Time in Kyiv: time zone, time difference with Europe, and daylight saving time

Kyiv is on UTC+2 during standard time and UTC+3 during daylight saving time. If you’re travelling from Central or Western Europe, a useful rule of thumb is that Kyiv is usually one hour ahead.

This is worth keeping in mind if you’re flying to Poland, Hungary or another European country before continuing to Ukraine by train or bus. If that’s your route, see our guide on how to get to Kyiv in 2026.

The same official time applies throughout Ukraine. So if you travel from Kyiv to Lviv, Odesa, Kharkiv, Dnipro, or another Ukrainian city, you won’t need to change your clock.

What time is it in Kyiv?

If your phone is set to update the date, time, and time zone automatically, you usually won’t need to change anything when you arrive in Kyiv.

If you need to set the time zone manually, choose Europe/Kyiv rather than UTC+2 or UTC+3. This allows your device to adjust automatically when the clocks change.

For navigation, transport and other useful tools during your stay, see our guide to useful apps for tourists in Kyiv.

What is the time difference between Kyiv and Europe?

Ukraine and EU countries change their clocks on the last Sundays of March and October. As a result, the time difference between Kyiv and most European cities usually stays the same throughout the year.

For example, when it’s 2:00 pm in Warsaw, it’s 3:00 pm in Kyiv. When it’s 2:00 pm in London, it’s 4:00 pm in Kyiv.

Does Ukraine observe daylight saving time?

Yes. Ukraine currently switches between standard time and daylight saving time.

During standard time, Kyiv is on EET (Eastern European Time), UTC+2. During daylight saving time, it is on EEST (Eastern European Summer Time), UTC+3.

The clocks change twice a year:

• on the last Sunday in March, the clocks go forward from 3:00 am to 4:00 am;
• on the last Sunday in October, the clocks go back from 4:00 am to 3:00 am.

In 2026, the clocks went forward on 29 March and are due to go back on 25 October.

You don’t need to remember the abbreviations EET and EEST. If your phone or other device is set to Europe/Kyiv with automatic time adjustment turned on, it should update automatically.

What should you know when booking tickets and planning your journey?

If you’re flying to another European country before continuing to Kyiv by train or bus, check the departure and arrival times on each ticket carefully.

Booking platforms usually show departure and arrival times in the local time of each location. So there’s no need to add or subtract an hour yourself if the platform has already accounted for the different time zones.

Take extra care:

• on overnight journeys;
• when you have a short connection;
• on the days when the clocks change;
• when different parts of your journey are booked through different platforms.

For example, if you fly to Warsaw and continue to Ukraine from there, your departure time from Warsaw will be shown in local Polish time, while your arrival time in Kyiv will be shown in local Kyiv time.

If you’re arriving by train, see our guide to Kyiv Central Railway Station for practical information on the station, connections and getting to your next destination in the city.

The same applies to online meetings. Google Calendar, Apple Calendar and other calendar apps will usually adjust the time automatically as long as the correct time zone is set for the event.