Istanbul keeps UTC+3 all year. There is no daylight saving time, so the clock never changes.
Istanbul and your time
Istanbul at a glance
| Country | Türkiye |
|---|---|
| Region | Istanbul |
| Time zone | Europe/Istanbul |
| UTC offset now | UTC+3 |
| Daylight saving time | Not observed since 2016 |
| Coordinates | 41.01° N, 28.95° E |
Istanbul time zone and clock changes
The clocks in Istanbul follow Europe/Istanbul and do not move with the seasons. The last daylight saving period here was in 2016. Since then the offset has stayed at UTC+3.
All of Türkiye keeps the same time, so Istanbul reads the same clock as Ankara.
Clock changes in Istanbul, 2026 and 2027
No clock changes are scheduled in Istanbul for 2026 or 2027.
Istanbul time compared with major cities
Take 9:00 AM in Istanbul: the clock reads 1:00 AM in New York, 5:00 PM in Sydney and 10:00 PM (previous day) in Los Angeles.
| City | Time now | Difference now | In January | In July | Shared office hours |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| New York (United States) | --:-- | 8 h behind | 8 h behind | 7 h behind | None |
| Los Angeles (United States) | --:-- | 11 h behind | 11 h behind | 10 h behind | None |
| London (United Kingdom) | --:-- | 3 h behind | 3 h behind | 2 h behind | 5 h |
| Paris (France) | --:-- | 2 h behind | 2 h behind | 1 h behind | 6 h |
| Dubai (United Arab Emirates) | --:-- | 1 h ahead | 1 h ahead | 1 h ahead | 7 h |
| Mumbai (India) | --:-- | 2 h 30 min ahead | 2 h 30 min ahead | 2 h 30 min ahead | 5 h 30 min |
| Singapore | --:-- | 5 h ahead | 5 h ahead | 5 h ahead | 3 h |
| Tokyo (Japan) | --:-- | 6 h ahead | 6 h ahead | 6 h ahead | 2 h |
| Sydney (Australia) | --:-- | 8 h ahead | 8 h ahead | 7 h ahead | None |
| UTC | --:-- | 3 h behind | 3 h behind | 3 h behind | 5 h |
Istanbul 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.
Daylight in Istanbul
Today
| Sunrise | --:-- |
|---|---|
| Sunset | --:-- |
| Day length | -- |
| Solar noon | --:-- |
Over the year, daylight in Istanbul grows from 9 hours 13 minutes to 15 hours 8 minutes and back, a swing of 5 hours 55 minutes.
Daylight through the year in Istanbul
| Date | Sunrise | Sunset | Day length | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox | March 20 | 7:08 AM | 7:16 PM | 12 h 8 min |
| June solstice | June 21 | 5:32 AM | 8:40 PM | 15 h 8 min |
| September equinox | September 23 | 6:53 AM | 7:00 PM | 12 h 8 min |
| December solstice | December 21 | 8:26 AM | 5:39 PM | 9 h 13 min |
When the sun is highest in Istanbul
Istanbul sits well west of the centre of its time zone. On average the sun reaches its highest point at about 1:05 PM on standard time, not at 12:00. Mornings stay dark longer and evenings stay light later than the clock suggests.
Places close to Istanbul
Every city below shares Istanbul’s clock.
| City | Distance | Time now | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gebze | 47 km (29 mi) | --:-- | Same time |
| Yalova | 48 km (30 mi) | --:-- | Same time |
| Orhangazi | 66 km (41 mi) | --:-- | Same time |
| Gemlik | 67 km (42 mi) | --:-- | Same time |
| Çerkezköy | 85 km (53 mi) | --:-- | Same time |
| Izmit | 87 km (54 mi) | --:-- | Same time |
| Bursa | 91 km (57 mi) | --:-- | Same time |
| Çorlu | 98 km (61 mi) | --:-- | Same time |
More cities in Türkiye
All time zones and cities in Türkiye
Tools for time in Istanbul
- Convert a time to or from Istanbul: pick a date and time and see it in every city on your list.
- Add Istanbul to your world clock to keep it next to your own time.
- Find a meeting time that falls inside office hours in Istanbul and the other cities you work with.
- Open a full-screen clock for your own time zone.
Frequently asked questions
What time zone is Istanbul in?
Istanbul uses the Europe/Istanbul time zone, which is UTC+3 all year.
Does Istanbul use daylight saving time?
Not any more. Istanbul last changed its clocks for daylight saving time in 2016 and now stays on UTC+3 all year.
What is the time difference between Istanbul and New York?
Istanbul is 8 hours ahead of New York in January and 7 hours ahead of New York in July, because New York moves its clocks for daylight saving time and Istanbul does not.
Is Istanbul on the same time as Ankara?
Yes. Istanbul and Ankara both use UTC+3 right now.
How long is the longest day in Istanbul?
About 15 hours 8 minutes, around the June solstice. The shortest day, around the December solstice, has about 9 hours 13 minutes of daylight.
Why is the sun not highest at noon in Istanbul?
Clock time follows the time zone, not the sun. Istanbul lies west of the line its offset is based on, so solar noon comes at about 1:05 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.