Time zone · Asia
GST
Gulf Standard Time
Gulf Standard Time (GST) keeps things refreshingly simple: the United Arab Emirates and Oman stay fixed at UTC+04:00 all year, so there are no clock-shifted surprises—just reliable, steady timing from Dubai and Muscat alike. Businesses and residents across the Gulf enjoy a consistent schedule that lines up neatly with key trading windows in Asia and Europe, making collaboration smooth without ever worrying about mismatched daylight-saving transitions.
Sunday, May 31, 2026
Current offset
UTC+04:00
Standard · +04
Daylight saving
Not observed
Year-round standard time
IANA zones
2
None observe daylight saving
DST offset
—
No summer variant
About GST
A fixed, year-round offset.
Gulf Standard Time (GST) keeps things refreshingly simple: the United Arab Emirates and Oman stay fixed at UTC+04:00 all year, so there are no clock-shifted surprises—just reliable, steady timing from Dubai and Muscat alike.
Businesses and residents across the Gulf enjoy a consistent schedule that lines up neatly with key trading windows in Asia and Europe, making collaboration smooth without ever worrying about mismatched daylight-saving transitions.
IANA zones · the technical identifiers
The 2 zones that resolve to GST.
For software, always store the IANA identifier — never the abbreviation alone. The database keeps these zones distinct because their rules can, and historically did, diverge.
Cities currently on GST
The same hour, city by city.
3 cities · all UTC+04:00
Where GST is used
2 countries.
Same offset · UTC+04:00
Other zones at UTC+04:00 right now.
These named zones share GST's offset today. When daylight saving rules differ, they drift apart for part of the year.
Frequently asked questions
Common questions about GST, daylight saving, and how to handle it in software. Can't find what you need? Email [email protected].
- Does Gulf Standard Time use daylight saving?
- No. Both the United Arab Emirates and Oman remain at a constant UTC+04:00, with no seasonal clock changes.
- What is the main advantage of a fixed offset?
- Without daylight saving shifts, meeting times, broadcast schedules, and flight timetables stay identical year-round—handy for logistics-heavy markets.
- Why did Gulf nations forgo daylight saving?
- A stable clock aligns with 24/7 service industries like aviation and hospitality, reducing confusion for travelers and regional partners in Asia and Europe.
- How does GST fit into the global workday?
- Its UTC+04:00 position creates a natural overlap with morning sessions in Europe and afternoon hours in Asia, supporting smooth trading and communication.
- If I set my watch to Dubai time, is it valid in Oman?
- Yes—Asia/Dubai and Asia/Muscat share the same instant, so Dubai time is exact Oman time, down to the minute.
- Is Gulf Standard Time the same as Abu Dhabi time?
- Abu Dhabi follows Asia/Dubai, so yes—news tickers, business hours, and flight schedules match perfectly across the UAE.
- Has either country ever switched to daylight saving?
- Historically, neither the UAE nor Oman has adopted daylight saving since modern timekeeping was standardized in the region.
- Does the uniform clock simplify regional collaboration?
- Absence of offset drift between the UAE and Oman lets teams align calendars, shift patterns, and deadlines without extra conversion steps.
Free · Developer API
Time, as JSON.
Every IANA time zone with live offsets, DST status, and the countries and cities that use them — clean, dependable JSON. Sign up free and get an API key in seconds.
countries, cities, convert, DST transitions coming next.
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