Time-zone abbreviation
AST — Atlantic Standard Time & Arabian Standard Time
AST has two unrelated meanings. Atlantic Standard Time (UTC−4) is used in eastern Canada and the eastern Caribbean. Arabian Standard Time (UTC+3) covers most of the Gulf and Iraq. The two zones are seven hours apart.
Last updated · Maintained by Clockjumper
AST refers to more than one time zone
Atlantic Standard Time (UTC−4)
Current time in Atlantic Standard Time
12:32 AM
Friday, Jul 3
America/Halifax
Quick facts
- Standard offset
- UTC−4 (AST)
- Daylight saving
- Yes — shifts to ADT (UTC−3)
- Next clock change
- Where it's used
- Used in Canada's Atlantic provinces (Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, PEI) and most of the eastern Caribbean. The Canadian portion shifts to Atlantic Daylight Time (ADT, UTC−3) in summer.
Cities in Atlantic Standard Time
Arabian Standard Time (UTC+3)
Current time in Arabian Standard Time
6:32 AM
Friday, Jul 3
Asia/Riyadh
Quick facts
- Standard offset
- UTC+3 (AST)
- Daylight saving
- Not observed — offset stays the same year-round
- Next clock change
- None scheduled in the next 12 months for Arabian Standard Time
- Where it's used
- Used across Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain, and Iraq. Three hours ahead of UTC, with no daylight saving.
Convert AST to your time zone
Need to convert a specific time? Use the Clockjumper converter, or jump to one of these popular AST conversions:
Frequently asked questions
- What does AST stand for?
- AST is used for more than one time zone: Atlantic Standard Time (UTC−4), Arabian Standard Time (UTC+3).
- What is the UTC offset of AST?
- Atlantic Standard Time is UTC−4, shifting to UTC−3 in summer; Arabian Standard Time is UTC+3.
- Does AST observe daylight saving time?
- Atlantic Standard Time observes DST and switches to ADT; Arabian Standard Time does not observe DST.
- Is AST the same as Arabian Standard Time?
- Not exactly. The letters AST are reused. Atlantic Standard Time is UTC−4 and Arabian Standard Time is UTC+3 — the two zones are 7 hours apart.