Current Time in Shanghai
Shanghai · China Standard Time (CST) · UTC+8 · No Daylight Saving Time
Current Time in Other Cities
| City | Current Time |
|---|---|
| Beijing | --:-- -- |
| Hong Kong | --:-- -- |
| Singapore | --:-- -- |
| Tokyo | --:-- -- |
| London | --:-- -- |
Shanghai Time Is Beijing Time
Quick answer: Shanghai uses China Standard Time (CST) · UTC+8 year-round · no daylight saving.
Shanghai uses China Standard Time, UTC+8, with no daylight saving. Its IANA zone, Asia/Shanghai, is the one used for the whole of mainland China, so Shanghai and Beijing always read the same.
The abbreviation CST is shared with US Central Standard Time, so a message that says "9 AM CST" can mean either. For Shanghai, write "Shanghai time" or the zone identifier to remove the doubt.
Gaps with the West move by an hour when the other city changes clocks. When a Shanghai office opens at 9:00 AM, London reads 1:00 AM in January and 2:00 AM in July, and Los Angeles reads 5:00 PM the previous day in January and 6:00 PM the previous day in July.
Shanghai Against Regional and Western Clocks
Beijing, Hong Kong and Singapore show the same time as Shanghai all year. Tokyo is one hour ahead, and London is the row that changes between winter and summer.
Finding Shared Hours With Shanghai
With Tokyo, a 10:00 AM start is 9:00 AM in Shanghai. With London, 8:00 AM is 4:00 PM in January and 3:00 PM in July in Shanghai, so Europe reaches Shanghai late in its working day.
New York's evening is Shanghai's morning: 7:00 PM in New York is 8:00 AM the next day in January and 7:00 AM the next day in July in Shanghai.
| Scenario | Useful window | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Singapore to Shanghai | 9:00 AM-6:00 PM Singapore | Same local clock |
| Tokyo to Shanghai | 10:00 AM-6:00 PM JST | Shanghai is one hour behind Tokyo |
| London to Shanghai | 8:00-10:00 AM London | Late afternoon in Shanghai |
| New York to Shanghai | 7:00-9:00 PM New York | Next morning in Shanghai |
For a live overlap finder, use the meeting scheduler or convert an exact time with the time zone converter.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Shanghai in the same time zone as Beijing?
Yes. Both use China Standard Time (UTC+8) and the same Asia/Shanghai zone, so the clocks never differ.
Does Shanghai have daylight saving time?
No. Shanghai stays on UTC+8 all year, so any change in a Shanghai meeting gap comes from the other city.
Is a London morning too late for Shanghai?
London's 8:00 AM is 4:00 PM in January and 3:00 PM in July in Shanghai, so it reaches Shanghai late in its working day and leaves little room to run over.
How does Shanghai compare with Tokyo?
Shanghai is one hour behind Tokyo, all year. 10:00 AM in Tokyo is 9:00 AM in Shanghai.