São Tomé and Príncipe is always one hour behind Luanda. Local time, a table with Angola, Brazil, Portugal, Europe and Mozambique, TAAG flights and daylight hours.
São Tomé and Príncipe is always one hour behind Luanda. If it is 15:00 in Angola right now, it is 14:00 in São Tomé. The local time on both islands is Greenwich time (UTC+0), the same all year. In this guide you will find São Tomé time compared with Angola, Brazil, Portugal, Cape Verde, Mozambique, the UK and the rest of Europe, and what that means for your trip: TAAG flights, calls home and daylight hours.
Late afternoon over the bay of São Tomé city. Photo: Príncipe Collection
What you will find
- What time is it in São Tomé and Príncipe?
- São Tomé and Angola: one hour apart
- Quick table: São Tomé time and other countries
- TAAG flights and local time
- Calling home without waking anyone
- Daylight hours on the Equator
- The year São Tomé changed its clocks
- FAQ
What time is it in São Tomé and Príncipe?
The official time is UTC+0, the same as London in winter, Accra and Bissau. The country has no daylight saving time: the clocks never change. São Tomé island and Príncipe island have exactly the same time, so you don't need to touch your watch on the domestic flight between them.
To know the exact time in São Tomé now, just take Greenwich time (UTC). On your phone, search for "São Tomé" in the world clock: it appears under the Africa/Sao_Tome time zone.
São Tomé and Angola: one hour apart
Angola is on UTC+1 and does not change its clocks either. The sum is always the same, from January to December:
- Luanda is one hour ahead of São Tomé.
- When it is 8:00 in Luanda, it is 7:00 in São Tomé.
- When it is 20:00 in São Tomé, it is 21:00 in Luanda.
The difference is so small your body won't notice it. If you travel from Angola, you arrive in São Tomé with no jet lag and gain an hour on the way out. You lose it again on the way back.
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Quick table: São Tomé time and other countries
Example: midday (12:00) in São Tomé.
| City | Time when it is 12:00 in São Tomé | Difference |
|---|---|---|
| Luanda (Angola) | 13:00 | +1 hour, all year |
| Maputo (Mozambique) | 14:00 | +2 hours, all year |
| Lisbon (Portugal) and London (UK) | 12:00 in winter / 13:00 in summer | 0 or +1 hour |
| Paris, Madrid, Berlin | 13:00 in winter / 14:00 in summer | +1 or +2 hours |
| Praia (Cape Verde) | 11:00 | −1 hour, all year |
| Brasília and São Paulo (Brazil) | 09:00 | −3 hours, all year |
| Bissau (Guinea-Bissau) | 12:00 | same time |
The European countries are the only ones in this table that change their clocks. So the difference with Lisbon and London is zero between late October and late March, and one hour the rest of the year.
TAAG flights and local time
Flight times on airline tickets are always local. That is why the flight from Luanda seems to take only an hour, when it actually takes about two:
| Flight | Departure (local time) | Arrival (local time) | Actual flight time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Luanda → São Tomé (DT 510) | 10:30 in Luanda | 11:35 in São Tomé | about 2 hours |
| São Tomé → Luanda (DT 511) | 12:35 in São Tomé | 15:45 in Luanda | about 2 hours |
TAAG flies on Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays. On Fridays and Sundays there is also an afternoon flight. Schedules can change, so always check with the airline. You will find every combination in our guide to a long weekend in São Tomé from Luanda.
A practical tip: when you book your transfer or first night at the hotel, always use the arrival time on your ticket. It is already São Tomé time.
Calling home without waking anyone
- To Angola: add one hour. A call at 21:00 in São Tomé reaches Luanda at 22:00.
- To Brazil: subtract three hours. At 10:00 in São Tomé it is still 7:00 in São Paulo.
- To Portugal and the UK: same time in winter; add one hour in summer.
- To France, Spain or Germany: add one hour in winter and two in summer.
Need to contact the Embassy of São Tomé and Príncipe in Luanda? Consular service runs from 08:00 to 10:00 Luanda time — 07:00 to 09:00 in São Tomé.
Night over the coconut palms of São Tomé, near the Equator. Photo: Príncipe Collection
Daylight hours on the Equator
São Tomé is just a few kilometres from the Equator. The day has close to 12 hours of light in every month of the year. The sun rises between 5:30 and 6:00 and sets between 17:30 and 18:00, and it gets dark fast, in a matter of minutes.
If you come from Luanda, where the sun sets later by the clock, the first evening is a surprise: by 18:00 it is already night. That is why we set off early in the morning on our excursions — to make the most of the light and avoid the midday heat. If you want to see the sun straight overhead on the Equator, a visit to Ilhéu das Rolas is the right choice.
The year São Tomé changed its clocks
If you come across old information saying São Tomé has the same time as Angola, there is a reason. On 1 January 2018 the country switched to UTC+1, Luanda time. A year later, on 1 January 2019, it went back to UTC+0, where it has stayed ever since. Since then, São Tomé has always been one hour behind Angola.
Príncipe island from the air: the same time as São Tomé. Photo: Príncipe Collection
FAQ
What time is it now in São Tomé and Príncipe?
It is UTC+0 (Greenwich time). If you are in Angola, take one hour off Luanda time.
What is the time difference between Angola and São Tomé?
One hour. Luanda is always one hour ahead of São Tomé, because neither country changes its clocks.
What is the time difference between São Tomé and Brazil?
Three hours. When it is 12:00 in São Tomé, it is 9:00 in Brasília and São Paulo.
Does São Tomé and Príncipe change its clocks in summer?
No. The time is the same 365 days a year.
Is Príncipe island on a different time from São Tomé?
No. Both islands have the same time. To find out how to get from one to the other, read our guide how to get from São Tomé to Príncipe.
What time does the TAAG flight leaving Luanda at 10:30 arrive in São Tomé?
At 11:35 São Tomé time. The flight takes about two hours, but because São Tomé is one hour behind, it looks shorter.
Plan your trip
Now you know what time it is in São Tomé. Next, see how many days to stay, the best time to go and our São Tomé and Príncipe trips. We are a local agency: we take care of everything on the island, right on time.
