Python Pandas - Convert Timestamp to another time zone

Converting timestamps between time zones is essential when working with global data. Pandas provides the tz_convert() method to easily convert timezone-aware timestamps to different time zones.

Import Required Libraries

First, import the pandas library ?

import pandas as pd

Creating a Timezone-Aware Timestamp

Create a timestamp object with an initial timezone. The timezone parameter accepts standard timezone names ?

import pandas as pd

# Create timestamp with US/Eastern timezone
timestamp = pd.Timestamp('2021-10-14T15:12:34.261811624', tz='US/Eastern')
print("Original timestamp:", timestamp)

Original timestamp: 2021-10-14 15:12:34.261811624-04:00

Converting to Another Time Zone

Use the tz_convert() method to convert the timestamp to a different timezone ?

import pandas as pd

timestamp = pd.Timestamp('2021-10-14T15:12:34.261811624', tz='US/Eastern')

# Convert to Australia/Brisbane timezone
converted_timestamp = timestamp.tz_convert('Australia/Brisbane')
print("Converted timestamp:", converted_timestamp)

Converted timestamp: 2021-10-15 05:12:34.261811624+10:00

Complete Example

Here's a comprehensive example showing timezone conversion ?

import pandas as pd

# Create timestamp with US/Eastern timezone
timestamp = pd.Timestamp('2021-10-14T15:12:34.261811624', tz='US/Eastern')

# Display the original timestamp
print("Original Timestamp:")
print(timestamp)

# Convert to different timezones
print("\nConverted to Australia/Brisbane:")
print(timestamp.tz_convert('Australia/Brisbane'))

print("\nConverted to Europe/London:")
print(timestamp.tz_convert('Europe/London'))

print("\nConverted to Asia/Tokyo:")
print(timestamp.tz_convert('Asia/Tokyo'))

Original Timestamp:
2021-10-14 15:12:34.261811624-04:00

Converted to Australia/Brisbane:
2021-10-15 05:12:34.261811624+10:00

Converted to Europe/London:
2021-10-14 20:12:34.261811624+01:00

Converted to Asia/Tokyo:
2021-10-15 04:12:34.261811624+09:00

Key Points

• The timestamp must be timezone-aware before using tz_convert()
• Use standard timezone names like 'US/Eastern', 'Europe/London', 'Asia/Tokyo'
• The method returns a new timestamp object with the converted timezone
• The actual moment in time remains the same, only the timezone representation changes

Conclusion

The tz_convert() method provides a simple way to convert timezone-aware timestamps between different time zones. This is particularly useful when working with data from multiple geographical locations or when standardizing timestamps for analysis.