Area codes › Caribbean & Atlantic
🇧🇸 242 area code
Area code 242 belongs to the Bahamas. It is dialed like any US or Canadian number — 1 plus ten digits — but a call to it is an international call, billed at international rates. Enter a 242 number below for a free check before you call back.
- Location: Bahamas
- Time zone: Eastern (UTC−5)
- In service since October 1, 1996
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Area code 242 at a glance
- Area code
- 242
- Location
- Bahamas
- Main cities
- New Providence, Grand Bahama, Eleuthera, Abaco Island, Andros, Exuma
- Time zone
- Eastern (UTC−5)
- Local time now
- —
- In service since
- October 1, 1996
- Created from
- 809
- Local calls
- Dial 7 digits
- Number format
- (242) 555-0123
- From abroad
- +1 242 555 0123
Cities in area code 242
- New Providence
- Grand Bahama
- Eleuthera
- Abaco Island
- Andros
- Exuma
- Cat Island
- Long Island
- Abaco/Eleuthera
- Bimini and Cat Cay
242 and the one-ring scam
Because 242 looks like a US area code, it is a favourite of "one-ring" (wangiri) scams: the phone rings once, you call back, and the call is billed as international — sometimes with premium per-minute charges that go to the scammer.
If you do not know anyone in the Bahamas, do not call back a missed 242 call. Look the number up first, and ask your carrier to block outgoing international calls if you never make them.
About area code 242
242 entered service on October 1, 1996, when it was split from 809.
Вопросы и ответы
Area code 242 questions
Sources: NANPA NPA database (11/04/2026) and Google libphonenumber. Area codes show where a number was assigned, not where its owner is today.
Where is area code 242?
Area code 242 is in Bahamas. It covers New Providence, Grand Bahama, Eleuthera, Abaco Island, Andros and Exuma.
What time zone is area code 242?
242 is in the Eastern (UTC−5) time zone, and observes daylight saving time.
When did area code 242 start?
242 entered service on October 1, 1996, created from 809.
Is calling area code 242 international?
Yes. 242 is the Bahamas, so calls from the US or Canada are billed as international even though you dial 1 + ten digits. Check your carrier's rates before calling back.
How do I find out who called me from 242?
Enter the full number in the lookup at the top of this page. The free check confirms whether the number is valid and shows its carrier, line type and region; a full report adds owner and public-web records where they are available.
Got a call from 242?
Run the free check first — validity, carrier, line type and region — and unlock the full report only if you need it.