*Source: Wikimedia Commons
There Is Only One Time Zone In China
Although geographically China spans five time zones, all clocks throughout China are set eight hours ahead of Greenwich Mean Time (UTC+8).
That means that as you travel within China, you will never have to adjust your watch. Whether you travel from Beijing in the East, to Sichuan in the West, there will not be a time difference.
It is different than when you travel for example from Florida (Eastern Time) to California (Pacific Time) and then have to adjust your watch back three hours.
The only time difference you will need to worry about is the one from your home country to China and getting used to the "new time" upon arrival.
Here is a comparison to use as a guideline:
| Time Differences between some Major Cities and China | ||
| IF YOU'RE FLYING FROM | SET YOUR WATCH | |
| Country | City | +/- hours |
AMERICA | ||
| USA | New York | -13 |
| USA | Miami | -13 |
| USA | Chicago | -14 |
| USA | San Francisco | -16 |
| USA | Honolulu | -18 |
| Canada | Vancouver | -16 |
| Canada | Toronto | -13 |
| Mexico | Mexico City | -14 |
| Brazil | Sao Paulo | -11 |
| Chile | Santiago | -12 |
| Panama | Panama | -13 |
| Argentina | Buenos Aires | -11 |
| Colombia | Bogotá | -13 |
EUROPE | ||
| United Kingdom | London | -8 |
| France | Paris | -7 |
| Spain | Madrid | -7 |
| Netherlands | Amsterdam | -7 |
| Germany | Frankfurt | -7 |
| Switzerland | Zurich | -7 |
| Finland | Helsinki | -6 |
| Russia | Moscow | -5 |
ASIA | ||
| UAE | Dubai | -4 |
| India | Bombay | -2:30 |
| Iraq | Baghdad | -5 |
| Malaysia | Kuala Lumpur | 0 |
| Thailand | Bangkok | -1 |
| Singapore | Singapore | 0 |
| Vietnam | Hanoi | -1 |
| Indonesia | Jakarta | -1 |
| Japan | Tokyo | +1 |
| South Korea | Seoul | +1 |
AUSTRALASIA | ||
| Australia | Sydney | +2 |
| Australia | Perth | 0 |
| New Zealand | Auckland | +4 |
| Fiji | Suva | +4 |
| Tahiti | Papeete | -18 |
AFRICA | ||
| Egypt | Cairo | -6 |
| South Africa | Johannesburg | -6 |
| South Africa | Cape Town | -6 |
| Kenya | Nairobi | -5 |
| Nigeria | Lagos | -7 |
Does China observe Daylight Savings Time in the Summer?
No, there is no Daylight Savings Time in China, if your country observes DST you will need to adjust the above table accordingly.
Tips for Lessening Jet Lag Effects
People react and are affected differently when flying accross time zones. Here are a couple of things we have found useful during our long-haul flights to help you adapt to the new time zone:
- Drink plenty of fluids to keep hydrated
- Wear comfortable clothes
- Avoid fatty foods, caffeine and alcohol
- Try to rest and relax during the long flight and reset mentally, set your watch to the China time
- Kids seem to be immune to jet lag, bring plenty of stuff to keep them entertained in the long flight if it is a day flight
- The day you arrive, regardless of how long you have been "on-the-road", stay awake until early bed-time so your internal clock starts adjusting right away.
Practical Information for Your Trip to China
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