Method for time synchronization in a communications network with a plurality of network nodes (N1, N2,..., N14), wherein the network nodes (N1, N2,..., N14) in each case comprise a clock and a network node is a global master node to the clock of which the clocks of other network nodes (N1, N2,..., N14) are to be synchronized, wherein, in the communications network, one or more subnetworks (SN1, SN2, SN3, SN4) are specified which in each case comprise a plurality of network nodes (N1, N2,..., N14) from the communications network, wherein one or more of the subnetworks represent predetermined subnetworks (SN1, SN2, SN3) in which in each case a predetermined network node (N1, N3, N5) has both the function of a global slave node and the function of a local master node and the other network node or network nodes (N2, N4, N6, N8) of the respective predetermined subnetwork (SN1, SN2, SN3) are local slave nodes, wherein - a global synchronization is performed in which first synchronization messages are transmitted between network nodes (N1, N2,..., N14) with a time information item which is based on the clock of the global master node and the predetermined network nodes (N1, N3, N5), in their function as global slave nodes, become synchronized to the clock of the global master node; - in each predetermined subnetwork (SN1, SN2, SN3), a local synchronization is performed in which second synchronization messages are transmitted between network nodes (N1, N2,..., N14) with a time information item which is based on the clock of the predetermined network node (N1, N3, N5) of the respective predetermined subnetwork (SN1, SN2, SN3) in its function as local master node, wherein the local slave nodes of the respective predetermined subnetwork (SN1, SN2, SN3) become synchronized to the clock of the predetermined network node (N1, N3, N5); - in the case that, in a predetermined subnetwork (SN1, SN2, SN3), a fault caused outside the predetermined subnetwork (SN1, SN2, SN3) is detected in the global synchronization, the predetermined network node (N1, N3, N5) of the predetermined subnetwork (SN1, SN2, SN3) aborts the synchronization of its clock to the clock of the global master node, the local synchronization being continued in the predetermined subnetwork (SN1, SN2, SN3), and a fault being detected in the global synchronization in the predetermined subnetwork (SN1, SN2, SN3) if the predetermined network node (N1, N3, N5) determines that a received first synchronization message is faulty and/or if the predetermined network node (N1, N2, N3) determines that a deviation between a time resulting from the first synchronization messages and a time resulting from the second synchronization messages from the clock of the predetermined network node (N1, N2, N3) exceeds a predetermined threshold. - a global synchronization is performed in which first synchronization messages are transmitted between network nodes (N1, N2,..., N14) with a time information item which is based on the clock of the global master node and the predetermined network nodes (N1, N3, N5), in their function as global slave nodes, become synchronized to the clock of the global master node; - in each predetermined subnetwork (SN1, SN2, SN3), a local synchronization is performed in which second synchronization messages are transmitted between network nodes (N1, N2,..., N14) with a time information item which is based on the clock of the predetermined network node (N1, N3, N5) of the respective predetermined subnetwork (SN1, SN2, SN3) in its function as local master node, wherein the local slave nodes of the respective predetermined subnetwork (SN1, SN2, SN3) become synchronized to the clock of the predetermined network node (N1, N3, N5); - in the case that, in a predetermined subnetwork (SN1, SN2, SN3), a fault caused outside the predetermined subnetwork (SN1, SN2, SN3) is detected in the global synchronization, the predetermined network node (N1, N3, N5) of the predetermined subnetwork (SN1, SN2, SN3) aborts the synchronization of its clock to the clock of the global master node, the local synchronization being continued in the predetermined subnetwork (SN1, SN2, SN3), and a fault being detected in the global synchronization in the predetermined subnetwork (SN1, SN2, SN3) if the predetermined network node (N1, N3, N5) determines that a received first synchronization message is faulty and/or if the predetermined network node (N1, N2, N3) determines that a deviation between a time resulting from the first synchronization messages and a time resulting from the second synchronization messages from the clock of the predetermined network node (N1, N2, N3) exceeds a predetermined threshold.