The best time to call internationally is when both sides are in business hours. From November 1, 2026, using Brasília time, that means Europe between 9:00 AM and 2:00 PM, the US East Coast between 11:00 AM and 6:00 PM, and Japan or China in the evening, 8:00 to 10:00 PM, when it is already the next morning there.
These windows shift during the year because the US and Europe use daylight saving time and Brazil does not. The table below works in both directions: if you are in New York or London and need to reach Brazil, read it from right to left.
The rule of thumb: find the shared workday
Assume a 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM workday in both places and look for the overlap. The wider the time difference, the narrower the window:
- Up to 3 hours apart (the Americas, plus Portugal and the UK in the European winter): six or more shared hours.
- 4 to 7 hours (continental Europe, South Africa, the Gulf): the window fits into Brazil's morning.
- 8 hours or more (India, China, Japan, Australia): no overlap, so someone has to call early or late.
To compare three or more cities at once, the meeting planner lines up everyone's working hours.
Table: best times to call between Brazil and the world
Calculated with the IANA time zone database for November 1, 2026 to mid-March 2027. "Window" is the shared workday, in Brasília time.
| Destination | Difference | Window (Brasília) | Local time there |
|---|---|---|---|
| New York and Toronto | −2 h | 11:00–18:00 | 09:00–16:00 |
| Chicago and Mexico City | −3 h | 12:00–18:00 | 09:00–15:00 |
| Los Angeles | −5 h | 14:00–18:00 | 09:00–13:00 |
| Bogotá and Lima | −2 h | 11:00–18:00 | 09:00–16:00 |
| Buenos Aires and Santiago | 0 | 09:00–18:00 | 09:00–18:00 |
| Lisbon and London | +3 h | 09:00–15:00 | 12:00–18:00 |
| Madrid, Paris and Berlin | +4 h | 09:00–14:00 | 13:00–18:00 |
| Johannesburg | +5 h | 09:00–13:00 | 14:00–18:00 |
| Dubai | +7 h | 09:00–11:00 | 16:00–18:00 |
| Mumbai and New Delhi | +8:30 | 07:00–09:30 | 15:30–18:00 |
| Beijing and Singapore | +11 h | 21:00–22:00 | 08:00–09:00 (next day) |
| Tokyo and Seoul | +12 h | 20:00–22:00 | 08:00–10:00 (next day) |
| Sydney | +14 h | 19:00–22:00 | 09:00–12:00 (next day) |
Brazil and the United States
The East Coast is the easy case: with a 2-hour gap from November 1, most of the Brazilian afternoon overlaps with New York's workday. For the West Coast, aim for 2:00 to 6:00 PM in Brasília, which is 9:00 AM to 1:00 PM in Los Angeles. Until October 31, every window starts one hour earlier (10:00 AM for New York, 1:00 PM for Los Angeles) because the US is still on daylight saving time. See the Brazil to United States time difference for each US zone.
Brazil and Europe
Brazil's morning is the sweet spot. With the UK and Portugal 3 hours ahead, a 10:00 AM call from Brasília lands at 1:00 PM in London. For continental Europe, call before 2:00 PM Brasília time, which is already 6:00 PM in Madrid, Paris or Berlin. Until October 24 the gap is one hour wider, so the window closes at 2:00 PM for London and 1:00 PM for Paris. Details in Brazil to UK time difference.
Brazil, Asia and Oceania
With 11 to 14 hours between them, there is no shared workday. Two practical options:
- Evening in Brazil, morning there: 8:00 to 10:00 PM in Brasília is 8:00 to 10:00 AM the next day in Tokyo and Seoul, and 7:00 to 9:00 AM in Beijing.
- Early morning in Brazil, end of day there: 7:00 AM in Brasília is 6:00 PM in Beijing and 7:00 PM in Tokyo, fine for a short call.
Watch the date: a Friday-evening call from Brazil reaches Asia on Saturday morning. See the Brazil to China time difference. Sydney is on summer time until April 4, 2027; after that it is 13 hours ahead of Brasília.
Tips to avoid calling at the wrong time
- Check the switch dates: Europe on October 25, 2026, the US on November 1, 2026. The week in between has unusual gaps.
- Skip the lunch hour at the destination, usually noon to 2:00 PM local time.
- Put the time zone in the invite, for example "3:00 PM Brasília (UTC−3)", not just "3:00 PM".
- Messages count too: a voice note at 3:00 AM is just as disruptive as a call.
- Before dialing, glance at the destination clock on the world time page.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best time to call Brazil from the US?
From November 1, 2026, 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM in New York (11:00 AM to 6:00 PM in Brasília). From Los Angeles, 9:00 AM to 1:00 PM local time.
What is the best time to call Brazil from the UK?
From October 25, 2026, noon to 6:00 PM in London, which is 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM in Brasília. Before that date, noon to 5:00 PM London time.
Can I reach Japan during business hours from Brazil?
Not with any overlap. The practical slot is 8:00 to 10:00 PM in Brasília, which is 8:00 to 10:00 AM the following day in Tokyo.
Does US daylight saving time affect calls to Brazil?
Yes. Brazil no longer changes its clocks, so when the US falls back on November 1, 2026, the New York to Brasília gap grows from 1 to 2 hours. More in US daylight saving time.
Does the table work for Manaus or Acre?
The table uses Brasília time. For Manaus (UTC−4), subtract one hour from the Brazilian times shown; for Acre (UTC−5), subtract two.
Summary
From Brazil, call Europe in the morning, the US in the afternoon and Asia in the evening. The table holds from November 1, 2026 to mid-March 2027; before that, shift US and European windows by one hour according to the October 25 and November 1 changes.