Time in Saudi Arabia Now

Saudi Arabia follows Arabia Standard Time (AST, UTC+3) throughout the year as the current time. The country, located in the Middle East and covering most of the Arabian Peninsula, does not observe Daylight Saving Time, maintaining consistent clock times across Riyadh, Jeddah, Dammam, Mecca, and Medina.

As a result, the times remain the same across all major cities, ensuring unified coordination throughout the year.
This stable system helps streamline trade, transport, and communication with neighboring countries such as Qatar, Bahrain, and Kuwait.

Visit the current time page or use the time converter for live times, including seconds, to compare with other countries.

Standard settings for right time

• IANA Time Zone: Asia/Riyadh

• UTC Offset: UTC +3 (year-round)

• Time Format: 24-hour clock

• DST Observed: No

• Time Zone Abbreviation: AST (Arabia Standard Time)

Saudi Arabia’s time aligns with most Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) member countries, including Bahrain (Asia/Bahrain), Kuwait (Asia/Kuwait), and Qatar (Asia/Qatar), all of which share the same UTC+3 Arabia Standard Time as Saudi Arabia (Asia/Riyadh), ensuring regional uniformity for business, flights, and communication.

Saudi Arabia time zone(s)

Saudi Arabia uses a single national time zone across the country.

Saudi Arabia’s official identifier is Asia/Riyadh.

Daylight Saving Time in Saudi Arabia

Saudi Arabia does not observe Daylight Saving Time (DST).

The clocks remain at UTC+3 year-round. As a result, airlines, business schedules, and international communication are stable.

In the absence of DST, there is no confusion caused by seasonal clock adjustments in other countries.

Major cities in Saudi Arabia & their time

All citizens in Saudi Arabia follow the same coordinated schedule year-round.

Quick facts about Saudi Arabia right time

• Number of time zones: 1 (nationwide)

• Capital city: Riyadh

• Default time zone: Arabia Standard Time (AST)

• Daylight Saving Time: Not observed

• IANA Time Zone ID: Asia/Riyadh

• Standard UTC offset: +3 hours

• DST UTC offset: Not applicable

• Time format: 24-hour system

• Neighbouring countries with same time: Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait

• Regional differences: None — uniform time nationwide

For verified background, see 👉 Time in Saudi Arabia — Wikipedia.

Pros and Cons

Pros

1. Single time zone — simplifies scheduling nationwide.

2. No DST changes — stable, predictable system.

3. Aligned with GCC countries — improves trade and travel coordination.

4. 24-hour format — clear for business and aviation.

5. Globally consistent offset — easy for digital systems.

Cons

1. Earlier sunsets in the winter months.

2. Due to slight time difference with Europe, collaboration windows may be affected.