Krasnoyarsk Daylight Time (KRAST)

UTC offset: +08:00 (historical, summer only)
Standard offset: +07:00 (KRAT, year-round since 2014)
IANA identifier: Asia/Krasnoyarsk
Abbreviation: KRAST (no longer active)
DST status: Discontinued

Krasnoyarsk Daylight Time advanced central Siberia one hour from KRAT (UTC+07:00) to UTC+08:00 during summer. When active, this placed the region on the same clock as China and Irkutsk Standard Time. Russia abolished all DST in 2014 after the unpopular 2011-2014 permanent summer time experiment.

During 2011-2014, Krasnoyarsk was fixed at +08:00 (permanent summer time). Winter mornings were dark past 9:30 a.m. at Krasnoyarsk's latitude (~56°N). The 2014 reversion to +07:00 permanent standard time restored reasonable winter sunrise times.

Krasnoyarsk Krai

Russia's second-largest federal subject by area (~2.4 million sq km, roughly the size of Argentina). Most of it is uninhabited taiga and tundra. The population (~2.9 million) concentrates in the south along the Trans-Siberian Railway.

Krasnoyarsk (~1.1 million): Siberia's third-largest city, straddling the Yenisei River. A Soviet-era industrial powerhouse (aluminum smelting, hydropower, aerospace) that has evolved into a regional cultural and educational center. The 2019 Winter Universiade brought modern sports infrastructure.

The Yenisei River

One of the world's great rivers (5,539 km, fifth-longest globally). It flows from Mongolia through the heart of Siberia to the Arctic Ocean. The Krasnoyarsk Hydroelectric Dam (one of the world's largest) generates power for the region's aluminum smelters. The river divides western Siberia (flat, bog-like) from eastern Siberia (mountainous, plateau-like).

Stolby Nature Reserve

On Krasnoyarsk's outskirts, a remarkable collection of volcanic rock pillars (stolby = pillars) rises from taiga forest. The formations reach 100 meters tall and have been a climbing and hiking destination since the 19th century. A unique "stolbist" culture of free climbing (without ropes or equipment) developed here.

Regions Using KRAT

The Krasnoyarsk Time zone (UTC+07:00) now covers:

• Krasnoyarsk Krai
• Kemerovo Oblast (Kuzbass coal mining region)
• Republic of Khakassia
• Republic of Tuva (geographic center of Asia)
• Altai Krai and Altai Republic (joined from Omsk Time in 2016)
• Novosibirsk Oblast (joined 2016)
• Tomsk Oblast (joined 2016)

This consolidation means about 12 million people share the zone.

Scheduling Context

At UTC+07:00 (permanent):

• Moscow: 4 hours behind
• Beijing/Shanghai: 1 hour ahead
• Bangkok/Hanoi: same
• India: 1.5 hours behind
• Western Mongolia (Hovd): same

Technical Identifiers

• Asia/Krasnoyarsk (IANA canonical)
• KRAST (historical summer abbreviation)
• KRAT (current permanent abbreviation)
• Windows: "North Asia Standard Time"
• Military/aviation: G ("Golf") for UTC+07:00
• 2011-2014: permanent UTC+08:00 (reversed)
• 2014 onward: permanent UTC+07:00

Quick Reference