CEST to CET Converter

Category: Time Zone Converters
- July 10, 2025
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Central European Summer Time (CEST)

UTC+2 • Berlin, Paris, Rome

Conversion Settings

Configure your timezone conversion preferences

Central European Time (CET)

UTC+1 • Amsterdam, Madrid, Prague
--:--:--
Select a time to convert
Time Difference: --
UTC Offset (CEST): +2
UTC Offset (CET): +1
DST Status: --
CEST Time: --
CET Time: --
Time Format:
Current CEST: --:--:--
Current CET: --:--:--
🕒 CEST is UTC+2 (summer time) and CET is UTC+1 (standard time). Europe switches between these times from last Sunday in March to last Sunday in October.

CEST to CET Conversion Guide

What is CEST to CET Conversion?

CEST to CET conversion helps you translate time between Central European Summer Time and Central European Time. CEST is UTC+2 and is observed during daylight saving time from late March to late October, while CET is UTC+1 and is the standard time for the rest of the year. The time difference is consistently 1 hour.

Time Zone Information

Central European Summer Time (CEST): UTC+2, observed during daylight saving time from the last Sunday in March to the last Sunday in October.
Central European Time (CET): UTC+1, the standard time zone observed from the last Sunday in October to the last Sunday in March.
Time Difference: CEST is consistently 1 hour ahead of CET during the summer period.

Daylight Saving Time Schedule

Spring Forward: Clocks move from CET to CEST on the last Sunday in March at 2:00 AM (becomes 3:00 AM)
Fall Back: Clocks move from CEST to CET on the last Sunday in October at 3:00 AM (becomes 2:00 AM)
Countries Affected: Most of continental Europe including Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Poland, and many others

Common Conversion Examples

Summer Period (CEST to CET)
CEST 3:00 PM → CET 2:00 PM
CEST 9:00 AM → CET 8:00 AM
During daylight saving period
Business Hours
CEST 9:00 AM → CET 8:00 AM
CEST 5:00 PM → CET 4:00 PM
Standard business day conversion
Evening Hours
CEST 8:00 PM → CET 7:00 PM
CEST 11:30 PM → CET 10:30 PM
Evening time coordination
Midnight Transition
CEST 12:00 AM → CET 11:00 PM (previous day)
CEST 1:00 AM → CET 12:00 AM
Date change considerations

Conversion Tips & Best Practices

• CEST is only used during the European summer (daylight saving) period
• Subtract 1 hour from CEST to get CET equivalent time
• DST transitions occur at 2:00 AM CET / 3:00 AM CEST on the designated Sundays
• Most European countries coordinate their DST changes on the same dates
• The EU has discussed abolishing daylight saving time changes in recent years
• When scheduling international meetings, always specify which time zone is being used

CEST to CET Converter

When you're scheduling a meeting, booking a train, or planning a call across European time zones, even a one-hour difference can cause confusion. This CEST to CET time converter is built to make that easier. It focuses on two closely linked time zones used widely across Europe: Central European Summer Time (UTC+2) and Central European Time (UTC+1). Here’s how they compare, along with the countries using each:

Central European Summer Time (CEST)
UTC+2		 Central European Time (CET)
UTC+1
🇦🇱 Albania
🇦🇩 Andorra
🇦🇹 Austria
🇧🇪 Belgium
🇧🇦 Bosnia and Herzegovina
🇭🇷 Croatia
🇨🇿 Czech Republic
🇩🇰 Denmark
🇫🇷 France
🇩🇪 Germany
🇭🇺 Hungary
🇮🇹 Italy
🇱🇮 Liechtenstein
🇱🇺 Luxembourg
🇲🇹 Malta
🇲🇨 Monaco
🇲🇪 Montenegro
🇳🇱 Netherlands
🇲🇰 North Macedonia
🇳🇴 Norway
🇵🇱 Poland
🇵🇹 Portugal (mainland only in summer)
🇸🇲 San Marino
🇷🇸 Serbia
🇸🇰 Slovakia
🇸🇮 Slovenia
🇪🇸 Spain
🇸🇪 Sweden
🇨🇭 Switzerland
🇻🇦 Vatican City
🇦🇱 Albania
🇦🇩 Andorra
🇦🇹 Austria
🇧🇪 Belgium
🇧🇦 Bosnia and Herzegovina
🇭🇷 Croatia
🇨🇿 Czech Republic
🇩🇰 Denmark
🇫🇷 France
🇩🇪 Germany
🇭🇺 Hungary
🇮🇹 Italy
🇱🇮 Liechtenstein
🇱🇺 Luxembourg
🇲🇹 Malta
🇲🇨 Monaco
🇲🇪 Montenegro
🇳🇱 Netherlands
🇲🇰 North Macedonia
🇳🇴 Norway
🇵🇱 Poland
🇵🇹 Portugal (mainland)
🇸🇲 San Marino
🇷🇸 Serbia
🇸🇰 Slovakia
🇸🇮 Slovenia
🇪🇸 Spain
🇸🇪 Sweden
🇨🇭 Switzerland
🇻🇦 Vatican City

Why bother converting CEST and CET manually?

If you've ever planned anything with someone in Europe, there's a good chance you've come across CEST and CET. These time zones shift depending on the time of year, and while the difference is always just one hour, it’s easy to miscalculate. That can mean showing up an hour early or late to a meeting or mixing up booking times altogether. This tool removes the guesswork.

Here’s how the converter works

Simple inputs to get you started

Pick your date and time using the calendar and time selector. You can toggle whether you're inputting a CEST or CET time using the dropdown. The default is CEST, but the swap button makes it easy to flip the direction of the conversion.

Conversion happens instantly (or manually)

By default, conversions happen automatically as you type. But if you prefer, you can switch off “Auto Convert” and click the convert button yourself. Either way, the result updates clearly below, showing the converted time, date, and time zone.

Settings that give you control

There are several options tucked into the conversion settings area. Each gives you more control over how the time appears:

  • Auto Convert: Updates results as you type or change the date
  • Daylight Saving Aware: Adjusts for whether DST is active for the selected date
  • Show UTC Offset: Includes the +1 or +2 offset if you like seeing that detail
  • Show Seconds: Adds precision if you're coordinating down to the second
  • 12/24 Hour Format Toggle: Switch between time formats with a click

You can also click "Now" to pull in the current CEST time, or hit “Reset” to start fresh.

Answers for when things feel off

Here are some things users often wonder when using the converter:

  • “Why is the output showing a different day?” This happens around midnight. If you're converting something like 12:00 AM CEST, the CET equivalent might fall on the previous day.
  • “What does DST Aware mean?” It means the converter checks whether the selected date falls within daylight saving time and adjusts the time accordingly. You can turn this off if you want a strict 1-hour shift instead.
  • “Can I switch input and output?” Yes. Just click the Swap button and the two zones will flip instantly, including labels and default time settings.

When and where you’ll actually use this

If you're in Berlin and scheduling a virtual interview with someone based in Lisbon, you're likely in CEST while they’re in CET during winter months. This converter helps you confirm that your 10:00 AM time lands correctly at 9:00 AM for them. It's especially useful for cross-border teams, remote calls, or any travel planning across Europe.

Make scheduling across Europe less of a chore

This converter does one thing well. It makes it easy to shift between CEST and CET without overthinking it. You don’t have to memorize daylight saving schedules or mentally subtract hours. Just select your time and date, and get what you need instantly. No surprises, no mistakes.

Time now in these cities:

New York · London · Tokyo · Paris · Hong Kong · Singapore · Dubai · Los Angeles · Shanghai · Beijing · Sydney · Mumbai

Time now in countries:

🇺🇸 USA | 🇨🇳 China | 🇮🇳 India | 🇬🇧 United Kingdom | 🇩🇪 Germany | 🇯🇵 Japan | 🇫🇷 France | 🇨🇦 Canada | 🇦🇺 Australia | 🇧🇷 Brazil |

Time now in time zones:

UTC | GMT | CET | PST | MST | CST | EST | EET | IST | China (CST) | JST | AEST | SAST | MSK | NZST |

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