Time difference between Madrid and Lisbon

The gap holds all year

Neither city changes its clocks — Madrid goes forward on the last Sunday in March and back on the last Sunday in October and Lisbon goes forward on the last Sunday in March and back on the last Sunday in October — so 1 hour is the difference in January and in July alike. That is worth knowing about this pair specifically, because most international pairs do move and a recurring meeting between them does not need checking twice a year.

About Madrid and Lisbon

Spain is on Central European Time and sits west of Britain — Madrid is at the same longitude as Cardiff and keeps clocks an hour ahead of it. Franco moved the country onto German time in 1940 and it stayed, which is the reason Spanish dinner is at ten.

Portugal keeps UTC, an hour behind neighbouring Spain despite sitting further west than most of it. The country tried Central European Time from 1992 to 1996 and abandoned it after schoolchildren were leaving home in the dark, which is the clearest natural experiment anyone has run on the question.

What 1 hour actually costs you

This is an easy pair. 7 hours of the working day are shared, which is enough for a standing meeting at a time neither side has to think about. 10:00 AM–5:00 PM in Madrid lands inside office hours at both ends.

When they can both be at their desks

Nine-to-five in both cities overlaps for 7 hours — 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM in Madrid, the same moment as 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM in Lisbon.

Madrid

Lisbon

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How far apart Madrid and Lisbon are

The shortest path over the Earth's surface between the two is 502 km (312 miles). That is a short flight — about 1 hour 5 minutes in the air along that line.

A gap of 1 hour is small enough that most people adjust within a day or two, and short enough that it rarely disrupts a trip.

Madrid to Lisbon, hour by hour

On the usual gap of 1 hour.

Frequently asked questions