Chile’s Aysén Region to Stay on Permanent DST

Orange bridge over the river at Puerto Aysen, Chile. — The Sun will continue to set one hour later during winter in the southern Aysén Region as it stays on permanent DST. View of the Presidente Ibáñez Bridge.
©iStock.com/Joanne Wastchak

Following a citizen poll led by the Aysén Regional Presidential Delegation, authorities decided to keep the region on permanent Daylight Saving Time (DST) year-round.

Longer Evenings and Improved Well-Being

More than 94% of residents voted in favor of keeping the region on UTC−3 permanently, citing benefits such as longer daylight hours and enhanched overall well-being during the winter months.

Chile’s national time change is scheduled for April 6, 2025. At that point, Aysén will remain on UTC-3 while most of the country shifts back to standard time (UTC−4).

Chile’s Interior Minister Álvaro Elizalde has confirmed the region will align its time with the Magallanes region to the south, which also does not observe DST:

In this way, the time zone of the Magallanes Region and the time zone of the Aysén Region will coincide throughout the entire year, a measure that responds to what our citizens requested.

Interior Minister in Chile, Álvaro Elizalde

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One Hour Ahead of Most Regions

With this change, Aysén will be one hour ahead of most other Chilean regions during the Southern Hemisphere winter.

Chile’s Easter Island is currently on UTC-5 and will switch to UTC-6 on April 6 for standard time.

With the recent change in Aysén, Chile will observe three time zones during standard time.