London to New York Time Difference Guide

London is 5 hours ahead of New York. Usually.

Except for 2-3 weeks in March when it's only 4 hours ahead. And one week in late October when it's 6 hours ahead.

That's the London-New York timezone headache. Both cities observe Daylight Saving Time, but on different dates, so the gap shifts twice a year and breaks everyone's recurring meeting schedules.

I've worked with UK-US teams for years. Every March and October, someone misses a call because the gap changed and their calendar didn't update.

Here's how to actually handle London-New York scheduling.

The Gap is Usually 5 Hours

During most of the year, when it's noon in New York, it's 5 PM in London.

New Yorkers start their 9 AM meetings while Londoners are eating lunch at 2 PM. By the time New Yorkers leave at 5 PM, it's 10 PM in London and everyone's asleep.

That 5-hour gap applies roughly 48 weeks a year. The other 4 weeks? Chaos.

DST Mismatch Creates Two Nightmare Periods

The US changes clocks on the second Sunday in March and first Sunday in November.

The UK changes clocks on the last Sunday in March and last Sunday in October.

Those dates don't align. So twice a year, the gap shifts for 2-3 weeks.

Spring 2026: US springs forward March 8. UK springs forward March 29. Between March 8-28, the gap is only 4 hours because the US jumped ahead but the UK hasn't yet.

Fall 2026: UK falls back October 25. US falls back November 1. Between October 25-31, the gap is 6 hours because the UK fell back but the US is still on daylight time.

I've missed meetings during these windows. My calendar showed 3 PM London / 10 AM New York, but the actual time difference was wrong because one side had switched and the other hadn't.

Check TimeandDate.com manually during March and October. Don't trust automated conversions.

Best Meeting Times: 2-6 PM London = 9 AM-1 PM New York

The 4-hour window from 2 PM to 6 PM London time hits 9 AM to 1 PM New York time. Both sides are working. Nobody's taking calls at 7 AM or staying until 8 PM.

| London Time | New York Time | Notes |

|-------------|---------------|-------|

| 2:00 PM | 9:00 AM | New Yorkers starting, Londoners mid-afternoon |

| 3:00 PM | 10:00 AM | Perfect for both sides |

| 4:00 PM | 11:00 AM | Still great |

| 5:00 PM | 12:00 PM | Londoners wrapping up, NY lunch hour |

| 6:00 PM | 1:00 PM | Late for London |

The 3-4 PM London slot gets the most use. That's 10-11 AM New York. Americans are caffeinated, Brits haven't left yet.

Earlier Calls Hit London Hard

9 AM New York is 2 PM London. That works fine.

But I've seen New York teams schedule 8 AM ET calls without thinking. That's 1 PM London — right at lunch. Londoners show up annoyed because they're eating.

7 AM New York is noon London. Doable, but New Yorkers hate 7 AM calls.

6 AM New York is 11 AM London. Don't make this a regular thing — New Yorkers won't show up consistently.

Late Calls Hit New York Hard

6 PM London is 1 PM New York. That's fine for NY but late for London.

7 PM London is 2 PM New York. Londoners are done for the day. I've been on UK teams where people flatly refused regular 7 PM calls. Work-life balance matters there.

8 PM London is 3 PM New York. Don't even try. You're asking Londoners to work evening hours while New Yorkers are mid-afternoon.

Financial Services Start Early

Wall Street and the City of London have their own schedules.

London markets: 8 AM to 4:30 PM GMT/BST

NYSE: 9:30 AM to 4 PM ET

The overlap is 2:30 PM to 4:30 PM London / 9:30 AM to 11:30 AM New York. Only 2 hours. Traders and analysts in both cities deal with this constantly.

I know London-based finance people who take 7 AM GMT calls to catch New York before markets open. It's part of the job.

Tech Companies Have More Flex

Tech firms often run 10 AM to 7 PM on both sides, which extends the overlap.

3 PM to 7 PM London hits 10 AM to 2 PM New York. That's a 4-hour window where both sides are working comfortably.

Silicon Valley gets it even worse — they're 8 hours behind London, so US West Coast / UK calls are brutal for one side or the other.

Always Write Both Timezones in Invites

"Let's meet Tuesday at 3 PM" — which timezone?

Write both: "Tuesday 3 PM London / 10 AM New York."

Better yet, include the date and timezone abbreviation: "Tuesday March 15 at 3 PM GMT / 10 AM EDT."

I've learned this the hard way. A client and I once scheduled "Wednesday afternoon" without specifying timezone. I showed up at 3 PM ET, they expected 3 PM GMT. We missed each other by 5 hours.

Rotate Meeting Times if Calls Are Regular

If you've got weekly UK-US syncs, don't always schedule at 4 PM London. That's fine for New York but late for London every single week.

Rotate. One week at 3 PM London (10 AM NY), next week at 5 PM London (noon NY). Share the inconvenience.

I've been on teams that didn't rotate. The UK side eventually stopped showing up because they were sick of late calls.

Record Meetings for People Who Can't Attend

When timezone gaps make live attendance impossible, record the call and share notes.

Loom, Zoom recordings, whatever. Just make sure people who miss the live session can catch up.

This works especially well for company all-hands or training sessions where real-time participation isn't critical.

Tools Save You From DST Disasters

Don't do timezone math manually during March and October. You'll get it wrong.

Use tools. Our overlap finder handles DST transitions automatically. WorldTimeBuddy works too.

I've used both for years. They account for DST mismatches so you don't have to.

The Bottom Line

London is 5 hours ahead of New York most of the year.

Except March 8-28, 2026 (4 hours) and October 25-31, 2026 (6 hours) when DST transitions don't align.

Best meeting window: 2-6 PM London / 9 AM-1 PM New York. That's 4 hours where both sides are working normal hours.

Always write both timezones in meeting invites. "Tuesday 3 PM London / 10 AM New York" leaves no confusion.

Rotate meeting times if calls are regular so one side isn't always stuck with early/late slots.

Use our overlap finder to avoid DST calculation errors. For broader US-Europe scheduling strategies, check the best meeting times for US-Europe teams guide. To understand the timezone standards London uses, read the GMT vs UTC difference.

| 4:00 PM | 11:00 AM | Excellent |

| 5:00 PM | 12:00 PM | Good (lunch in NY) |

| 6:00 PM | 1:00 PM | Acceptable (late for London) |

Early London / Late Night New York

For urgent matters, some teams extend into less ideal hours:

| London Time | New York Time | Consideration |

|-------------|---------------|---------------|

| 8:00 AM | 3:00 AM | Only for emergencies |

| 9:00 AM | 4:00 AM | Only for emergencies |

| 10:00 AM | 5:00 AM | Very early for New York |

| 11:00 AM | 6:00 AM | Early but manageable |

| 12:00 PM | 7:00 AM | Workable for early risers |

| 1:00 PM | 8:00 AM | Good for many NY professionals |

Late London / Afternoon New York

Extending London's day can accommodate US afternoon meetings:

| London Time | New York Time | Consideration |

|-------------|---------------|---------------|

| 7:00 PM | 2:00 PM | Late for London |

| 8:00 PM | 3:00 PM | Evening in London |

| 9:00 PM | 4:00 PM | Very late for London |

| 10:00 PM | 5:00 PM | End of NY business day |

Business Hour Overlap Analysis

Understanding the practical overlap between London and New York business hours helps teams structure their collaboration effectively.

Standard Business Hours Comparison

London typical hours: 9:00 AM - 6:00 PM GMT/BST

New York typical hours: 9:00 AM - 6:00 PM ET

When we overlay these schedules:

| Time Period | London Status | New York Status |

|-------------|---------------|-----------------|

| 9:00 AM London | Working | 4:00 AM - sleeping |

| 12:00 PM London | Working | 7:00 AM - commuting |

| 2:00 PM London | Working | 9:00 AM - working |

| 6:00 PM London | Finishing | 1:00 PM - working |

| 9:00 PM London | Evening | 4:00 PM - working |

| 11:00 PM London | Night | 6:00 PM - finishing |

Effective overlap: 4 hours (2:00 PM - 6:00 PM London / 9:00 AM - 1:00 PM New York)

Industry-Specific Considerations

Financial Services

Both London (the City) and New York (Wall Street) have early-starting financial districts:

• London markets: 8:00 AM - 4:30 PM GMT/BST
• NYSE: 9:30 AM - 4:00 PM ET
• Market overlap: 2:30 PM - 4:30 PM London / 9:30 AM - 11:30 AM New York

Technology

Tech companies often have more flexible hours, extending potential overlap:

• Many London tech firms work 10:00 AM - 7:00 PM
• Many NYC tech firms work 10:00 AM - 7:00 PM ET
• Extended overlap: 3:00 PM - 7:00 PM London / 10:00 AM - 2:00 PM New York

Media and Publishing

Editorial teams often accommodate transatlantic calls:

• Morning editorial meetings in London (10:00 AM)
• Afternoon updates with New York (5:00 PM London / 12:00 PM New York)

Practical Tips for UK-US Scheduling

1. Use Time Zone Tools

Never rely on mental math alone. Use our Overlap Finder to visualize available meeting slots and avoid calculation errors during DST transitions.

2. Specify the Time Zone Clearly

When proposing meeting times, always include both time zones:

• "Let's meet at 3:00 PM London / 10:00 AM New York"
• Better yet, include the date to avoid DST confusion: "Tuesday, March 15 at 3:00 PM GMT / 10:00 AM EDT"

3. Be Aware of DST Transitions

Add calendar reminders for:

• Second Sunday in March (US springs forward)
• Last Sunday in March (UK springs forward)
• Last Sunday in October (UK falls back)
• First Sunday in November (US falls back)

4. Rotate Meeting Times Fairly

If you have regular calls between London and New York teams, rotate the time slot periodically so neither team always bears the burden of early or late meetings.

5. Record Important Meetings

When live attendance is challenging due to time zones, record meetings and share transcripts with team members who couldn't attend in real-time.

Common London-New York Scheduling Scenarios

Scenario 1: Weekly Team Sync

A London-based team lead needs to meet with New York developers weekly.

Recommendation: Schedule for 4:00 PM London / 11:00 AM New York

• London team hasn't left for the day
• New York team is fresh and focused
• Leaves time for follow-up work on both sides

Scenario 2: Client Presentation

A London agency presenting to a New York client.

Recommendation: 3:00 PM London / 10:00 AM New York

• New York client is alert and available
• London team can prepare throughout the morning
• Time for revisions after the call if needed

Scenario 3: Executive Call

CEOs from London and New York need a 30-minute call.

Recommendation: 2:00 PM London / 9:00 AM New York

• Earliest practical slot in core business hours for both
• Minimizes disruption to both executives' days

Tools and Resources

Use Whenest for London-New York Scheduling

Our Overlap Finder tool is specifically designed to help you find the perfect meeting time between any two locations, including London and New York. It automatically accounts for:

• Current DST status in both locations
• Upcoming DST transitions
• Working hours preferences
• Holiday considerations

Additional Resources

• Best Meeting Times for US-Europe Teams - Broader guidance for transatlantic scheduling
• GMT vs UTC Difference - Understanding the time standard London uses
• Time Zone Abbreviations Explained - Decode EST, EDT, GMT, and BST

Conclusion

The London New York time difference of 5 hours creates a manageable 4-hour overlap during standard business hours, making transatlantic collaboration entirely practical with proper planning. The key challenges arise during the DST transition periods in spring and autumn when the difference shifts to 4 or 6 hours temporarily.

By understanding when these transitions occur, using reliable scheduling tools like our Overlap Finder, and communicating meeting times clearly with both time zones specified, you can eliminate the confusion that plagues many international teams.

Whether you're coordinating a single call or managing ongoing UK-US collaboration, the strategies in this guide will help you navigate the London New York time difference with confidence. For broader guidance on transatlantic scheduling, see our article on the best time to call between US and Europe.