CST to EST Time Converter

Convert Central Standard Time to Eastern Standard Time - Quick & Accurate

Chicago (CST)
New York (EST)
EST is 1 hour ahead of CST

Quick Time Conversion

Chicago
Central Standard Time
UTC-6 (CST) / UTC-5 (CDT)
New York
Eastern Standard Time
UTC-5 (EST) / UTC-4 (EDT)

Current Time Right Now

Central (CST/CDT)
Eastern (EST/EDT)

Updates live every second

24-Hour Visual Comparison

CST (Chicago)
12am CST
1am CST
2am CST
3am CST
4am CST
5am CST
6am CST
7am CST
8am CST
9am CST
10am CST
11am CST
12pm CST
1pm CST
2pm CST
3pm CST
4pm CST
5pm CST
6pm CST
7pm CST
8pm CST
9pm CST
10pm CST
11pm CST
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EST (NY)
1am EST
2am EST
3am EST
4am EST
5am EST
6am EST
7am EST
8am EST
9am EST
10am EST
11am EST
12pm EST
1pm EST
2pm EST
3pm EST
4pm EST
5pm EST
6pm EST
7pm EST
8pm EST
9pm EST
10pm EST
11pm EST
12am EST
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Business Hours (9AM-5PM)
Evening (5PM-9PM)
Night (9PM-6AM)

Hover over any hour to see corresponding time in both zones

Best Time for Meeting/Call

To schedule a meeting between CST and EST:

Best Window (CST)
8:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Which is (EST)
9:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Both parties in business hours
9-hour overlap window
Ideal for teams across Central and Eastern time zones

Pro Tip: Schedule calls between 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM CST for maximum overlap with EST business hours

Complete CST to EST Conversion Table

CST TimeEST TimeContext
12:00 AM01:00 AM
Midnight Central Time
01:00 AM02:00 AM
Late Night
02:00 AM03:00 AM
Late Night
03:00 AM04:00 AM
Late Night
04:00 AM05:00 AM
Late Night
05:00 AM06:00 AM
Late Night
06:00 AM07:00 AM
Early Morning CST
07:00 AM08:00 AM
Night Time
08:00 AM09:00 AM
Work Starts CST
09:00 AM10:00 AM
Meeting Window
10:00 AM11:00 AM
Meeting Window
11:00 AM12:00 PM
Meeting Window

Central Standard Time (CST)

UTC-6
UTC-5 during CDT
Major Cities:
  • • Chicago
  • • Houston
  • • Dallas
  • • San Antonio
  • • Austin
Daylight Saving:

CDT (UTC-5) from March to November

IANA Identifier:

America/Chicago

Eastern Standard Time (EST)

UTC-5
UTC-4 during EDT
Major Cities:
  • • New York
  • • Miami
  • • Atlanta
  • • Boston
  • • Philadelphia
Daylight Saving:

EDT (UTC-4) from March to November

IANA Identifier:

America/New_York

Central Standard Time (CST) vs Eastern Standard Time (EST)

Central Standard Time (CST)Eastern Standard Time (EST)

Central Standard Time (CST) is 6 hours behind Coordinated Universal Time (UTC-6). During daylight saving time, the region observes Central Daylight Time (CDT), which is UTC-5.

Eastern Standard Time (EST) is 5 hours behind Coordinated Universal Time (UTC-5). During daylight saving time, the region observes Eastern Daylight Time (EDT), which is UTC-4.

Where Is It Used In The United States?

  • Illinois: Chicago, Aurora, Rockford, Joliet, Naperville
  • Texas: Houston, Dallas, San Antonio, Austin, Fort Worth
  • Wisconsin: Milwaukee, Madison, Green Bay
  • Missouri: Kansas City, St. Louis, Springfield
  • Minnesota: Minneapolis, St. Paul, Rochester
  • Tennessee: Memphis, Nashville (most of state)
  • Alabama: Birmingham, Montgomery, Mobile
  • Louisiana: New Orleans, Baton Rouge, Shreveport
  • Plus: Iowa, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Kansas, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota
  • New York: New York City, Buffalo, Rochester, Albany
  • Florida: Miami, Tampa, Orlando, Jacksonville
  • Pennsylvania: Philadelphia, Pittsburgh
  • Ohio: Columbus, Cleveland, Cincinnati
  • Georgia: Atlanta, Augusta, Savannah
  • North Carolina: Charlotte, Raleigh, Greensboro
  • Michigan: Detroit, Grand Rapids (most of state)
  • Massachusetts: Boston, Worcester, Cambridge
  • Virginia: Virginia Beach, Norfolk, Richmond
  • Plus: New Jersey, Connecticut, Maryland, South Carolina, Tennessee (eastern portions)

Where Is It Used In Canada?

  • Manitoba: Winnipeg, Brandon
  • Saskatchewan: Regina, Saskatoon (no DST observed)
  • Ontario: Kenora, Atikokan (western portions)
  • Ontario: Toronto, Ottawa, Mississauga, Hamilton
  • Quebec: Montreal, Quebec City, Laval (most of province)
  • Nunavut: Iqaluit and eastern portions

Other Countries And Regions

Mexico

  • Most of Mexico: Mexico City, Guadalajara, Monterrey

Central America

  • Guatemala: Guatemala City
  • Honduras: Tegucigalpa
  • El Salvador: San Salvador
  • Nicaragua: Managua
  • Costa Rica: San José
  • Belize: Belize City

Caribbean

  • Bahamas: Nassau
  • Jamaica: Kingston, Montego Bay
  • Haiti: Port-au-Prince
  • Others: Cayman Islands, Turks and Caicos

Central & South America

  • Panama: Panama City
  • Colombia: Bogotá, Medellín, Cali
  • Peru: Lima, Arequipa, Cusco
  • Ecuador: Quito, Guayaquil

Key Facts

  • UTC Offset: UTC-6 (CST) / UTC-5 (CDT)
  • Region: Central portion of North America
  • Known For: Major business hubs and energy sector (Houston, Dallas)
  • Largest Cities: Chicago (2.7M), Houston (2.3M), San Antonio (1.5M)
  • Daylight Saving: Begins 2nd Sunday in March, ends 1st Sunday in November
  • UTC Offset: UTC-5 (EST) / UTC-4 (EDT)
  • Region: Most populous time zone in North America
  • Known For: Major financial and cultural centers
  • Largest Cities: New York City (8.3M), Toronto (2.9M), Philadelphia (1.6M)
  • Coverage: Approximately 45% of US population
  • Daylight Saving: Begins 2nd Sunday in March, ends 1st Sunday in November

Quick Reference

Time Difference: EST is 1 hour ahead of CST year-round
Consistency: This difference remains constant because both observe DST at the same dates
Distance: Covers approximately 1,000 miles across the United States
UTC Offsets: CST = UTC-6, EST = UTC-5 | CDT = UTC-5, EDT = UTC-4 (during DST)
2025 DST: Starts March 9 at 2:00 AM, Ends November 2 at 2:00 AM

Frequently Asked Questions

CST (Central Standard Time) is 1 hour behind EST (Eastern Standard Time). This means when it's 12:00 PM in Chicago (CST), it's 1:00 PM in New York (EST).

The best time to call from CST to EST is between 8:00 AM and 5:00 PM CST, which corresponds to 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM EST. This ensures both parties are within standard business hours.

No, the time difference remains constant at 1 hour because both CST and EST observe Daylight Saving Time at the same dates. CST becomes CDT (UTC-5) and EST becomes EDT (UTC-4).

CST cities include Chicago, Houston, Dallas, San Antonio, and Austin. EST cities include New York, Miami, Atlanta, Boston, and Philadelphia.

In 2025, DST starts on March 9 at 2:00 AM and ends on November 2 at 2:00 AM. During DST, CST becomes CDT and EST becomes EDT.

Related Time Converters

EST → CSTCST → PSTCST → UTCCST → MSTEST → PSTCST → GMTEST → UTCView All