Shanghai keeps UTC+8 (CST) all year. There is no daylight saving time, so the clock never changes.
Shanghai and your time
Shanghai at a glance
| Country | China |
|---|---|
| Region | Shanghai |
| Time zone | Asia/Shanghai |
| Abbreviation now | CST |
| UTC offset now | UTC+8 |
| Daylight saving time | Not observed since 1991 |
| Coordinates | 31.22° N, 121.46° E |
Shanghai time zone and clock changes
The clocks in Shanghai follow Asia/Shanghai and do not move with the seasons. The last daylight saving period here was in 1991. Since then the offset has stayed at UTC+8.
Although China has 2 different offsets, Shanghai keeps the same time as Beijing.
Clock changes in Shanghai, 2026 and 2027
No clock changes are scheduled in Shanghai for 2026 or 2027.
How far ahead or behind Shanghai is
A 9:00 AM start in Shanghai is 8:00 PM (previous day) in New York, 12:00 PM in Sydney and 5:00 PM (previous day) in Los Angeles.
| City | Time now | Difference now | In January | In July | Shared office hours |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| New York (United States) | --:-- | 13 h behind | 13 h behind | 12 h behind | None |
| Los Angeles (United States) | --:-- | 16 h behind | 16 h behind | 15 h behind | None |
| London (United Kingdom) | --:-- | 8 h behind | 8 h behind | 7 h behind | None |
| Paris (France) | --:-- | 7 h behind | 7 h behind | 6 h behind | 1 h |
| Dubai (United Arab Emirates) | --:-- | 4 h behind | 4 h behind | 4 h behind | 4 h |
| Mumbai (India) | --:-- | 2 h 30 min behind | 2 h 30 min behind | 2 h 30 min behind | 5 h 30 min |
| Singapore | --:-- | Same time | Same time | Same time | 8 h |
| Tokyo (Japan) | --:-- | 1 h ahead | 1 h ahead | 1 h ahead | 7 h |
| Sydney (Australia) | --:-- | 3 h ahead | 3 h ahead | 2 h ahead | 5 h |
| UTC | --:-- | 8 h behind | 8 h behind | 8 h behind | None |
Shanghai never changes its clocks, but many of these cities do. Where the January and July columns disagree, the gap shifts when the other city moves to or from daylight saving time.
Shared office hours is the part of a 9 AM to 5 PM local working day that both cities have in common. Weekends are not taken into account.
Sunrise, sunset and day length in Shanghai
Today
| Sunrise | --:-- |
|---|---|
| Sunset | --:-- |
| Day length | -- |
| Solar noon | --:-- |
The earliest sunrise in Shanghai is at 4:50 AM on June 11, and the latest sunset at 7:02 PM on June 30.
Daylight through the year in Shanghai
| Date | Sunrise | Sunset | Day length | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox | March 20 | 5:59 AM | 6:05 PM | 12 h 7 min |
| June solstice | June 21 | 4:51 AM | 7:01 PM | 14 h 11 min |
| September equinox | September 23 | 5:43 AM | 5:50 PM | 12 h 7 min |
| December solstice | December 22 | 6:49 AM | 4:56 PM | 10 h 7 min |
When the sun is highest in Shanghai
Shanghai lies close to the centre of its time zone, so the sun is highest at about 11:55 AM on standard time, close to clock noon.
Cities near Shanghai
Every city below shares Shanghai’s clock.
| City | Distance | Time now | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chongming | 50 km (31 mi) | --:-- | Same time |
| Kunshan | 51 km (32 mi) | --:-- | Same time |
| Suzhou | 83 km (51 mi) | --:-- | Same time |
| Changshu | 83 km (51 mi) | --:-- | Same time |
| Jiaxing | 85 km (53 mi) | --:-- | Same time |
| Nantong | 105 km (66 mi) | --:-- | Same time |
| Zhangjiagang | 113 km (70 mi) | --:-- | Same time |
| Wuxi | 118 km (73 mi) | --:-- | Same time |
More cities in China
All time zones and cities in China
Tools for time in Shanghai
- Convert a time to or from Shanghai: pick a date and time and see it in every city on your list.
- Add Shanghai to your world clock to keep it next to your own time.
- Find a meeting time that falls inside office hours in Shanghai and the other cities you work with.
- Open a full-screen clock for your own time zone.
Frequently asked questions
What time zone is Shanghai in?
Shanghai uses the Asia/Shanghai time zone, which is UTC+8 (CST) all year.
Does Shanghai use daylight saving time?
Not any more. Shanghai last changed its clocks for daylight saving time in 1991 and now stays on UTC+8 all year.
What is the time difference between Shanghai and New York?
Shanghai is 13 hours ahead of New York in January and 12 hours ahead of New York in July, because New York moves its clocks for daylight saving time and Shanghai does not.
Is Shanghai on the same time as Beijing?
Yes. Shanghai and Beijing both use UTC+8 right now.
How long is the longest day in Shanghai?
About 14 hours 11 minutes, around the June solstice. The shortest day, around the December solstice, has about 10 hours 7 minutes of daylight.
Time zone rules: IANA tz database, version 2026e. Place names and coordinates: GeoNames. Sunrise and sunset are calculated from the coordinates and can differ by a minute or two from local almanacs.