Czech Republic Time Zone: What Time Is It in Prague?
Moderated by Tomas Kauer 
The Czech Republic is in the Central European Time Zone (CET, UTC+1) in winter and Central European Summer Time (CEST, UTC+2) in summer. Daylight saving ends on the last Sunday of October and begins on the last Sunday of March. Prague uses the same time as Berlin, Paris, Rome, Vienna, Madrid, and Warsaw.
Czech Republic time: at a glance
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Standard time (winter) | Central European Time — CET — UTC+1 |
| Summer time | Central European Summer Time — CEST — UTC+2 |
| Daylight saving starts | Last Sunday of March at 02:00 (clocks jump to 03:00) |
| Daylight saving ends | Last Sunday of October at 03:00 (clocks fall back to 02:00) |
| Time zone ID | Europe/Prague |
| Local names | Středoevropský čas (SEČ) / Středoevropský letní čas (SELČ) |
| Date format | DD.MM.YYYY (European style) |
| Clock format | 24-hour (10:30 → “deset třicet”; 22:30 → “dvacet dva třicet”) |
Current time comparison (standard time, CET)
| Prague | UK (London) | US East (NYC) | US West (LA) | Vienna/Berlin | Moscow | Tokyo |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 12:00 PM | 11:00 AM | 6:00 AM | 3:00 AM | 12:00 PM | 2:00 PM | 8:00 PM |
Times during daylight saving months are offset by one hour accordingly.
Daylight saving (DST) in detail
The Czech Republic follows the EU-wide daylight saving rules:
- Spring forward — on the last Sunday of March, clocks move from 02:00 to 03:00. The country loses one hour.
- Fall back — on the last Sunday of October, clocks move from 03:00 to 02:00. The country gains one hour.
The EU voted in 2019 to abolish daylight saving, but implementation has stalled. For 2026, DST remains in effect.
Time differences to major cities
| City | Difference from Prague (standard time) |
|---|---|
| London, UK | −1 hour |
| New York, USA | −6 hours |
| Los Angeles, USA | −9 hours |
| Toronto, Canada | −6 hours |
| Sydney, Australia | +10 hours |
| Tokyo, Japan | +8 hours |
| Dubai, UAE | +3 hours |
| Istanbul, Turkey | +2 hours |
| Moscow, Russia | +2 hours |
| Beijing, China | +7 hours |
| São Paulo, Brazil | −4 hours |
Business hours and daily rhythm
Typical Czech schedule:
- Shops — generally 09:00–18:00 Mon–Sat; large supermarkets 07:00–22:00 daily; most shops closed Sunday afternoon.
- Banks — Mon–Fri 09:00–17:00; closed weekends.
- Restaurants — lunch 11:00–14:00; dinner from 18:00; many close between 14:00 and 17:00.
- Public offices — Mon-Fri; Wednesday is “úřední den” (official day) when offices stay open until 17:00; other days close at 15:00 or 16:00.
- Museums — Tue–Sun 09:00/10:00–17:00/18:00; most closed Monday.
- Prague public transport — operates 05:00–00:00; night buses and trams run 00:00–05:00.
How Czechs tell time
The Czech Republic uses the 24-hour clock universally in writing (transport, schedules, invitations), though in casual conversation 12-hour forms with “odpoledne” (afternoon) or “večer” (evening) are common. There is no AM/PM.
Frequently asked questions
What time zone is Prague in?
Central European Time (CET, UTC+1) in winter and Central European Summer Time (CEST, UTC+2) in summer.
What time is it in the Czech Republic right now?
Add 1 hour (winter) or 2 hours (summer, late March to late October) to UTC. From the UK, subtract 1 hour from your clock in winter and summer; from US Eastern Time, add 6 hours in winter and 6 hours in summer.
Does the Czech Republic observe daylight saving?
Yes — on the EU schedule: last Sunday of March to last Sunday of October.
Is the Czech Republic ahead of or behind the UK?
One hour ahead throughout the year.
What’s the difference between Prague time and New York?
Prague is 6 hours ahead of New York in both standard time and during daylight saving (the US and EU DST periods overlap closely).
Prague travel essentials
- Rick Steves Prague guidebook
- Anker Prime 20,000mAh power bank — for long flights and jet-lag recovery days.
- Type E/F EU travel adapter — required for Czech outlets.
- Zero Grid RFID travel wallet
