Cape Town keeps UTC+2 (SAST) all year. There is no daylight saving time, so the clock never changes.
Cape Town and your time
Cape Town at a glance
| Country | South Africa |
|---|---|
| Region | Western Cape |
| Time zone | Africa/Johannesburg |
| Abbreviation now | SAST |
| UTC offset now | UTC+2 |
| Daylight saving time | Not observed |
| Coordinates | 33.93° S, 18.42° E |
Time zone in Cape Town
The clocks in Cape Town follow Africa/Johannesburg and keep UTC+2 through every season. No daylight saving time has been recorded here since 1970.
All of South Africa keeps the same time, so Cape Town reads the same clock as Pretoria.
Clock changes in Cape Town, 2026 and 2027
No clock changes are scheduled in Cape Town for 2026 or 2027.
Time difference between Cape Town and other cities
When it is 9:00 AM in Cape Town, it is 2:00 AM in New York, 6:00 PM in Sydney and 11:00 PM (previous day) in Los Angeles.
| City | Time now | Difference now | In January | In July | Shared office hours |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| New York (United States) | --:-- | 7 h behind | 7 h behind | 6 h behind | 1 h |
| Los Angeles (United States) | --:-- | 10 h behind | 10 h behind | 9 h behind | None |
| London (United Kingdom) | --:-- | 2 h behind | 2 h behind | 1 h behind | 6 h |
| Paris (France) | --:-- | 1 h behind | 1 h behind | Same time | 7 h |
| Dubai (United Arab Emirates) | --:-- | 2 h ahead | 2 h ahead | 2 h ahead | 6 h |
| Mumbai (India) | --:-- | 3 h 30 min ahead | 3 h 30 min ahead | 3 h 30 min ahead | 4 h 30 min |
| Singapore | --:-- | 6 h ahead | 6 h ahead | 6 h ahead | 2 h |
| Tokyo (Japan) | --:-- | 7 h ahead | 7 h ahead | 7 h ahead | 1 h |
| Sydney (Australia) | --:-- | 9 h ahead | 9 h ahead | 8 h ahead | None |
| UTC | --:-- | 2 h behind | 2 h behind | 2 h behind | 6 h |
Because Cape Town keeps one offset all year, any change in the gap comes from the other city’s daylight saving time. Compare the January and July columns.
Shared office hours counts the time when the clock reads between 9 AM and 5 PM in both cities on the same day.
Sunrise and sunset in Cape Town
Today
| Sunrise | --:-- |
|---|---|
| Sunset | --:-- |
| Day length | -- |
| Solar noon | --:-- |
Seasons run the other way in Cape Town: the December solstice brings 14 hours 25 minutes of daylight and the June solstice only 9 hours 54 minutes.
Daylight through the year in Cape Town
| Date | Sunrise | Sunset | Day length | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox | March 20 | 6:49 AM | 6:58 PM | 12 h 8 min |
| June solstice | June 21 | 7:51 AM | 5:45 PM | 9 h 54 min |
| September equinox | September 23 | 6:35 AM | 6:43 PM | 12 h 9 min |
| December solstice | December 21 | 5:32 AM | 7:57 PM | 14 h 25 min |
Clock time and sun time in Cape Town
Cape Town sits well west of the centre of its time zone. On average the sun reaches its highest point at about 12:45 PM on standard time, not at 12:00. Mornings stay dark longer and evenings stay light later than the clock suggests.
Cities near Cape Town
All the places listed below keep the same time as Cape Town.
| City | Distance | Time now | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Somerset West | 41 km (25 mi) | --:-- | Same time |
| Paarl | 55 km (34 mi) | --:-- | Same time |
| Worcester | 100 km (62 mi) | --:-- | Same time |
Same time now, different rules
These places read the same time as Cape Town today but follow different rules, so they can drift apart when clocks change.
More cities in South Africa
All time zones and cities in South Africa
Tools for time in Cape Town
- Convert a time to or from Cape Town: pick a date and time and see it in every city on your list.
- Add Cape Town to your world clock to keep it next to your own time.
- Find a meeting time that falls inside office hours in Cape Town and the other cities you work with.
- Open a full-screen clock for your own time zone.
Frequently asked questions
What time zone is Cape Town in?
Cape Town uses the Africa/Johannesburg time zone, which is UTC+2 (SAST) all year.
Does Cape Town use daylight saving time?
No. Cape Town stays on UTC+2 all year, so the time difference to places without daylight saving time never changes.
What is the time difference between Cape Town and New York?
Cape Town is 7 hours ahead of New York in January and 6 hours ahead of New York in July, because New York moves its clocks for daylight saving time and Cape Town does not.
Is Cape Town on the same time as Pretoria?
Yes. Cape Town and Pretoria both use UTC+2 right now.
How long is the longest day in Cape Town?
About 14 hours 25 minutes, around the December solstice. The shortest day, around the June solstice, has about 9 hours 54 minutes of daylight.
Why is the sun not highest at noon in Cape Town?
Clock time follows the time zone, not the sun. Cape Town lies west of the line its offset is based on, so solar noon comes at about 12:45 PM on standard time.
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.