Disclosed are various embodiments of apparatuses and methods for global time synchronization using a guided surface wave traveling along the surface of a terrestrial medium. In one embodiment, a guided surface wave receive structure receives electrical energy from a guided surface wave that is generated at a specific time and is traveling along a terrestrial medium. A time synchronization circuit that is coupled to the guided surface wave receive structure synchronizes its time with the time at the origin of the guided surface wave based at least in part based on the propagation delay of the guided surface wave between the origin of the guided surface wave and the guided surface wave receive structure.