The 11 zones from the exclave to Kamchatka
The country runs on 11 offsets, from UTC+2 to UTC+12. European Russia, the land west of the Urals, uses only the three westernmost ones. The other eight stretch across Siberia to the Pacific.
European Russia: three zones, no seasonal shifts
The three zones that apply to European Russia are:
| Time Zone | IANA Name | UTC Offset | Used in |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kaliningrad Time (USZ1) | Europe/Kaliningrad | UTC+2 year‑round | Kaliningrad Oblast |
| Moscow Time (MSK) | Europe/Moscow | UTC+3 year‑round | Most of European Russia, including Moscow, St Petersburg, and the western federal districts |
| Samara Time (SAMT) | Europe/Samara | UTC+4 year‑round | Samara Oblast, Udmurtia, and parts of the Volga region |
The western exclave, wedged between Poland and Lithuania, runs one hour behind Moscow. Samara, on the Volga River, runs one hour ahead.
Moscow Time (MSK) as the reference for European Russia
Moscow Time (MSK, UTC+3) is the de facto standard for European Russia. Train schedules, flight times, and federal government business are published in MSK. The Moscow Exchange opens at 10:00 MSK (07:00 UTC).
When it is 12:00 noon in Moscow, it is: - 11:00 in the exclave - 13:00 in Samara - 10:00 in Berlin (CET, winter) - 11:00 in Berlin (CEST, summer) - 09:00 in London (GMT, winter) - 10:00 in London (BST, summer)
No DST since 2014: permanent standard time
Russia has not changed its clocks since 26 October 2014. On that date, the country moved from permanent summer time (MSK+1, UTC+4) back to permanent standard time (MSK, UTC+3). Public dissatisfaction with winter darkness lasting until 10:00 or later under the permanent summer regime drove the reversal.
MSK stays at UTC+3 every day of the year. No spring forward. No fall back. The gap between Moscow and Central Europe therefore shifts: - In winter (CET, UTC+1): Moscow is 2 hours ahead. - In summer (CEST, UTC+2): Moscow is 1 hour ahead.
The western exclave follows the same no-DST rule, so its offset relative to Central Europe also shifts by one hour between summer and winter.
How MSK relates to CET and EET
For calls or travel between European Russia and the rest of Europe:
| Your zone | MSK offset (winter) | MSK offset (summer) |
|---|---|---|
| CET (Berlin, Paris, Rome) | +2 hours (MSK = CET + 2) | +1 hour (MSK = CEST + 1) |
| EET (Helsinki, Athens, Kyiv) | +1 hour (MSK = EET + 1) | Same (MSK = EEST) |
| WET (London, Lisbon) | +3 hours (MSK = GMT + 3) | +2 hours (MSK = BST + 2) |
The European Time Zones Map 2026 shows how MSK fits into the wider European pattern.
IANA zones for European Russia
The IANA time zone database lists these zones for European Russia:
- Europe/Kaliningrad, Kaliningrad Oblast (UTC+2)
- Europe/Moscow, Moscow, St Petersburg, and most of western Russia (UTC+3)
- Europe/Samara, Samara Oblast, Udmurtia, parts of the Volga region (UTC+4)
- Europe/Astrakhan, Astrakhan Oblast (UTC+4)
- Europe/Volgograd, Volgograd Oblast (UTC+4)
- Europe/Kirov, Kirov Oblast (UTC+3)
Russia has 27 IANA zones total. Only these six cover European Russia.