📍 Madrid · Community of Madrid · Spain
Current Time in Madrid
Live NTP-synced clock · CET / CEST time zone · Weather, world city comparisons & complete guide
vs New York…
UTC Offset…
Daylight Saving…
Population3.4 mil.
The exact current time in Madrid is displayed live above, synchronized with international NTP servers. The capital of Spain operates on the … time zone (…), at an offset of …. …. Madrid shares the same time zone as Paris, Berlin, Rome, Warsaw and over 40 other European countries — the most widely used civil time zone in the world by number of countries. … Madrid is always exactly 1 hour ahead of London, since both Spain and the UK change their clocks on identical dates each year.
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Madrid Time vs Major World Cities – Live Comparison
| City | Current Time | Time Zone | vs Madrid |
|---|---|---|---|
| 🇪🇸Madrid (reference) | --:-- | … | ±0 |
| 🇬🇧London | --:-- | … | … |
| 🇫🇷Paris | --:-- | … | … |
| 🇺🇸New York | --:-- | … | … |
| 🇺🇸Los Angeles | --:-- | … | … |
| 🇦🇪Dubai | --:-- | GST UTC+4 | … |
| 🇮🇳Mumbai | --:-- | IST UTC+5:30 | … |
| 🇯🇵Tokyo | --:-- | JST UTC+9 | … |
| 🇦🇺Sydney | --:-- | … | … |
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Daylight Saving Time in Spain – CET & CEST Explained
☀️ Summer Time (CEST)
UTC+2
CEST — Central European Summer Time
📅 Last Sunday of March → Last Sunday of October
calculating…
❄️ Standard Time (CET)
UTC+1
CET — Central European Time
📅 Last Sunday of October → Last Sunday of March
calculating…
💡 Important note: Spain, France, Germany, Italy and most of continental Europe all change their clocks on the same Sunday — meaning Madrid is always exactly 1 hour ahead of London year-round. The difference between Madrid and New York is usually …, but briefly shifts to 5 hours during the two transition windows (spring: US changes clocks ~3 weeks before Spain; autumn: Spain changes back ~1 week before the US). Use our Time Zone Converter for the exact current difference.
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Madrid Time Zone Converter – Compare with World Cities
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Los Angeles
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Tokyo
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Dubai
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Madrid – Geography & Location Facts
LocationCentral IberiaCommunity of Madrid · Meseta Central plateau
GPS Coordinates40.4168°N3.7038°W (west of Greenwich)
Elevation667 mHighest EU capital city above sea level
Area (city)604 km²Greater Madrid region: ~8,028 km²
ClimateBSk / Csa (Köppen)Semi-arid / hot-summer Mediterranean — 300+ sunny days/year
Main RiverRiver ManzanaresFlows 92 km through Madrid into the Jarama
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Population & Administrative Data
| Population (city of Madrid) | ~3.4 million |
| Greater Madrid metropolitan area | ~7.0 million |
| Density | ~5,400 people/km² |
| Official language | Spanish (Castilian) |
| Currency | Euro (€, EUR) |
| International dial code | +34 (91 Madrid) |
| Internet domain | .es / .madrid |
| Postcode format | 280xx (28001–28055) |
| Drives on | Right 🚗 |
| ISO code | ES-MD |
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A Brief History of Madrid
- ~860 ADThe Moorish Emir Muhammad I builds a defensive fortress — Magerit — on a rocky promontory above the Manzanares river to protect Toledo from northern Christian kingdoms. The name likely derives from the Arabic mayra (source of water).
- 1083Alfonso VI of Castile reconquers Madrid during the broader Reconquista. The town becomes part of the Crown of Castile and is granted a municipal charter, beginning its slow growth as a trading and administrative centre.
- 1561King Philip II moves the Habsburg royal court permanently to Madrid, transforming an unremarkable Castilian town into the capital of the largest empire of the age. The Villa y Corte era begins — the city's population explodes from ~30,000 to over 100,000 within a generation.
- 1819The Museo del Prado opens its doors, initially as a natural history museum, quickly becoming one of the world's premier art galleries — housing masterpieces by Velázquez, Goya, El Greco, Rubens and Bosch.
- 1936–1939Madrid endures a brutal three-year siege during the Spanish Civil War, becoming a symbol of Republican resistance with the defiant slogan No Pasaán — "They shall not pass." The city is devastated but survives, only to fall to Franco's forces in March 1939.
- TodayMadrid is a vibrant 21st-century metropolis — Spain's financial, political and cultural capital. Home to three world-class art museums (the Golden Triangle: Prado, Reina Sofía, Thyssen-Bornemisza), Europe's third-busiest airport, and one of the world's great football cities: Real Madrid CF.
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Top Tourist Attractions in Madrid
🎨
Museo del PradoOne of the world's finest art museums: Velázquez's Las Meninas, Goya's Saturn Devouring His Son, and over 8,000 works spanning six centuries of European art.
🏛️
Royal Palace of MadridThe largest royal palace in Western Europe by floor area (135,000 m²) with 3,418 rooms. Official residence of the Spanish royal family, open to the public year-round.
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Puerta del SolMadrid's beating heart and kilometre zero of Spain's road network. Home to the iconic clock tower where Madrileños ring in the New Year eating 12 grapes at midnight.
🌳
Parque del RetiroMadrid's beloved 350-acre park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2021. Features the Crystal Palace, a boating lake, rose gardens and weekend street performers.
🖼️
Museo Reina SofíaSpain's national museum of modern and contemporary art, home to Picasso's monumental Guernica and major works by Dalí, Miró and Juan Gris.
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Mercado de San MiguelA stunning 1916 iron-and-glass covered market steps from Plaza Mayor, serving the finest tapas, jamon ibérico, oysters and Spanish wines until midnight.
✈️ Madrid Airports
| Airport | IATA Code | Distance | Transport | Type |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Adolfo Suárez Madrid–Barajas | MAD | 12 km north-east | ~20 min (Metro Line 8) | 🌍 Main international hub |
| Madrid–Cuatro Vientos | MCV | 10 km south-west | Private / charter only | ✈️ General aviation |
| Madrid–Torrejón | TOJ | 25 km north-east | Military / some charter | 🛡️ Military & charter |
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Spanish & Madrileño Food Culture
Iconic TapaPatatas BravasCrispy fried potato cubes with spicy brava sauce and aioli — the quintessential Madrid bar snack, ordered at every terraza
Madrid SpecialityCocido MadrileñoA hearty three-course chickpea stew with chorizo, morcilla, chicken and vegetables — the city's traditional winter comfort dish
Sweet TraditionChurros con ChocolateDeep-fried dough sticks dipped in thick hot chocolate — the classic Madrid breakfast, best experienced at Chocolatería San Ginés (open since 1894)
Fine Dining IconJamón IbéricoAcorn-fed black-footed Iberian ham, cured for up to 4 years — considered the finest cured meat in the world, sold by weight at every good deli
Night-Life StapleVermut & TapasThe Sunday vermut ritual: vermouth on ice with a slice of orange, anchovy and olive — Madrid's bars fill for the aperitivo from noon to 3 PM
Restaurant CultureDining ScheduleLunch (2–4 PM) is the main meal; dinner rarely starts before 9:30 PM — Madrid's restaurants are buzzing past midnight, especially at weekends
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Practical Travel Information for Visitors to Madrid
| 🛂 Entry requirements (US / Canada / Australia) | ETIAS required from 2025. Citizens of many non-EU countries including the US, Canada and Australia must obtain an ETIAS (European Travel Information and Authorisation System) before travelling to the Schengen Area. Allows stays of up to 90 days in any 180-day period. |
| 🛂 Entry requirements (EU / EEA / Swiss citizens) | Full freedom of movement — no visa required. EU, EEA and Swiss citizens can enter and stay in Spain indefinitely. Valid national ID card or passport required at border. |
| 🔌 Electricity | 230V / 50Hz |
| 🔌 Plug type | Type F (Schuko — 2 round pins + side grounding clips) — adapters needed for UK and US devices |
| 🚨 Emergency numbers | 112 (EU emergency) / 061 (medical) / 091 (National Police) / 080 (Fire service) |
| 🚰 Tap water | Safe to drink ✅ — Madrid tap water wins blind taste tests against bottled brands and is free to request at any bar or restaurant |
| 🚌 Public transport | 12-line Metro (Europe's 6th largest), EMT buses, Cercanías commuter rail, BiciMAD e-bike share. A tarjeta de transporte (travel card) covers all zones |
| 💰 Currency | Euro (€) — cards accepted almost everywhere; contactless payment standard |
| 🗣️ Language | Spanish (Castilian) — English widely spoken in hotels, tourist areas, and major restaurants |
| 🌡️ Average temperatures | Winter: 3–10°C · Summer: 25–36°C · Spring and autumn are ideal (15–22°C, 300+ sunny days/year) |
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Frequently Asked Questions – Madrid Time Zone & CET/CEST
Madrid uses CET (Central European Time, UTC+1) in winter and CEST (Central European Summer Time, UTC+2) in summer. Clocks spring forward on the last Sunday in March and fall back on the last Sunday in October, in line with all EU member states. The IANA timezone identifier is
Europe/Madrid.
Yes. Spain observes Daylight Saving Time. Clocks advance 1 hour on the last Sunday of March at 02:00 local CET (becoming 03:00 CEST), and fall back 1 hour on the last Sunday of October at 03:00 local CEST (becoming 02:00 CET). This is synchronised across all EU member states. Note: the EU has repeatedly considered abolishing DST, but as of 2026 Spain still observes it. The Canary Islands (also Spain) use WET/WEST, one hour behind mainland Spain.
Madrid is always exactly 1 hour ahead of London, every single day of the year. Both Spain and the UK change their clocks on the same dates (last Sunday in March and last Sunday in October), so the 1-hour gap never changes. When London is at 10:00, Madrid is at 11:00.
For most of the year, Madrid is 6 hours ahead of New York (CET vs EST in winter; CEST vs EDT in summer). However, the US changes its clocks roughly 3 weeks before Spain in spring, so for a short window Madrid is only 5 hours ahead (US on EDT, Spain still on CET). In autumn, after Spain falls back to CET but before the US does (about 1 week), the gap reverts to 5 hours — then returns to 6 hours once the US also falls back. The live table above always shows the exact current difference.
Madrid lies at 3.7° west longitude — geographically, it should be on UTC−0 or even UTC−1 based on solar time. Spain adopted UTC+1 (CET) in 1940 when General Franco aligned the country with Nazi Germany and fascist Italy, and this political decision was never reversed. The practical consequence is that Spanish sunrises and sunsets are unusually late by European standards: in midsummer, the sun doesn't set in Madrid until around 9:40 PM CEST. This also partly explains Spain's famously late dining and nightlife culture.
CET (Central European Time) is UTC+1, used from late October to late March — the winter period. CEST (Central European Summer Time) is UTC+2, used from late March to late October — the summer period when clocks are moved one hour forward. The same timezone is used by Paris, Berlin, Rome, Warsaw, Amsterdam, Brussels and most of mainland Europe.
Madrid is served by Adolfo Suárez Madrid–Barajas (MAD), the main international airport at ~12 km north-east of the city centre. It is the third-busiest airport in Europe and a major hub for Iberia and Vueling. The fastest connection to central Madrid is Metro Line 8 (~20 minutes to Nuevos Ministerios, ~35 minutes to Sol), with trains running from ~06:00 to 02:00. A flat taxi rate of €30 applies from any terminal to central Madrid (inside the M-30 ring road).
Spring (April–June) and autumn (September–October) offer the most pleasant conditions: temperatures of 15–22°C, clear skies, and quieter museums. Summer (July–August) is scorching — highs of 35°C and above are common, and many Madrileños leave the city in August. However, summer also brings the best nightlife, open-air concerts, and terraza culture until dawn. Winter (December–February) is cool but rarely freezing (3–10°C) and offers the least crowded museums, festive Christmas illuminations on Gran Vía, and skiing in the nearby Sierra de Guadarrama (~1 hour by road).
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