Find the best time to call Europe from the US and vice versa. Comprehensive guide with US regions vs EU regions matrix, morning/afternoon windows, and tips for avoiding inconvenient call times across the Atlantic.
Best Time to Call Between US and Europe
I've woken up at 6 AM for calls with London more times than I can count. I've also accidentally called Paris at 10 PM their time thinking it was still afternoon. The US-Europe timezone gap is real—anywhere from 5 to 11 hours depending on where you're calling from and to.
Whether you're coordinating with coworkers, calling family, or scheduling client meetings across the Atlantic, timing matters. Here's what actually works without making anyone miserable.
The Time Gap Depends on Where You Are
The US stretches across four time zones. Europe mainly uses three for business. That combo creates anything from a 5-hour gap (New York to London) up to 11 hours (LA to Helsinki). Let's break it down.
US Side of the Equation
| Zone | Abbreviation | UTC Offset | Cities You Know |
|------|--------------|-----------|----------------|
| Eastern | EST/EDT | UTC-5 / UTC-4 | New York, Miami, Boston, DC |
| Central | CST/CDT | UTC-6 / UTC-5 | Chicago, Dallas, Houston |
| Mountain | MST/MDT | UTC-7 / UTC-6 | Denver, Phoenix, Salt Lake City |
| Pacific | PST/PDT | UTC-8 / UTC-7 | LA, San Francisco, Seattle |
Europe's Setup
| Zone | Abbreviation | UTC Offset | Major Cities |
|------|--------------|-----------|-------------|
| Western European | WET/WEST | UTC+0 / UTC+1 | London, Lisbon, Dublin |
| Central European | CET/CEST | UTC+1 / UTC+2 | Paris, Berlin, Madrid, Rome, Amsterdam |
| Eastern European | EET/EEST | UTC+2 / UTC+3 | Helsinki, Athens, Warsaw |
If you're calling from New York to London, that's a manageable 5-hour difference. But LA to Helsinki? That's 10 hours in winter, 11 in some parts of the year. Finding overlap gets tough.
For a deeper dive into Central European Time specifically, I've written about CET.
Quick Reference: What Time Is It There?
Here's the actual time difference between US and European regions. Europe's always ahead, so you're adding hours when you call from the US.
How Many Hours Ahead Is Europe?
| From US | To UK | To Central EU | To Eastern EU |
|---------|-------|---------------|---------------|
| Eastern (NYC) | +5 hours | +6 hours | +7 hours |
| Central (Chicago) | +6 hours | +7 hours | +8 hours |
| Mountain (Denver) | +7 hours | +8 hours | +9 hours |
| Pacific (LA) | +8 hours | +9 hours | +10 hours |
These stay pretty consistent year-round because both the US and most of Europe do DST—though on different dates, which creates brief confusion in March and October/November. Check 2026 DST dates if you're scheduling around those transition weeks.
Real Examples
It's 9 AM in New York. What time is it in Europe?
- London: 2 PM
- Paris/Berlin: 3 PM
- Helsinki: 4 PM
It's 9 AM in Los Angeles. What time is it in Europe?
- London: 5 PM (end of workday)
- Paris/Berlin: 6 PM (dinner time)
- Helsinki: 7 PM (definitely evening)
See the problem? By the time LA wakes up, Europe's wrapping up.
Call Europe in Your Morning (If You Can Wake Up)
Morning calls from the US work great because you're fresh and Europeans are in their afternoon. You catch them post-lunch, they catch you caffeinated. Win-win.
When to Call in Your Morning
| You're In | Call Between | They'll Be At | Reality Check |
|-----------|-------------|---------------|---------------|
| Eastern (NYC) | 7 AM - 11 AM | Noon - 4 PM UK | Solid 4-hour window |
| Central (Chicago) | 6 AM - 10 AM | Noon - 4 PM UK | Early but doable |
| Mountain (Denver) | 5 AM - 9 AM | Noon - 4 PM UK | You're waking up very early |
| Pacific (LA) | 6 AM - 8 AM | 2 PM - 4 PM UK | Brutal. Only 2 hours. |
Why Morning Calls Work
You're alert. They've already had lunch. Neither of you is exhausted from a full workday. Both sides have time afterward to actually do something with whatever you discussed.
Why Morning Calls Suck for West Coast
If you're in LA or San Francisco, calling Europe in the morning means 6 AM wake-ups to catch them at 2 PM their time. Do this every week and you'll burn out fast. I've been there.
Call Europe in Your Afternoon (Better for Personal Stuff)
Afternoon calls from the US mean you're catching Europeans in their evening. This works fine for personal calls, less great for business stuff.
Afternoon Windows That Work
| You're In | Call Between | They'll Be At | What This Means |
|-----------|-------------|---------------|-----------------|
| Eastern (NYC) | Noon - 2 PM | 5 PM - 7 PM UK | Their early evening |
| Central (Chicago) | 11 AM - 1 PM | 5 PM - 7 PM UK | Post-work hours |
| Mountain (Denver) | 10 AM - noon | 5 PM - 7 PM UK | Catching them after work |
| Pacific (LA) | 9 AM - 11 AM | 5 PM - 7 PM UK | End of their day |
Why This Works
No brutal early mornings for you. Europeans are done with work and less stressed. Great for calling family or friends. More flexible than rigid business hours.
The Catch
Call after 2 PM Eastern and you're hitting Europeans late. By 3 PM in New York, it's 8 PM in London, 9 PM in Berlin. That's dinner time, family time, "leave me alone" time. Don't be that person.
When NOT to Call (Don't Be That Person)
Want to wreck a relationship? Consistently call at terrible times. Here's how to avoid being hated.
US to Europe: Don't Call During These Times
| Your Time (Eastern) | Their Time (CET) | Why This Is Bad |
|---------------------|------------------|-----------------|
| Before 6 AM | Before noon | They're in meetings or at lunch |
| After 3 PM | After 9 PM | Too late, they're off the clock |
| Noon - 1 PM | 6 PM - 7 PM | Dinner time in Europe |
Europe to US: Don't Call During These Times
| Your Time (CET) | Their Time (Eastern) | Why This Is Bad |
|-----------------|----------------------|-----------------|
| Before 2 PM | Before 8 AM | They're not awake yet |
| After 11 PM | After 5 PM | They're leaving work |
| 6 PM - 8 PM | Noon - 2 PM | American lunch hour |
The Absolute Worst Times
Europeans calling LA: Before 5 PM CET hits LA before 8 AM. Nobody wants to talk to you that early.
LA calling Europe: After 11 AM PST means you're reaching UK past 7 PM. Their workday's over. Let them have dinner.
The Sweet Spots (Where Both Sides Win)
These are the windows where nobody's miserable. Both parties are awake, at work, and not exhausted.
East Coast to UK — The Easiest Combo
8 AM - noon Eastern = 1 PM - 5 PM UK
Four solid hours. You're in your morning, they're in their afternoon. This is as good as it gets for transatlantic scheduling.
East Coast to Central Europe — Still Pretty Good
8 AM - 11 AM Eastern = 2 PM - 5 PM CET
Three-hour window. The golden hour? 9-10 AM Eastern (3-4 PM in Berlin/Paris). That's prime time for both sides.
West Coast to UK — Getting Tight
7 AM - 9 AM Pacific = 3 PM - 5 PM UK
Only two hours, and you're waking up early for it. Schedule your most important calls early in the week when you've got energy.
West Coast to Central Europe — The Worst
6 AM - 8 AM Pacific = 3 PM - 5 PM CET
Two hours. Requires 6 AM starts from LA or San Francisco. If you've got regular calls like this, rotate who takes the bad slot. Don't make the same person do it every time.
For more on US-Europe scheduling strategies, I've written a deeper guide: Best Meeting Times for US-Europe Teams.
DST Will Mess You Up (Watch Out in March and October)
The US and Europe don't switch to DST on the same dates. For a few weeks each year, your usual call time shifts by an hour. I've missed meetings because of this.
When the Confusion Happens in 2026
| Event | US Switches | Europe Switches | How Long It's Weird |
|-------|-------------|-----------------|---------------------|
| Spring forward | March 9 | March 29 | 3 weeks where times are off by an hour |
| Fall back | November 2 | October 25 | 1 week of confusion |
During these gaps, your regular 9 AM call might suddenly be at 10 AM or 8 AM for the other person. Always double-check during late March, late October, and early November.
Full dates and details here: When Do the Clocks Change in 2026.
Business vs Personal — Different Rules
Business Calls: Be Formal
Send calendar invites with timezone conversions. Default to morning windows so you're both during work hours. Be flexible sometimes—occasionally take the bad slot to show you're reasonable. Always write out the timezone: "3 PM EST / 8 PM GMT."
Personal Calls: More Flexible
Evening-to-evening works great. 6 PM in Berlin is noon in New York—both of you are available. Weekends give you way more flexibility. People tolerate weird hours more when it's family.
Still, avoid meal times. Don't call during sleep hours unless it's an emergency. Text first to see if they're free.
Tools That Make This Easier
Just Use a Meeting Planner
Whenest Meeting Planner does the math for you. Add your locations, see the overlap windows visualized. Way better than manually calculating "if it's 9 AM here, what time is it there?" every single time.
Calendar Tricks
Always write both timezones in the invite: "3 PM EST / 8 PM GMT."
Turn on world clock features in your calendar app. Most support this.
Set reminders that account for prep time. If Europeans need to join a call at 8 PM their time, they need an evening reminder, not an afternoon one.
Block recurring slots. If you've got a weekly transatlantic call, protect that time on your calendar so nothing else creeps in.
Cheat Sheet: Best Times at a Glance
Bookmark this. These are the sweet spots.
US to Europe
| Your City → Their City | Call Between (Your Time) | They'll Be At |
|------------------------|-------------------------|---------------|
| NYC → London | 8 AM - 11 AM EST | 1 PM - 4 PM GMT |
| NYC → Paris | 8 AM - 10 AM EST | 2 PM - 4 PM CET |
| Chicago → Berlin | 7 AM - 9 AM CST | 2 PM - 4 PM CET |
| Denver → London | 6 AM - 9 AM MST | 1 PM - 4 PM GMT |
| LA → London | 7 AM - 9 AM PST | 3 PM - 5 PM GMT |
| LA → Paris | 6 AM - 8 AM PST | 3 PM - 5 PM CET |
Europe to US
| Your City → Their City | Call Between (Your Time) | They'll Be At |
|------------------------|-------------------------|---------------|
| London → NYC | 2 PM - 5 PM GMT | 9 AM - noon EST |
| Paris → NYC | 3 PM - 6 PM CET | 9 AM - noon EST |
| Berlin → Chicago | 3 PM - 5 PM CET | 8 AM - 10 AM CST |
| London → LA | 5 PM - 7 PM GMT | 9 AM - 11 AM PST |
| Paris → LA | 6 PM - 8 PM CET | 9 AM - 11 AM PST |
What I Actually Do
Here's what works for transatlantic calls:
Morning calls from the US (8-11 AM your time) are best for business. You catch Europe in their afternoon, both sides are alert.
West Coast has it rough. If you're in LA or SF, you need to wake up early or accept that you'll catch Europe after work hours.
Afternoon calls from the US work fine for personal stuff. You're hitting Europeans in their evening, which is perfect for catching up with family but not great for work calls.
Watch DST transitions. March and October/November are when the time difference temporarily shifts by an hour. Don't trust your muscle memory during those weeks.
Use a tool. Meeting Planner does the math so you don't have to.
Whether you're coordinating business calls or staying in touch with family across the ocean, these windows make sure nobody's miserable. For teams doing this regularly, check out Best Meeting Times for US-Europe Teams and the broader remote team timezone management guide.
Martin Šikula
Founder of WhenestI work with distributed teams daily — whether it's coordinating with developers across time zones or scheduling client calls across continents. I built Whenest because existing tools were either too complex or too expensive for something that should be simple.