Current time in Hong Kong
19:00:00GMT+8
Thursday 1 October 2026
Hong Kong is 7 hours ahead of the UK right now.
In the UK it is 12:00 BST. Your device: 12:00 (Same as UK).
Hong Kong time zone
Hong Kong Time (HKT) is UTC+8 all year. The Hong Kong Observatory keeps the territory's official time, and the IANA zone used by phones and computers is Asia/Hong_Kong. The clock reading is the same as in Beijing, Macau, Singapore, Manila and Perth.
Hong Kong used summer time in most years from 1946 to 1976, and once more from 13 May to 21 October 1979. It has not changed its clocks since, so every change in the gap with the UK comes from British Summer Time.
Time difference between the UK and Hong Kong
| Period | UK clocks | Hong Kong vs UK | Noon in the UK is |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 January to 29 March 2026 | GMT (UTC+0) | 8 hours ahead | 20:00 |
| 29 March to 25 October 2026 | BST (UTC+1) | 7 hours ahead | 19:00 |
| 25 October 2026 to 28 March 2027 | GMT (UTC+0) | 8 hours ahead | 20:00 |
| 28 March to 31 October 2027 | BST (UTC+1) | 7 hours ahead | 19:00 |
| 31 October 2027 to 26 March 2028 | GMT (UTC+0) | 8 hours ahead | 20:00 |
Hong Kong is 8 hours ahead while the UK is on GMT and 7 hours ahead during BST. It is already evening there when the UK lunch break starts.
Hong Kong stock exchange hours in UK time
HKEX's securities market trades in a morning and an afternoon session with a lunch break between them. Whole sessions fall during the UK night or early morning.
| Session | Hong Kong | UK on GMT | UK on BST |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pre-opening auction | 09:00–09:30 | 01:00–01:30 | 02:00–02:30 |
| Morning session | 09:30–12:00 | 01:30–04:00 | 02:30–05:00 |
| Afternoon session | 13:00–16:00 | 05:00–08:00 | 06:00–09:00 |
| Closing auction | 16:00 to about 16:10 | 08:00–08:10 | 09:00–09:10 |
On the eves of Christmas, New Year and Lunar New Year there is a morning session only.
Best times to call Hong Kong from the UK
| UK time | Hong Kong, late Oct to late Mar | Hong Kong, late Mar to late Oct | Good for |
|---|---|---|---|
| 07:00 | 15:00 | 14:00 | Before work in the UK, afternoon in Hong Kong |
| 09:00 | 17:00 | 16:00 | Business calls before Hong Kong offices close |
| 12:00 | 20:00 | 19:00 | UK lunch break, Hong Kong evening |
| 15:00 | 23:00 | 22:00 | Late evening there; fine for close family |
For business the overlap is short: a Hong Kong office that closes at 6pm closes at 10am UK time in winter and 11am in summer, so calls need to happen first thing.
Converting the time
A 7:30pm dinner in Central on Saturday 12 December 2026 (UK on GMT) is 11:30am in the UK. In July 2027, with the UK on BST, the same 7:30pm table is at 12:30pm UK time. For other dates use the time zone converter, or the meeting planner to line up calls across several cities.
Related pages
- World clockLive times in 25 cities and their gap from the UK.
- Time in ChinaBeijing Time, UTC+8, one zone for the whole country.
- Time in SingaporeSGT, UTC+8, shared with Malaysia.
- Time in the PhilippinesPhilippine Standard Time, UTC+8.
- GMT time nowThe UK's winter time, and the base for every offset on this page.
- When the UK clocks changeExact dates for 2026, 2027 and 2028.
Frequently asked questions
What is HKT?
HKT is Hong Kong Time, UTC+8. It is used all year, as Hong Kong has no daylight saving time.
Is Hong Kong the same time as China?
Yes. Hong Kong and mainland China both use UTC+8, so the clocks always match.
Does Hong Kong change its clocks?
No. Hong Kong last used summer time in 1979, from 13 May to 21 October.
What time does the Hong Kong stock market open in UK time?
The morning session opens at 9:30am Hong Kong time, which is 1:30am in the UK when the UK is on GMT and 2:30am during British Summer Time.