANA identifier and history
| Zone | IANA identifier | Standard time on 15 January 2027 | On 15 July 2027 | Abbreviation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bucharest | Europe/Bucharest | UTC+2 | UTC+3 | EET |
- Bucharest (
Europe/Bucharest): daylight saving time applied every year; the tz database records it since at least 1979.
Daylight saving time in Romania in 2027: clock-change dates
Dates calculated from the tz database rules for Europe/Bucharest (Bucharest). They coincide with those in the UK: the gap with London therefore stays the same all year.
- Sunday 28 March 2027 at 03:00 (local time): clocks go forward one hour (UTC+2 → UTC+3), at the same moment as the UK clock change.
- Sunday 31 October 2027 at 04:00 (local time): clocks go back one hour (UTC+3 → UTC+2), at the same moment as the UK clock change.
| 2027 period | Bucharest vs London | Bucharest vs New York |
|---|---|---|
| 1 January – 13 March | +2 h | +7 h |
| 14 – 27 March | +2 h | +6 h |
| 28 March – 30 October | +2 h | +7 h |
| 31 October – 6 November | +2 h | +6 h |
| 7 November – 31 December | +2 h | +7 h |
Sunrise and sunset in Bucharest in 2027
Local sunrise and sunset times on the 15th of each month in Bucharest (44.44° N, 26.10° E), daylight saving time included. They help you time your exposure to daylight, the main lever for resetting your body clock on arrival.
| 15th of the month | Sunrise | Solar noon | Sunset | Day length | Sunrise / sunset in London time |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 07:49 | 12:25 | 17:01 | 9 h 13 | 05:49 / 15:01 |
| February | 07:16 | 12:30 | 17:44 | 10 h 28 | 05:16 / 15:44 |
| March | 06:28 | 12:25 | 18:21 | 11 h 52 | 04:28 / 16:21 |
| April | 06:32 | 13:16 | 19:59 | 13 h 27 | 04:32 / 17:59 |
| May | 05:48 | 13:12 | 20:35 | 14 h 47 | 03:48 / 18:35 |
| June | 05:30 | 13:16 | 21:02 | 15 h 31 | 03:30 / 19:02 |
| July | 05:45 | 13:22 | 20:58 | 15 h 13 | 03:45 / 18:58 |
| August | 06:18 | 13:20 | 20:22 | 14 h 04 | 04:18 / 18:22 |
| September | 06:54 | 13:11 | 19:28 | 12 h 33 | 04:54 / 17:28 |
| October | 07:30 | 13:01 | 18:33 | 11 h 02 | 05:30 / 16:33 |
| November | 07:11 | 12:00 | 16:49 | 9 h 37 | 05:11 / 14:49 |
| December | 07:45 | 12:11 | 16:36 | 8 h 52 | 05:45 / 14:36 |
The longest day in the table is 15 June (15 h 31 between 05:30 and 21:02), the shortest 15 December (8 h 52).
Jet lag: how flight direction affects you in Romania
- Outbound from the UK (flying east): you « lose » 2 hours all year; your arrival day is shortened and you need to go to bed earlier than your body clock expects.
- Return to the UK (flying west): the opposite applies. Flying west is generally considered easier to cope with: you just need to stay up a little later.
- From New York (flying east): you « lose » 7 hours all year; your arrival day is shortened and you need to go to bed earlier than your body clock expects.
- Your usual night at home (23:00 – 07:00) corresponds to 01:00 – 09:00 in Bucharest from London in UK winter (same during BST), and to 06:00 – 14:00 in Bucharest from New York during EST (same during EDT): this is when your body will want to sleep for the first few days.
- Daylight on arrival: in Bucharest, the sun rises around 07:49 and sets around 17:01 in mid-January, and around 05:45 and 20:58 in mid-July (table above). After flying east, seek morning light and avoid it late in the day; this is the standard advice for shifting your body clock.
Plan your trip to Romania
- Our complete Romania travel guide: highlights, itineraries and budget
- Best time to visit Romania: month-by-month weather and the best season
- Time differences around the world: every country in our guides
Frequently asked questions
What is the time difference between Romania and the UK or the US?
Romania is 2 hours ahead of London all year. It is 7 hours ahead of New York all year.
What time is it in Romania when it is noon in London or New York?
In Bucharest, noon in London is 14:00 all year; noon in New York is 19:00 all year.
Does Romania have daylight saving time?
Yes. Next changes (local time): Sunday 25 October 2026: from UTC+3 to UTC+2; Sunday 28 March 2027: from UTC+2 to UTC+3.
When should I call Romania from the UK or the US?
To reach someone between 09:00 and 20:00 local time, call between 07:00 and 18:00 London time all year, or between 02:00 and 13:00 New York time all year.
What is the IANA time zone for Romania?
Bucharest: Europe/Bucharest.
What time does the sun rise in Bucharest?
Around 07:49 on 15 January 2027 and around 05:45 on 15 July 2027 (local time); sunset around 17:01 and 20:58. Destination de Voyage calculation (NOAA algorithm).
Our sources
- Sunrise and sunset: algorithm from the NOAA Solar Calculator (Global Monitoring Laboratory), applied to the capital’s coordinates (Natural Earth, Wikidata or Wikipedia): Destination de Voyage calculation.
- IANA Time Zone Database (tz database), version 2026b, consulted on 13 October 2026: time zones, rules and clock-change dates. Future dates may be changed by local authorities.
- UK clock changes: GOV.UK, When do the clocks change? (UK summer time from the last Sunday in March to the last Sunday in October).
- US daylight saving time: NIST, Daylight Saving Time (from the second Sunday in March to the first Sunday in November).
- Live time: calculated by your browser (Intl API), which relies on the same IANA database.
- Our methodology
Updated November 2026.
