Time difference between São Paulo and London

The gap is not the same all year

Every converter gives one number for this pair. That number is right for most of the year and wrong for part of it, because São Paulo does not change its clocks and London goes forward on the last Sunday in March and back on the last Sunday in October.

São Paulo stays put all year while London moves, so the gap changes twice a year from London's side alone. A recurring meeting set in São Paulo's calendar will drift by an hour without anyone touching it.

About São Paulo and London

Brazil ended daylight saving in 2019, so São Paulo is UTC−3 all year. Before that the gap to Europe changed four times a year rather than twice, because the two hemispheres moved in opposite directions.

London is the reference the rest of the system is measured from: Greenwich sits inside the city, and UTC±0 is its winter time. It does not stay there — Britain moves to UTC+1 for seven months of the year, which is why "London is GMT" is wrong more often than it is right.

What 4 hours actually costs you

This is an easy pair. 4 hours of the working day are shared, which is enough for a standing meeting at a time neither side has to think about. 9:00 AM–1:00 PM in São Paulo lands inside office hours at both ends.

When they can both be at their desks

Nine-to-five in both cities overlaps for 4 hours — 9:00 AM to 1:00 PM in São Paulo, the same moment as 1:00 PM to 5:00 PM in London.

São Paulo

London

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How far apart São Paulo and London are

The shortest path over the Earth's surface between the two is 9,497 km (5,901 miles). Flown along that line, an airliner at cruising speed takes roughly 11 hours 55 minutes in the air — actual routings add to it, and whether a nonstop service exists depends on the airlines rather than the distance.

A gap of 4 hours is small enough that most people adjust within a day or two, and short enough that it rarely disrupts a trip.

São Paulo to London, hour by hour

On the usual gap of 4 hours.

Frequently asked questions