San Salvador keeps UTC−6 (CST) all year. There is no daylight saving time, so the clock never changes.
San Salvador and your time
San Salvador at a glance
| Country | El Salvador |
|---|---|
| Region | San Salvador Department |
| Capital of | El Salvador |
| Time zone | America/El_Salvador |
| Abbreviation now | CST |
| UTC offset now | UTC−6 |
| Daylight saving time | Not observed since 1988 |
| Coordinates | 13.69° N, 89.19° W |
San Salvador time zone and clock changes
San Salvador follows the America/El_Salvador time zone and stays on UTC−6 all year. Clocks here last changed for daylight saving time in 1988; the tz database lists no change after that.
As the capital of El Salvador, San Salvador shares one clock with the whole country.
Clock changes in San Salvador, 2026 and 2027
No clock changes are scheduled in San Salvador for 2026 or 2027.
San Salvador time compared with major cities
A 9:00 AM start in San Salvador is 3:00 PM in London, 2:00 AM (next day) in Sydney and 7:00 AM in Los Angeles.
| City | Time now | Difference now | In January | In July | Shared office hours |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| New York (United States) | --:-- | 1 h ahead | 1 h ahead | 2 h ahead | 7 h |
| Los Angeles (United States) | --:-- | 2 h behind | 2 h behind | 1 h behind | 6 h |
| London (United Kingdom) | --:-- | 6 h ahead | 6 h ahead | 7 h ahead | 2 h |
| Paris (France) | --:-- | 7 h ahead | 7 h ahead | 8 h ahead | 1 h |
| Dubai (United Arab Emirates) | --:-- | 10 h ahead | 10 h ahead | 10 h ahead | None |
| Mumbai (India) | --:-- | 11 h 30 min ahead | 11 h 30 min ahead | 11 h 30 min ahead | None |
| Singapore | --:-- | 14 h ahead | 14 h ahead | 14 h ahead | None |
| Tokyo (Japan) | --:-- | 15 h ahead | 15 h ahead | 15 h ahead | None |
| Sydney (Australia) | --:-- | 17 h ahead | 17 h ahead | 16 h ahead | None |
| UTC | --:-- | 6 h ahead | 6 h ahead | 6 h ahead | 2 h |
San Salvador 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 counts the time when the clock reads between 9 AM and 5 PM in both cities on the same day.
Sunrise, sunset and day length in San Salvador
Today
| Sunrise | --:-- |
|---|---|
| Sunset | --:-- |
| Day length | -- |
| Solar noon | --:-- |
Close to the equator, days in San Salvador last between 11 hours 19 minutes and 12 hours 56 minutes, so evenings get dark at about the same time all year.
Daylight through the year in San Salvador
| Date | Sunrise | Sunset | Day length | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox | March 20 | 6:01 AM | 6:08 PM | 12 h 7 min |
| June solstice | June 21 | 5:31 AM | 6:27 PM | 12 h 56 min |
| September equinox | September 22 | 5:46 AM | 5:53 PM | 12 h 7 min |
| December solstice | December 21 | 6:15 AM | 5:35 PM | 11 h 19 min |
Clock time and sun time in San Salvador
Clock time and sun time line up fairly well in San Salvador: solar noon falls at about 11:55 AM on standard time.
Places close to San Salvador
All the places listed below keep the same time as San Salvador.
| City | Distance | Time now | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Santa Ana | 52 km (32 mi) | --:-- | Same time |
| Jutiapa (Guatemala) | 101 km (62 mi) | --:-- | Same time |
| San Miguel | 111 km (69 mi) | --:-- | Same time |
| Chiquimula (Guatemala) | 130 km (80 mi) | --:-- | Same time |
| Jalapa (Guatemala) | 136 km (85 mi) | --:-- | Same time |
| Villa Nueva (Guatemala) | 177 km (110 mi) | --:-- | Same time |
| Siguatepeque (Honduras) | 178 km (110 mi) | --:-- | Same time |
| Guatemala City (Guatemala) | 178 km (111 mi) | --:-- | Same time |
Same time now, different rules
These places read the same time as San Salvador today but follow different rules, so they can drift apart when clocks change.
Tools for time in San Salvador
- Convert a time to or from San Salvador: pick a date and time and see it in every city on your list.
- Add San Salvador to your world clock to keep it next to your own time.
- Find a meeting time that falls inside office hours in San Salvador and the other cities you work with.
- Open a full-screen clock for your own time zone.
Frequently asked questions
What time zone is San Salvador in?
San Salvador uses the America/El_Salvador time zone, which is UTC−6 (CST) all year.
Does San Salvador use daylight saving time?
Not any more. San Salvador last changed its clocks for daylight saving time in 1988 and now stays on UTC−6 all year.
What is the time difference between San Salvador and London?
San Salvador is 6 hours behind London in January and 7 hours behind London in July, because London moves its clocks for daylight saving time and San Salvador does not.
How long is the longest day in San Salvador?
About 12 hours 56 minutes, around the June solstice. The shortest day, around the December solstice, has about 11 hours 19 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.