How Many Time Zones are in Russia?

Russia, the largest country in the world, has 11 time-zones. The establishment of standardized time started in Russia in 1880, with the introduction of Moscow Mean Time (GMT +2.30 hours). Different parts of the country continued to follow their own local time until 1919 when different time zones were introduced in the country. Until 2014, the country had nine time-zones but added two more. Let’s explore all the different time zones of Russia.

Russia’s 11 Time Zones

11 time zones that span the nation are:

1. Kaliningrad Time (UTC+2)

   In Kaliningrad, the time is set to UTC+2, which is closer to the time in Central Europe than the rest of Russia. This time zone covers the entire Kaliningrad Oblast.

2. Moscow Time (UTC+3)

   In Moscow, the time is set to UTC+3, which means it’s a little ahead in time. Moscow sets the schedule for everyone else in Russia, deciding when businesses open and close. This time zone covers a significant part of western Russia, including Moscow and Moscow Oblast.

3. Samara Time (UTC+4)

   This time zone is like a bridge connecting Europe and Asia. This time zone includes areas that are right in the middle of both continents, showing how Russia spreads across two parts of the world. The areas covered in this time zone are: Samara Oblast, Udmurtia, Astrakhan Oblast, Saratov Oblast, and Ulyanovsk Oblast.

4. Yekaterinburg Time (UTC+5)

   As we move towards the Ural Mountains, there’s a special time zone called Yekaterinburg Time (UTC+5). This areas covered in this time zone are: Bashkortostan, Chelyabinsk Oblast, Khanty–Mansi Autonomous Okrug, Kurgan Oblast, Orenburg Oblast, Perm Krai, Sverdlovsk Oblast, Tyumen Oblast and Yamalia. This time zone is like a door to Siberia, a huge part of Russia.

5. Omsk Time (UTC+6)

   In Omsk , the time is set to UTC+6. This time zone covers the entire Omsk Oblast.

6. Krasnoyarsk Time

   This time zone marks the start of Eastern Siberia and includes areas like Altai Krai, Altai Republic, Kemerovo Oblast, Khakassia, Krasnoyarsk Krai, Novosibirsk Oblast, Tomsk Oblast and Tuva.

7. Irkutsk Time (UTC+8)

   This time zone includes areas like Irkutsk Oblast, which is right by the beautiful Lake Baikal. Being in the Irkutsk Time Zone is like getting a front-row seat to see the stunning landscapes and special ecosystems of Siberia.

8. Yakutsk Time (UTC+9)

   This time zone includes Amur Oblast, Zabaykalsky Krai and most of the Sakha Republic, where the ground stays frozen all the time. It’s like a special area where it’s super, super cold. This is one of the coldest places where people live on Earth.

9. Vladivostok Time (UTC+10)

   The areas covered in this time zone are Jewish Autonomous Oblast, Khabarovsk Krai, Primorsky Krai, and the Oymyakonsky, Ust-Yansky and Verkhoyansky districts of the Sakha Republic.

10. Magadan Time (UTC+11)

    This time zone brings us to the northeastern edge of the Asian continent, covering regions such as Magadan Oblast, Sakhalin Oblast, and the Abyysky, Allaikhovsky, Momsky, Nizhnekolymsky, Srednekolymsky and Verkhnekolymsky districts of the Sakha Republic. This time zone is in a remote and faraway part of Russia. The weather here can be really tough, with a harsh climate.

11. Kamchatka Time (UTC+12)

    Kamchatka Time is at UTC+12, which means it’s the last time zone, marking the farthest point to the east in Russia. This time covers Chukotka and Kamchatka Krai.

Decree Time

In 1930, the USSR decided to turn forward all clocks by an hour, (across all its time zones) thus establishing DST (Daylight Saving Time) all year round. This measure was called Decree Time and was used as a measure to save energy. In 1991, again it was abolished only to be reinstated in some zones. In 2011, year-round summer time was enforced. In 2014, Russian President Vladimir Putin announced that the entire country would switch to permanent winter time and abolished the use of DST. This is because the Russian government has received reports linking permanent summer time to health issues and stress, particularly in northern Russia.

Time Differences of Major US Cities to Moscow 

• New York is 8 hours behind
• Los Angeles is 11 hours behind
• Chicago is 9 hours behind
• Houston is 9 hours behind
• Phoenix is 10 hours behind
• Philadelphia is 8 hours behind
• San Antonio is 9 hours behind
• San Diego is 11 hours behind
• Dallas is 9 hours behind
• San Jose is 11 hours behind
• Austin is 9 hours behind
• San Francisco is 11 hours behind
• Seattle is 11 hours behind
• Denver is 10 hours behind
• Washington, D.C. is 8 hours behind
• Boston is 8 hours behind
• Atlanta is 8 hours behind
• Miami is 8 hours behind
• Detroit is 8 hours behind
• Minneapolis is 9 hours behind

Related Maps

• Which country has the most time zones
• Russia Time Zone Map