What is the time difference between London and Istanbul?

Istanbul (TRT, UTC+3) is 3 hours ahead of London in winter (GMT, UTC+0) and 2 hours ahead in summer (BST, UTC+1). Turkey does not observe Daylight Saving Time, so the offset changes only when the UK shifts its clocks in spring and autumn.

Does Istanbul observe Daylight Saving Time?

No. Turkey stopped observing Daylight Saving Time in 2016 and now stays on TRT (Turkey Time, UTC+3) all year. Only London shifts its clocks, which is why the London-Istanbul gap alternates between 3 and 2 hours.

When does the offset change from 3 to 2 hours?

The UK moves clocks forward on the last Sunday in March at 01:00 GMT, entering BST (UTC+1). At that point Istanbul goes from 3 hours ahead to 2 hours ahead. The gap returns to 3 hours on the last Sunday in October at 02:00 BST when the UK reverts to GMT.

What are the best meeting times for London and Istanbul?

In winter (GMT), a 09:00–15:00 London window corresponds to 12:00–18:00 in Istanbul — solid overlap. In summer (BST), a 09:00–16:00 London window corresponds to 11:00–18:00 Istanbul. Avoid scheduling after 18:00 Istanbul time as it falls outside standard business hours.

Is this tool accurate for scheduling?

Yes. It uses the IANA timezone database embedded in your browser — the same source used by operating systems and calendar apps worldwide. Accuracy depends on your device clock being synchronized via NTP, which most devices do automatically.

TRT stands for Turkey Time. It is UTC+3, used across Turkey year-round since the country permanently moved to UTC+3 in 2016 when it abolished Daylight Saving Time.

Time Difference: London to Istanbul

See the current time in London and Istanbul side by side, with the live UTC offset (TRT is UTC+3, no DST), updated every second.

London, United Kingdom

--:--:--

GMT UTC+0

Istanbul, Turkey

--:--:--

TRT UTC+3

Current Offset

+3 hours

Istanbul is 3 hours ahead of London

Meeting Overlap Finder

Business hours (09:00–18:00) highlighted — best overlap shaded

London	Istanbul	Status

Convert London Time to Istanbul Time

Based on the current offset — updates automatically

London	Istanbul

Summary

This tool displays the live current time in both London (Europe/London — GMT in winter, BST in summer) and Istanbul (Europe/Istanbul — TRT, UTC+3 year-round, no DST) side by side. Turkey abolished Daylight Saving Time in 2016 and stays on UTC+3 permanently, so the offset between the two cities changes only when the UK shifts its clocks: Istanbul is 3 hours ahead of London in winter (GMT) and 2 hours ahead in summer (BST). Use this tool to schedule calls with Turkey, coordinate remote teams, or plan travel between the UK and Istanbul.

How it works

Your browser reads the current moment from your device clock.
It converts that moment to Europe/London time using the IANA timezone database built into modern browsers.
The same moment is converted to Europe/Istanbul time (TRT, UTC+3).
The UTC offsets of both cities are compared to calculate the exact hour difference.
All three values — London time, Istanbul time, and the offset — refresh every second.
When London switches between GMT and BST, the displayed offset adjusts automatically from +3 to +2 hours.

Use cases

Scheduling video calls between London and Istanbul offices.
Checking if a colleague in Istanbul is still at their desk.
Planning UK-Turkey travel and arrival time comparisons.
Remote teams coordinating daily standups across the UK and Turkey.
Finding overlapping business hours for London-Istanbul meetings.
Verifying whether London is currently on GMT or BST.
Investors monitoring London and Istanbul financial market hours.
Students and teachers arranging online lessons between the UK and Turkey.

Frequently Asked Questions

Last updated: 2026-06-11 · Reviewed by Nham Vu