Best meeting time: Shanghai & Dubai
Recommended slots for a cross-timezone call between Shanghai (China) and Dubai (United Arab Emirates). Times update live and account for Daylight Saving automatically.
China
Shanghai
1:38 AM
UTC+08:00 · GMT+8
United Arab Emirates
Dubai
9:38 PM
UTC+04:00 · GMT+4
Recommended windows
Recommended business-hours window
- Shanghai
- 1:00 PM
- Dubai
- 9:00 AM
Both Shanghai and Dubai are in working hours. Send the invite confidently.
Morning in Shanghai
- Shanghai
- 8:00 AM
- Dubai
- 4:00 AM
Great for a focused morning standup on the Shanghai side.
Afternoon in Dubai
- Shanghai
- 5:00 PM
- Dubai
- 1:00 PM
Works when Dubai prefers post-lunch slots and Shanghai can take an early or late call.
Advice
Best overlap: 11:00 AM–2:00 PM Shanghai time (2/2 zones in business hours).
24-hour overlap
Green = both cities in business hours. Amber = one in evening. Grey = at least one asleep.
| UTC | Shanghai | Dubai | Suitability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 00:00 | 8:00 AM | 4:00 AM | Poor — both off-hours |
| 01:00 | 9:00 AM | 5:00 AM | Limited — one asleep |
| 02:00 | 10:00 AM | 6:00 AM | Limited — one asleep |
| 03:00 | 11:00 AM | 7:00 AM | Limited — one asleep |
| 04:00 | 12:00 PM | 8:00 AM | Limited — one asleep |
| 05:00 | 1:00 PM | 9:00 AM | Excellent — both working |
| 06:00 | 2:00 PM | 10:00 AM | Excellent — both working |
| 07:00 | 3:00 PM | 11:00 AM | Excellent — both working |
| 08:00 | 4:00 PM | 12:00 PM | Excellent — both working |
| 09:00 | 5:00 PM | 1:00 PM | Workable — one evening |
| 10:00 | 6:00 PM | 2:00 PM | Workable — one evening |
| 11:00 | 7:00 PM | 3:00 PM | Workable — one evening |
| 12:00 | 8:00 PM | 4:00 PM | Workable — one evening |
| 13:00 | 9:00 PM | 5:00 PM | Poor — both off-hours |
| 14:00 | 10:00 PM | 6:00 PM | Poor — both off-hours |
| 15:00 | 11:00 PM | 7:00 PM | Poor — both off-hours |
| 16:00 | 12:00 AM | 8:00 PM | Poor — both off-hours |
| 17:00 | 1:00 AM | 9:00 PM | Poor — both off-hours |
| 18:00 | 2:00 AM | 10:00 PM | Poor — both off-hours |
| 19:00 | 3:00 AM | 11:00 PM | Poor — both off-hours |
| 20:00 | 4:00 AM | 12:00 AM | Poor — both off-hours |
| 21:00 | 5:00 AM | 1:00 AM | Poor — both off-hours |
| 22:00 | 6:00 AM | 2:00 AM | Poor — both off-hours |
| 23:00 | 7:00 AM | 3:00 AM | Poor — both off-hours |
About
Working across 4 hours of time difference
A 4 hours offset puts Shanghai and Dubai in the medium-difficulty band. You typically have a 2–4 hour window each day where both cities are at work — usually early afternoon in the western city, late morning or early afternoon in the eastern one. Keep recurring meetings inside that window.
Daylight Saving Time can shift the gap by an hour twice a year. The North American DST window does not align with the European one, so the offset between Shanghai and Dubai can drift in late March and again in early November. Use this page to re-check your standing meeting on each transition.
FAQ
What's the best time for a meeting between Shanghai and Dubai?
Best overlap: 11:00 AM–2:00 PM Shanghai time (2/2 zones in business hours). The strongest business-hour overlap is UTC 3:00–7:00, which is Shanghai 11:00 AM–2:00 PM and Dubai 7:00 AM–10:00 AM locally.
What is the time difference between Shanghai and Dubai?
Shanghai is currently UTC+08:00 and Dubai is UTC+04:00, a difference of 4 hours. The exact gap can shift by one hour when one city switches to or from Daylight Saving Time.
Should we shift the meeting if one city changes Daylight Saving Time?
Yes — when only one of the two cities observes DST, the overlap window moves by an hour. Re-check this page in the weeks around March/April and October/November and adjust your standing meeting accordingly. The 24-hour grid below always reflects the current correct offset.
Can I schedule a daily standup that works for both Shanghai and Dubai?
Yes — the offset is only 4 hours, so any mid-morning or mid-afternoon slot in either city will fall in working hours for both. A 10am or 3pm in Shanghai usually works well.