Current time in Bogotá

Colombia has only once moved its clocks. During a severe drought in 1992, when low reservoirs forced electricity rationing, the government advanced clocks by one hour from May 1992 to early 1993. The measure, popularly called the 'hora Gaviria' after the president of the time, was dropped once the reservoirs recovered, and the country has stayed on UTC−5 ever since.

Close to the equator there is little reason to shift the clock: day length changes by only about half an hour across the year. The whole of Colombia, including Medellín, Cali and the Caribbean coast, shares one time.

At 4.7° north, Bogotá's day lasts between about 11 hours 50 minutes and 12 hours 20 minutes. Sunrise falls between roughly 5:40 and 6:15 AM and sunset between roughly 5:40 and 6:15 PM, with the earliest of both in early November and the latest in February and July, driven by the Earth's elliptical orbit rather than by the seasons. At 2,640 meters the city is cool all year, so the predictable light is the main seasonal constant.

Bogotá matches New York, Miami and Toronto from early November to mid-March and is one hour behind them during US daylight time. The New York Stock Exchange opens at 9:30 AM or 8:30 AM Bogotá time depending on the season. Madrid is six hours ahead in the European winter and seven in summer, and London five or six. Many nearshore teams in Bogotá work US hours for that reason. Use the time zone converter for a specific time, or the world clock to compare cities.