Time Zones in Antarctica

Time Zones Currently Being Used in Antarctica

Offset	Time Zone Abbreviation & Name		Example City	Current Time
UTC -3	ART	Argentina Time	Carlini Base	Wed, 22:26:28
	CLST	Chile Summer Time	Palmer Station	Wed, 22:26:28
UTC +2	CEST	Central European Summer Time	Troll Station	Thu, 03:26:28
UTC +5	MAWT	Mawson Time	Mawson	Thu, 06:26:28
UTC +6	VOST	Vostok Time	Vostok Station	Thu, 07:26:28
UTC +7	DAVT	Davis Time	Davis	Thu, 08:26:28
UTC +8	CAST	Casey Time	Casey	Thu, 09:26:28
UTC +10	DDUT	Dumont-d'Urville Time	Dumont d'Urville Station	Thu, 11:26:28
UTC +13	NZDT	New Zealand Daylight Time	Mario Zucchelli Station	Thu, 14:26:28

What is the Time Zone at the South Pole?

The Earth's longitudes meet on the geographical South Pole in Antarctica. This means that, in theory, any of the world's time zones could be used there. However, since it is usually accessed via New Zealand, the Amundsen-Scott station located on the South Pole observes New Zealand Standard Time (NZST) during standard time and New Zealand Daylight Time (NZDT) during Daylight Saving Time (DST).

Arctic Stations on Their Own Time

Since Antarctica is largely uninhabited, the continent is not officially divided up into time zones. However, there are a number of research stations, each of which observes its own local time. Some stations use the time zone of the country that operates or supplies them, others observe the local time of countries nearby.

Palmer Station is a United States research station, but it keeps Chile Summer Time (CLST) as Chile is the closest country.

Time Changes in Antarctica

Daylight Saving Time (DST) is used by stations that synchronize their clocks with countries that follow DST, including McMurdo station. Other bases change their official time zone to adjust to the local time of their base countries, like Troll Station.

McMurdo Station follows New Zealand Standard Time (NZST) during standard time and New Zealand Daylight Time (NZDT) during the DST period in New Zealand.

The Norwegian Antarctic station Troll changes between Greenwich Mean Time (GMT) during standard time and Central European Summer Time (CEST) during the DST period.

Casey Station changes between UTC+8 in the winter season and UTC+11 in the summer season. The Australian station's time changes line up—for the most part—with the switch to DST in Australia. So, when Tasmania sets the clocks forward one hour for DST to UTC+11, Casey set their clocks forward three hours to UTC+11.

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