Beijing Time
Beijing local time (CST, UTC+8) — US city comparisons, government and business hours, Capital Airport schedules, and the Great Wall visit guide.
Beijing Time — China Standard Time (CST, UTC+8)
Beijing, the capital of the People's Republic of China and a city of over 22 million people, operates on China Standard Time (CST), which is fixed at UTC+8. Since China abolished daylight saving time in 1991, Beijing's clocks never change — the offset is a permanent UTC+8 throughout the year.
Beijing sits at approximately 116°E longitude, placing it naturally within the UTC+8 geographic zone. This alignment means the sun behaves fairly predictably relative to the clock — unlike western Chinese cities where UTC+8 creates a significant disconnect from solar time.
Beijing Sunrise & Sunset by Season:
| Season | Sunrise (Beijing) | Sunset (Beijing) |
|---|---|---|
| Winter Solstice (~Dec 21) | ~7:36 AM CST | ~4:52 PM CST |
| Spring Equinox (~Mar 20) | ~6:20 AM CST | ~6:27 PM CST |
| Summer Solstice (~Jun 21) | ~4:46 AM CST | ~7:49 PM CST |
| Fall Equinox (~Sep 22) | ~6:01 AM CST | ~6:06 PM CST |
Beijing's dry continental climate produces notoriously long, cold winters and hot, sometimes dusty summers — factors that shape the rhythms of daily life, from morning tai chi in public parks to late summer night market activity. For China's nationwide time context, visit our time in China page.
Beijing vs. US Cities — Time Difference Table
Beijing (CST, UTC+8) runs significantly ahead of all US time zones. The gap shrinks by one hour during US daylight saving time (March–November) because China's clocks never adjust.
During US Standard Time (approximately November to March):
| US City | US Time Zone | Beijing Offset |
|---|---|---|
| New York | EST (UTC−5) | Beijing +13 hours |
| Chicago | CST (UTC−6) | Beijing +14 hours |
| Dallas | CST (UTC−6) | Beijing +14 hours |
| Denver | MST (UTC−7) | Beijing +15 hours |
| Los Angeles | PST (UTC−8) | Beijing +16 hours |
| Seattle | PST (UTC−8) | Beijing +16 hours |
During US Daylight Saving Time (approximately March to November):
| US City | US Time Zone | Beijing Offset |
|---|---|---|
| New York | EDT (UTC−4) | Beijing +12 hours |
| Chicago | CDT (UTC−5) | Beijing +13 hours |
| Los Angeles | PDT (UTC−7) | Beijing +15 hours |
Notable symmetry: During US summer (EDT), New York and Beijing are exactly 12 hours apart — almost precisely opposite on the 24-hour clock. This means 9 AM in New York is 9 PM in Beijing, and midnight in New York is noon in Beijing. This clean 12-hour split makes the mental arithmetic easy during summer months.
Beijing–New York 24-Hour Conversion Table
Use this table to convert Beijing time to New York time and back — invaluable for scheduling business calls, virtual meetings, or monitoring Chinese market activity.
| Beijing (CST, UTC+8) | New York (EST, UTC−5) | New York (EDT, UTC−4) |
|---|---|---|
| 12:00 AM | 11:00 AM (prev. day) | 12:00 PM (prev. day) |
| 6:00 AM | 5:00 PM (prev. day) | 6:00 PM (prev. day) |
| 8:00 AM | 7:00 PM (prev. day) | 8:00 PM (prev. day) |
| 9:00 AM | 8:00 PM (prev. day) | 9:00 PM (prev. day) |
| 9:30 AM (SSE open) | 8:30 PM (prev. day) | 9:30 PM (prev. day) |
| 12:00 PM | 11:00 PM (prev. day) | 12:00 AM (same) |
| 3:00 PM (SSE close) | 2:00 AM | 3:00 AM |
| 6:00 PM | 5:00 AM | 6:00 AM |
| 9:00 PM | 8:00 AM | 9:00 AM |
| 11:00 PM | 10:00 AM | 11:00 AM |
EST = US Eastern Standard Time (Nov–Mar); EDT = US Eastern Daylight Time (Mar–Nov)
For reference when looking up live New York time, check our New York time page. For a comparison between Beijing and Tokyo (one hour ahead at UTC+9), see our time in Tokyo page.
Beijing Government & Business Hours
Beijing is China's political capital, home to the central government, major state-owned enterprises, and key regulatory bodies. Understanding official Beijing hours is critical for anyone dealing with Chinese government entities, state banks, or Beijing-headquartered corporations.
Government & Public Offices:
| Institution Type | Monday–Friday Hours (CST) | Saturday | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Central government ministries | 8:00 AM – 12:00 PM, 1:30 PM – 5:30 PM | Closed | Lunch break observed |
| State-owned banks (main branches) | 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM | 9:00 AM – 3:00 PM | Some branches vary |
| Local government offices | 8:30 AM – 5:00 PM | Closed | |
| Post offices (China Post) | 8:30 AM – 6:00 PM | 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM |
Beijing-Headquartered Major Companies:
- ICBC, Bank of China, China Construction Bank — state-owned banking giants with standard 9–5 hours
- Baidu — tech giant, operates on 10 AM–7 PM or later culture
- ByteDance (TikTok parent) — tech culture, flexible start times, often works late
- Xiaomi — consumer electronics, typical tech-company late schedule
- COFCO, Sinopec, CNOOC — state-owned enterprises, 8 AM – 5 PM schedules
Beijing Stock Exchange (BSE): Beijing launched its own exchange in 2021, focused on small and medium-sized innovative enterprises. It operates on the same trading hours as SSE and SZSE: 9:30 AM–11:30 AM and 1:00 PM–3:00 PM CST.
Chinese New Year Warning for US Businesses: Beijing government offices and most corporations effectively shut down during Chinese New Year (Spring Festival), which falls in late January or February based on the lunar calendar. The official holiday is 7 days, but many Beijing employees take 2–3 weeks total. Email and calls during this period often go unanswered.
Beijing Daily Life — Capital Airport, Subway, Great Wall Visit Times
Planning to visit Beijing or coordinate with someone there? Here are the practical time facts that matter.
Beijing Capital International Airport (PEK) & Daxing International Airport (PKX):
Beijing has two major international airports:
- PEK (Capital International): Older airport, east of central Beijing, ~45 minutes by subway (Line 10 + Airport Express)
- PKX (Daxing International): Opened 2019, Zaha Hadid designed, south of the city, ~20–30 minutes via high-speed Daxing Express
| Route | Flight Time | Typical US Departure |
|---|---|---|
| New York (JFK) → Beijing (PEK) | ~14 hours | Afternoon/evening |
| Los Angeles (LAX) → Beijing (PEK) | ~11–12 hours | Evening |
| Chicago (ORD) → Beijing (PEK) | ~13 hours | Afternoon/evening |
Westbound flights from East Coast land in Beijing mornings CST; westbound from West Coast land mid-morning to afternoon.
Beijing Subway (地铁 Dìtiě):
- First trains: ~5:00–6:00 AM CST (varies by line)
- Last trains: ~11:00 PM – midnight CST
- Beijing Metro has 27 lines and over 460 stations — one of the world's most extensive systems
- Airport Express to Terminal 3 runs from Sanyuanqiao station
Great Wall of China — Best Visit Times: The Great Wall near Beijing (Mutianyu, Badaling, Jinshanling sections) is a major draw for international visitors. Practical timing tips:
| Visit Timing | Notes |
|---|---|
| Arrive before 8:00 AM CST | Beat crowds, especially at Badaling |
| 8:00 AM – 10:00 AM | Moderate, golden morning light for photos |
| 10:00 AM – 2:00 PM | Peak crowds, especially weekends |
| Late afternoon (4:00–5:30 PM) | Crowds thinning, beautiful light |
| Weekdays vs. weekends | Weekdays dramatically less crowded |
For US visitors on a Beijing trip, arriving at the Great Wall by 7:30–8:00 AM CST is strongly recommended — which means leaving Beijing hotels by 6:30 AM CST for the most popular sections.
Beijing vs. Shanghai — Same Timezone, Different Energy: Shanghai (also UTC+8, also CST) is China's financial and commercial powerhouse, while Beijing is the political and cultural capital. Both cities run on identical clocks, so scheduling between them is seamless. The difference is personality: Shanghai tends to be more international, fast-moving, and finance-oriented; Beijing is more bureaucratic, with a strong art and food culture. Our World Clock page shows both cities live.
