Current Time in Istanbul
Thursday, October 1, 2026
Turkey Time (TRT) · UTC+3 · No DSTIstanbul Time Zone Information
⚠️ Important: Turkey permanently removed DST in 2016
Many tools and calendars still incorrectly show Istanbul observing daylight saving time. Turkey moved to UTC+3 permanently on 8 September 2016. Istanbul is now always 3 hours ahead of London in winter and 2 hours during BST — it never changes clocks.
Compare Istanbul Time with Other Cities
About Istanbul's Time Zone
Istanbul, Turkey's largest city and cultural capital, operates on Turkey Time (TRT), which is fixed at UTC+3. Unlike most European nations, Turkey permanently abandoned daylight saving time on 8 September 2016, aligning Istanbul with Moscow and Riyadh year-round rather than the rest of Europe.
This makes scheduling meetings with Istanbul uniquely simple: it is always 3 hours ahead of London (GMT) in winter and always 2 hours ahead during British Summer Time — no seasonal adjustments needed. Business hours in Istanbul run Sunday to Friday (or Monday to Friday for international companies), typically 9 AM to 6 PM TRT.
Istanbul straddles Europe and Asia across the Bosphorus Strait. Although geographically split, the entire city uses a single time zone. The Borsa Istanbul (stock exchange) trades 10 AM to 6 PM TRT on weekdays.
For global teams coordinating with Istanbul, the best meeting window from London is 9 AM–2 PM London (12 noon–5 PM Istanbul). From New York (EST), the overlap is limited to 2 PM–5 PM Istanbul (7 AM–10 AM New York).
Frequently Asked Questions
Istanbul uses Turkey Time (TRT), which is UTC+3. Turkey permanently stopped observing daylight saving time in 2016, so Istanbul remains at UTC+3 all year round — no clock changes.
No. Turkey discontinued daylight saving time on 8 September 2016 and moved to UTC+3 permanently. Istanbul clocks never change, making it the same offset as Moscow and Riyadh.
Istanbul (UTC+3) is 3 hours ahead of London in winter (GMT, UTC+0) and 2 hours ahead during British Summer Time (BST, UTC+1) from late March to late October. Turkey no longer changes its clocks.
Dubai (UTC+4) is 1 hour ahead of Istanbul (UTC+3). This difference is constant year-round as neither Turkey nor the UAE observes daylight saving time.
Istanbul (UTC+3) is 8 hours ahead of New York (EST, UTC-5) in winter and 7 hours ahead during Eastern Daylight Time (EDT, UTC-4) in summer. Turkey does not change its clocks.
Standard business hours in Istanbul are Monday to Friday, 9 AM to 6 PM TRT (UTC+3). Government offices typically open 8:30 AM and close by 5:30 PM. The Turkish work week is Monday to Friday.
The best time to call Istanbul from London is 9 AM–3 PM London time, which is 12 noon–6 PM Istanbul time. Both cities share most of the business day since Istanbul is only 2–3 hours ahead.