diff --git a/Data/Time/Zones.hs b/Data/Time/Zones.hs
--- a/Data/Time/Zones.hs
+++ b/Data/Time/Zones.hs
@@ -28,6 +28,8 @@
   loadTZFromDB,
   loadSystemTZ,
   loadLocalTZ,
+  -- * Utilities
+  diffForAbbr,
   ) where
 
 import Data.Bits (shiftR)
@@ -155,7 +157,7 @@
     res = if ix == VU.length trans
           then FLUnique ix cand1 -- TODO(klao): extend when rule handling is added
           else res'
-               
+
     ix' = ix + 1
     nextTrans = VU.unsafeIndex trans ix'
     cand2 = lTime - fromIntegral (VU.unsafeIndex diffs ix')
@@ -214,3 +216,25 @@
     LTUNone ut _ -> ut
     LTUUnique ut _ -> ut
     LTUAmbiguous _ ut _ _ -> ut
+
+--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
+-- Random utility functions
+
+-- | Returns /a/ time difference (in seconds) corresponding to the
+-- abbreviation in the given time zone.
+--
+-- If there are multiple time differences associated with the same
+-- abbreviation, the one corresponding to the latest use is
+-- returned. (The latest use might be in the past or the future
+-- depending on whether the abbreviation is still in use.)
+--
+-- This function is here for informational purpose only, do not use it
+-- for time conversion. (Instead, use 'localTimeToUTCFull', and if the
+-- result is ambiguous disambiguate between the possible results based
+-- on the abbreviation.)
+diffForAbbr :: TZ -> String -> Maybe Int
+{-# INLINABLE diffForAbbr #-}
+diffForAbbr (TZ _ diffs infos) s =
+  case VB.findIndex ((==) s . snd) $ VB.reverse infos of
+    Nothing -> Nothing
+    Just i -> Just $ VU.unsafeIndex diffs (VU.length diffs - 1 - i)
diff --git a/tests/testTZ.hs b/tests/testTZ.hs
--- a/tests/testTZ.hs
+++ b/tests/testTZ.hs
@@ -161,6 +161,19 @@
     LTUAmbiguous (mkUTC 2013 10 27  00 15 15) (mkUTC 2013 10 27  01 15 15)
       zSummer zWinter
 
+case_UTC_diffForAbbr = do
+  tz <- loadTZFromDB "UTC"
+  diffForAbbr tz "UTC" @?= Just 0
+  diffForAbbr tz "XYZ" @?= Nothing
+
+case_Paris_diffForAbbr = do
+  tz <- loadTZFromDB "Europe/Paris"
+  diffForAbbr tz "CET" @?= Just 3600
+  diffForAbbr tz "CEST" @?= Just 7200
+  diffForAbbr tz "WET" @?= Just 0
+  diffForAbbr tz "LMT" @?= Just 561
+  diffForAbbr tz "XYZ" @?= Nothing
+
 main :: IO ()
 main = do
   -- When we are running 'cabal test' the package is not yet
diff --git a/tz.cabal b/tz.cabal
--- a/tz.cabal
+++ b/tz.cabal
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 Name: tz
-Version: 0.0.0.9
+Version: 0.0.0.10
 License: Apache-2.0
 License-File: LICENSE
 Author: Mihaly Barasz, Gergely Risko