How To Call Barbados From US: Updated For 2025

Quick Answer

To call Barbados from the United States:

• Dial: 1 + 246 + Seven-Digit Local Number
• Barbados is part of the North American Numbering Plan (NANP). The country code is 1, and its area code is 246.

Examples:

• For a Barbadian number (246) NXX-XXXX (where NXX is the central office code): Dial 1 + 246 + NXX XXXX

Barbados is on Atlantic Standard Time (AST, UTC-4) and does not observe Daylight Saving Time. When the US East Coast is on EDT (UTC-4), the time is the same. When the US East Coast is on EST (UTC-5), Barbados is 1 hour ahead.

Understanding Barbadian Phone Numbers

Barbadian phone numbers follow the North American Numbering Plan (NANP) structure.

• Country Code: +1 (shared with the US, Canada, and other NANP territories).
• Area Code: 246 (covers the entire island of Barbados).
• Local Number: 7 digits, in the format NXX-XXXX.
  • NXX is a 3-digit central office code. Different NXX codes are assigned to specific geographic locations (parishes) or to mobile service providers.
  • XXXX is the 4-digit subscriber line number.
• Full Number (from US): 1-246-NXX-XXXX

Both landline and mobile numbers in Barbados adhere to this 10-digit (1 + area code + local number) structure.

Barbadian Area Code and Central Office Codes (NXX)

Barbados uses a single area code: 246 for the entire country. Within this area code, 3-digit Central Office Codes (NXX prefixes) are used to route calls. Some NXX codes are generally associated with specific parishes or types of service (including mobile carriers).

When dialing a number in Barbados from the US, you dial 1 + 246 + NXX-XXXX.

Examples of NXX prefixes and their general associations (note that number portability can affect carrier association):

Barbadian Mobile Phone Numbers

Mobile phone numbers in Barbados are part of the same 1-246-NXX-XXXX numbering plan. The NXX prefix will indicate the mobile operator.

Common NXX prefixes for mobile operators include:

• Digicel: Ranges such as 258, 26X (e.g., 260, 261, 262, etc.), 82X (e.g., 820, 822, etc.)
• Flow: Ranges such as 23X (e.g., 230, 231, etc.), 24X (e.g., 240, 243, etc.), 25X (e.g., 250, 252, etc.)

When dialing a Barbadian mobile number from the US, you simply dial 1 + 246 + Mobile NXX + XXXX.

*Number portability allows subscribers to keep their number when changing providers, so the NXX prefix may not always indicate the original issuing carrier.

Time Difference

Barbados operates on Atlantic Standard Time (AST), which is UTC-4. Barbados does not observe Daylight Saving Time.

The time difference compared to the US East Coast (ET):

• When the US East Coast is on Daylight Saving Time (EDT, UTC-4): Barbados is the same time as ET. (e.g., 12 PM EDT is 12 PM AST in Barbados). This is typically from early March to early November.
• When the US East Coast is on Standard Time (EST, UTC-5): Barbados is 1 hour ahead of ET. (e.g., 12 PM EST is 1 PM AST in Barbados). This is typically from early November to early March.

Always verify the current time difference, especially during the DST transition periods in the US.

Barbados's Phone System

Barbados has a modern and well-developed telecommunications infrastructure. As a member of the North American Numbering Plan (NANP), its telephone system is integrated with that of the US, Canada, and other Caribbean territories using country code 1. The island-wide area code is 246. The telecommunications sector was liberalized, leading to competition, primarily between Flow (owned by Liberty Latin America, formerly Cable & Wireless/LIME) and Digicel. These providers offer a full range of services including fixed-line, mobile (with good 4G/LTE coverage), and broadband internet. International connectivity is robust, supported by submarine fiber optic cables like the East Caribbean Fiber System (ECFS).

Best Times to Call

Considering the time difference:

• When US East Coast is on EDT (same time as Barbados): Standard business hours apply. A good window for business calls from the US is typically 9 AM - 5 PM ET, which corresponds to 9 AM - 5 PM AST in Barbados.
• When US East Coast is on EST (Barbados is 1 hour ahead):
  • To reach Barbados during their morning (e.g., 9 AM - 12 PM AST), call from 8 AM - 11 AM EST.
  • To reach Barbados during their afternoon (e.g., 1 PM - 5 PM AST), call from 12 PM - 4 PM EST.
• Barbadian business hours are generally Monday to Friday, around 8:00/8:30 AM to 4:30/5:00 PM AST.