Current Time in Ely, England
The live time in Ely (Cambridgeshire), with the GMT or BST status, the next clock change and sunrise and sunset through the year.
About time in Ely
Ely is one of the smallest cities in England, known as the Ship of the Fens for its cathedral, which rises over flat farmland. Oliver Cromwell lived in the city for several years. It lies east of Greenwich, so the sun rises and sets about a minute earlier than in London.
The cathedral's Octagon, a lantern tower of timber, is a medieval engineering feat. The city is also a short trip from Cambridge, about 15 minutes by train.
The surrounding fens were drained over centuries, and the low land here means long views and big skies, which suit sunrise and sunset watching in the winter.
- The cathedral is known as the Ship of the Fens.
- Oliver Cromwell lived in Ely.
- About 15 minutes from Cambridge by train.
About 21,000 people live in Ely. At 52.40 degrees north and 0.26 degrees east of Greenwich, true solar noon here falls about 1 minutes before clock noon. The clock itself always matches the rest of the UK.
Sunrise and sunset in Ely through the year
Times for the 15th of each month in UK local time (GMT or BST). Calculated from the city's latitude and longitude.
| Month | Sunrise | Sunset | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | 08:02 | 16:15 | 8h 13m |
| February | 07:15 | 17:11 | 9h 56m |
| March | 06:14 | 18:02 | 11h 48m |
| April | 06:02 | 19:56 | 13h 54m |
| May | 05:03 | 20:47 | 15h 44m |
| June | 04:36 | 21:22 | 16h 47m |
| July | 04:54 | 21:14 | 16h 20m |
| August | 05:41 | 20:24 | 14h 44m |
| September | 06:32 | 19:14 | 12h 43m |
| October | 07:23 | 18:05 | 10h 42m |
| November | 07:19 | 16:06 | 8h 47m |
| December | 08:02 | 15:45 | 7h 43m |
Ely time compared with the world
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Time in nearby cities
Clock change guides
- What Is Daylight Saving Time (DST)? A Plain-English GuideWhat daylight saving time is, how it works in the UK, Europe and the US, why it exists, its history, who uses it and the argument over scrapping it.
- Why Do the Clocks Go Back in October? The Real ReasonThe clocks go back in autumn to return the UK to GMT, so winter mornings are lighter. The history, the rule, what time it happens and what changes for you.
- When Do the Clocks Go Forward Again After Going Back?When the UK clocks go forward again after the autumn change, how long the UK stays on GMT, when evenings get lighter and how to remember to reset your clocks.
Frequently asked questions
What time zone is Ely in?
Ely is in the UK time zone. It uses Greenwich Mean Time (GMT, UTC+0) in winter and British Summer Time (BST, UTC+1) in summer, the same as the rest of the UK.
When do the clocks change in Ely?
The clocks go forward at 01:00 on the last Sunday of March and back at 02:00 on the last Sunday of October. In 2026 that is Sunday, 29 March 2026 and Sunday, 25 October 2026.
How much daylight does Ely get in summer and winter?
Around 16h 49m at the June solstice and 7h 40m at the December solstice, based on its latitude of 52.4 degrees north.
Is Ely on the same time as London?
Yes. All UK clocks show the same time. Because Ely is 0.3 degrees east of Greenwich, solar noon here is about 1 minutes before clock noon (GMT), but the clocks do not differ.
Is Ely a city?
Yes. It has had city status for centuries because of its cathedral, even though it is one of the smallest in England.
How far is Ely from Cambridge?
About 15 miles, around 15 minutes by train.