Iceland follows Greenwich Mean Time (GMT), UTC±0:00, which creates noticeable time differences for travelers arriving from the Americas, Asia, or Oceania. Flights from distant regions may arrive very early or late, affecting first-day sightseeing or local tours. Early mornings in Iceland can feel unusual depending on your departure point, so adjusting sleep and planning activities is key to a smooth start.
Being aware of time zone in Iceland ensures you stay on schedule, avoid missed reservations or connections, and make the most of your visit to Reykjavik and across the country.
This article explains the time difference in Iceland, compares it with major regions around the world, and provides practical guidance for flights, hotel check-ins, international calls, and daily activities.
📌 Key Takeaways
- Iceland is ahead of most of North and South America but behind Asia and Oceania.
- The country uses a single time zone: GMT (UTC±0:00).
- Iceland does not observe daylight saving time, so its time is stable year-round.
- Awareness of the Iceland time difference is vital for travel, calls, and work planning.
What Time Zone Does Iceland Use?
Iceland observes Greenwich Mean Time (GMT), also known as UTC±0:00, throughout the entire year. The whole country operates under a single time zone, meaning Reykjavik time, Akureyri time, and local time in Keflavik or other towns are always the same. This uniformity makes it easier for travelers to plan transportation, accommodation check-ins, tours, and internal travel without worrying about time changes between regions.
Unlike most European countries, Iceland does not observe daylight saving time. The clocks never shift forward or backward, providing a stable and predictable time reference year-round.
Knowing the time in Iceland helps eliminate confusion and ensures accurate scheduling across different countries and continents.
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Time Difference in Iceland vs Oceania
Oceania is far ahead of Iceland, so travelers and remote workers need to carefully plan calls, flights, and online activities. Early mornings in Iceland may correspond to late evenings in Australia and New Zealand, which affects meeting times and virtual communication. Understanding these gaps helps avoid scheduling conflicts, coordinate tours, and plan arrival or departure times effectively.
| Offset | Iceland Time | Key Locations | DST Effect |
|---|---|---|---|
| UTC+08:00 | 8 hours ahead | Perth | No DST |
| UTC+09:30 | 9.5 hours ahead | Adelaide, Darwin | +0.5h during DST |
| UTC+10:00 | 10 hours ahead | Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane | +1h during DST |
| UTC+12:00 | 12 hours ahead | Fiji, New Zealand | Seasonal DST |
Time Difference in Iceland vs Europe
Europe is one of Iceland’s closest continental neighbors, making it important for business calls, flights, and tour planning. While the table shows the hours ahead, travelers should note that seasonal daylight saving in Europe can affect meeting times. Early mornings in Iceland often align with late mornings or afternoons in European countries, which helps with scheduling calls or flights efficiently.
| Offset | Iceland Time | Key Locations | DST Effect |
|---|---|---|---|
| UTC−01:00 | 1 hour behind | Azores | −1 hour during DST |
| UTC±00:00 | Same | UK, Ireland, Portugal, Iceland | −1 hour during DST |
| UTC+01:00 | 1 hour ahead | France, Germany, Italy, Spain | −1 hour during DST |
| UTC+02:00 | 2 hours ahead | Greece, Finland, Israel | −1 hour during DST |
| UTC+03:00 | 3 hours ahead | Turkey | No DST |
Time Difference in Iceland vs North America
The time gap between Iceland and North America is significant for travelers and remote workers coordinating with the US or Canada. Flight arrivals, virtual meetings, or calls need careful planning, especially when U.S. regions shift clocks for daylight saving. Knowing how Iceland aligns with each U.S. time zone helps minimize scheduling conflicts and jet lag.
| Offset | Iceland Time | Key Locations | DST Effect |
|---|---|---|---|
| UTC−10:00 | 10 hours behind | Hawaii | No DST |
| UTC−09:00 | 9 hours behind | Alaska | −1 hour during DST |
| UTC−08:00 | 8 hours behind | California, Washington | −1 hour during DST |
| UTC−07:00 | 7 hours behind | Colorado, Utah | −1 hour during DST |
| UTC−06:00 | 6 hours behind | Mexico City, Central US | −1 hour during DST |
| UTC−05:00 | 5 hours behind | New York, Toronto | −1 hour during DST |
| UTC−04:00 | 4 hours behind | Eastern US during DST | N/A |
Time Difference in Iceland vs South America
Although South America is closer in time than Asia or Oceania, travelers should still plan for flights and online coordination carefully. Early mornings in Iceland often correspond to late evenings in South America, which may impact virtual meetings or communication with family and colleagues. Tourists can use this insight to optimize arrival times and activity schedules.
| Offset | Iceland Time | Key Locations | DST Effect |
|---|---|---|---|
| UTC−05:00 | 5 hours behind | Colombia, Peru | No DST |
| UTC−04:00 | 4 hours behind | Venezuela, Bolivia | No DST |
| UTC−03:00 | 3 hours behind | Argentina, Brazil, Chile | Seasonal DST |
Time Difference in Iceland vs Asia
Asia is several hours ahead, so scheduling calls or flights requires strategic planning. Morning in Iceland may already be evening in countries like Japan or China, which affects virtual meetings, customer support calls, or tour coordination. Travelers should plan activities or communications to maximize overlap hours.
| Offset | Iceland Time | Key Locations | DST Effect |
|---|---|---|---|
| UTC+03:00 | 3 hours ahead | Saudi Arabia, Iraq | No DST |
| UTC+04:00 | 4 hours ahead | UAE | No DST |
| UTC+05:30 | 5.5 hours ahead | India, Sri Lanka | No DST |
| UTC+07:00 | 7 hours ahead | Thailand, Vietnam | No DST |
| UTC+08:00 | 8 hours ahead | China, Singapore | No DST |
| UTC+09:00 | 9 hours ahead | Japan, South Korea | No DST |
Time Difference in Iceland vs Africa
Africa’s time zones are relatively close to Iceland, making calls and travel simpler than with Asia or Oceania. However, minor differences in daylight hours can affect coordination for tours, flights, or remote work. Planning schedules with these offsets in mind ensures smoother communication and itinerary management.
| Offset | Iceland Time | Key Locations | DST Effect |
|---|---|---|---|
| UTC±00:00 | Same | Ghana, Senegal | No DST |
| UTC+01:00 | 1 hour ahead | Nigeria, Algeria | No DST |
| UTC+02:00 | 2 hours ahead | South Africa, Egypt | No DST |
| UTC+03:00 | 3 hours ahead | Kenya, Tanzania | No DST |
Why Does Iceland Not Have Multiple Time Zones?
Iceland operates under a single national time zone because its east–west geographic span is relatively limited. The country stretches roughly 500 kilometers (about 310 miles) from west to east, covering only a small range of longitudes.
As a result, the difference in solar time between the eastern and western parts of Iceland is minimal, causing only slight variations in sunrise and sunset across the island.
Introducing multiple time zones would add unnecessary complexity for domestic flights, ferry schedules, government operations, schools, and tourism. A unified time zone keeps schedules consistent for Reykjavik, Akureyri, Keflavik, and smaller towns, making travel and daily coordination straightforward for both residents and visitors.
This single time standard helps avoid confusion while maintaining practical alignment with international timekeeping.
Does Iceland Use DST?
No, Iceland does not observe daylight saving time and remains on Greenwich Mean Time (GMT, UTC±0:00) throughout the year. One key reason is Iceland’s high latitude, which ranges approximately between 63°N and 66°N.
At these latitudes, daylight hours vary dramatically by season, with very long summer days and very short winter days. Because natural daylight already shifts significantly, adjusting clocks seasonally would provide limited benefit.
Historically, Iceland adopted a fixed time standard to maintain consistency with European and transatlantic schedules, and no legislation has mandated seasonal clock changes. Any changes in the time difference between Iceland and other countries occur solely due to daylight saving adjustments elsewhere, not within Iceland itself.
Time Difference in Iceland and Popular Countries
When coordinating travel, calls, or remote work, the time difference between Iceland and major countries can significantly affect daily schedules and planning.
Australia
- Australia is far ahead of Iceland, creating limited overlap hours.
- Eastern cities are usually 10 hours ahead, or 11 hours during Australian DST.
- Western Australia stays consistent year-round without DST.
- Morning in Iceland often means late evening in Australia.
New Zealand
- New Zealand is among the furthest ahead of Iceland in time.
- Auckland and Wellington are typically 12 hours ahead.
- The gap increases to 13 hours during New Zealand’s DST.
- Most daytime hours in Iceland align with nighttime in New Zealand.
United States
- Iceland is ahead of all U.S. time zones.
- The Eastern U.S. is 5 hours behind, or 4 during U.S. DST.
- The Pacific U.S. is 8 hours behind, or 7 during DST.
- Seasonal clock changes can affect flights and meeting times.
Canada
- Canada spans multiple time zones, similar to the U.S.
- Eastern Canada is 5 hours behind Iceland, or 4 hours during DST.
- Western regions are further behind and harder to align with.
- Seasonal clock changes require careful scheduling.
United Kingdom & Europe
- Iceland matches UK time during standard time.
- During European DST, the UK moves 1 hour ahead of Iceland.
- Central Europe is usually 1–2 hours ahead.
- Eastern Europe can be up to 3 hours ahead seasonally.
How the Iceland Time Difference Affects Travel
The time difference in Iceland plays a meaningful role in shaping travel itineraries, particularly for visitors arriving from North America, Asia, or Oceania.
- Long-haul flights often arrive in the early morning or late evening local time, which can affect hotel check-ins, car rentals, and the ability to start sightseeing immediately.
- Jet lag can be noticeable for travelers crossing multiple time zones, especially those coming from Asia or the western United States.
- Planning rest time on arrival is important, as Iceland’s tours, ferries, and guided excursions typically begin early in the day and operate strictly on Iceland local time.
Understanding the time difference helps travelers align their schedules, avoid missed departures, and make efficient use of daylight—especially important given Iceland’s variable seasonal daylight conditions.
Staying Connected While Managing Time Difference in Iceland
Staying connected while traveling in Iceland is crucial, especially when coordinating tours, flights, or remote work across multiple time zones. Time differences with Europe, North America, and Asia can make scheduling calls or checking updates challenging. SimCorner provides an effective solution for travelers, offering Iceland eSIMs and Iceland SIM cards that work immediately upon arrival.
These options give access to high-speed mobile data, hotspot support for multiple devices, and clear pricing without the need for roaming plans. Travelers can easily stay in touch with family, tour operators, or colleagues abroad, manage online bookings, and coordinate activities in real time.
Using SimCorner ensures that the time difference in Iceland does not disrupt communication, flight updates, or daily itineraries, keeping travel plans smooth and stress-free.
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