Time zone converter/EST to CST
EST to CST Converter
Central Standard Time (CST) is 1 hour behind Eastern Standard Time (EST). To convert EST to CST, subtract 1 hour.
- 9:00 AM EST→8:00 AM CST
- 10:00 AM EST→9:00 AM CST
- 11:00 AM EST→10:00 AM CST
- 3:00 PM EST→2:00 PM CST
- 5:00 PM EST→4:00 PM CST
CST = EST − 1 hour · EST = CST + 1 hour
From
Eastern Standard Time (EST)
—
To
Central Standard Time (CST)
—
The converted time appears in the result below.
Calculating time difference
Pick a date and time above.
CST = EST − 1 hour · EST = CST + 1 hour
EST and CST stay on standard time all year — even in July they don’t jump for daylight saving. For the time on a real date, including daylight time in summer, convert Eastern Time to Central Time and pick that date.
EST to CST Conversion Table
Every hour of the day. Highlighted rows are common conversions. If you see −1 next to CST, that Central time falls on the previous calendar day.
| EST | CST | Note |
|---|---|---|
| 12:00 AM EST | 11:00 PM CST −1 | Previous day |
| 1:00 AM EST | 12:00 AM CST | — |
| 2:00 AM EST | 1:00 AM CST | — |
| 3:00 AM EST | 2:00 AM CST | — |
| 4:00 AM EST | 3:00 AM CST | — |
| 5:00 AM EST | 4:00 AM CST | — |
| 6:00 AM EST | 5:00 AM CST | — |
| 7:00 AM EST | 6:00 AM CST | — |
| 8:00 AM EST | 7:00 AM CST | — |
| 9:00 AM EST | 8:00 AM CST | Popular |
| 10:00 AM EST | 9:00 AM CST | Popular |
| 11:00 AM EST | 10:00 AM CST | Popular |
| 12:00 PM EST | 11:00 AM CST | Popular |
| 1:00 PM EST | 12:00 PM CST | — |
| 2:00 PM EST | 1:00 PM CST | — |
| 3:00 PM EST | 2:00 PM CST | Popular |
| 4:00 PM EST | 3:00 PM CST | — |
| 5:00 PM EST | 4:00 PM CST | Popular |
| 6:00 PM EST | 5:00 PM CST | — |
| 7:00 PM EST | 6:00 PM CST | — |
| 8:00 PM EST | 7:00 PM CST | — |
| 9:00 PM EST | 8:00 PM CST | — |
| 10:00 PM EST | 9:00 PM CST | — |
| 11:00 PM EST | 10:00 PM CST | — |
Popular EST to CST Conversions
Quick answers for common times between Eastern and Central — as EST to CST, or as everyday Eastern Time to Central Time.
10 AM EST to CST
10:00 AM EST is 9:00 AM CST. Subtract one hour and you are on Central. Same gap day to day: 10 AM Eastern Time is usually 9 AM Central Time.
11 AM EST to CST
11:00 AM EST is 10:00 AM CST. Late morning on the East Coast is mid-morning in Central. 11 AM ET is normally 10 AM CT.
12 PM Eastern Time to Central Time
12:00 PM Eastern Time is normally 11:00 AM Central Time. In winter, when clocks show EST and CST, the answer is the same: 12:00 PM EST is 11:00 AM CST.
3 PM EST to CST
3:00 PM EST is 2:00 PM CST. Mid-afternoon Eastern is early afternoon for Central desks. If the invite only says Eastern or Central, 3 PM ET is still 2 PM CT in the same season.
9 AM EST to CST
9:00 AM EST is 8:00 AM CST. A normal Eastern start is still early on Central. Useful first-call window once Central is in.
5 PM EST to CST
5:00 PM EST is 4:00 PM CST. End of day Eastern still leaves Central in the late afternoon. Add an hour to go the other way.
Eastern Time to Central Time
Eastern Time is normally 1 hour ahead of Central Time. For example, 10 AM Eastern Time is normally 9 AM Central Time. Day to day, ET to CT usually follows that same one-hour gap.
ET means Eastern Time. CT means Central Time. In winter those clocks often show EST and CST; in summer they show EDT and CDT. If a meeting invite only says “Eastern” or “Central,” pick the meeting date so the result matches what local clocks show that day.
What Is the Time Difference Between EST and CST?
EST is UTC−5. CST is UTC−6. Central Standard Time is 1 hour behind Eastern Standard Time, so subtract 1 hour to convert EST to CST. That gap stays the same all year when both sides are on standard time.
- EST = UTC−5
- CST = UTC−6
- CST = EST − 1 hour
- EST = CST + 1 hour
Example: 10 AM EST is 9 AM CST. 3 PM EST is 2 PM CST. Add one hour to go from CST back to EST.
EST/CST vs ET/CT: What’s the Difference?
| Term | Meaning |
|---|---|
| EST | Eastern Standard Time, UTC−5 |
| EDT | Eastern Daylight Time, UTC−4 |
| ET | Eastern Time, EST or EDT |
| CST | Central Standard Time, UTC−6 |
| CDT | Central Daylight Time, UTC−5 |
| CT | Central Time, CST or CDT |
Most of the US Eastern and Central regions change clocks in the same weeks of spring and fall. So everyday Eastern Time to Central Time usually stays one hour apart in winter and in summer. What changes is the name on the clock: EST/CST in standard time, EDT/CDT in daylight time.
On a January workday, 10 AM EST is 9 AM CST. On a July workday, 10 AM EDT is 9 AM CDT — still one hour, different names. EST to CST always uses standard time, even in July. Eastern Time to Central Time follows the date you enter and shows EDT or CDT when local clocks are on daylight time.
Convert EST to CST when both clocks should stay on standard time, year-round. For Eastern and Central local time on a real day—including daylight time—convert Eastern Time to Central Time for that date.
Current Eastern and Central Time
Eastern Time and Central Time right now, with the name each region is using this season. EST and CST always show standard time, even when local clocks read EDT or CDT.
Eastern Time
--:--
ET
Central Time
--:--
CT
EST
UTC−5
Standard time all year
CST
UTC−6
Standard time all year
Eastern to Central Time Meeting Planner
Workday hours on standard time. Highlighted rows are easier for both regions — roughly 9 AM to 4 PM Eastern / 8 AM to 3 PM Central. For a summer meeting on local Eastern and Central time, convert Eastern Time to Central Time for the meeting date.
| Eastern | Central | For calls |
|---|---|---|
| 8:00 AM | 7:00 AM | Early for Central (8 AM Eastern / 7 AM Central) |
| 9:00 AM | 8:00 AM | Works well for both (9 AM / 8 AM Central) |
| 10:00 AM | 9:00 AM | Works well for both (10 AM / 9 AM Central) |
| 11:00 AM | 10:00 AM | Works well for both (11 AM / 10 AM Central) |
| 12:00 PM | 11:00 AM | Works well for both (noon / 11 AM Central) |
| 1:00 PM | 12:00 PM | Works well for both (1 PM / noon Central) |
| 2:00 PM | 1:00 PM | Works well for both (2 PM / 1 PM Central) |
| 3:00 PM | 2:00 PM | Works well for both (3 PM / 2 PM Central) |
| 4:00 PM | 3:00 PM | Late day, still workable (4 PM / 3 PM Central) |
| 5:00 PM | 4:00 PM | Late for Eastern (5 PM Eastern / 4 PM Central) |
CST to EST Converter
Going the other way? Add 1 hour to a CST time to get EST.
About These Time Zones
Open a zone page for the fixed abbreviation, or the regional clock that follows daylight saving for the date you pick.
EST to CST FAQ
- What is 10 AM EST in CST?
- 10 AM EST is 9 AM CST. Subtract one hour. On everyday clocks, 10 AM Eastern Time is usually 9 AM Central Time too.
- What is 3 PM EST in CST?
- 3 PM EST is 2 PM CST. Going the other way, 2 PM CST is 3 PM EST.
- What is 12 PM Eastern Time in Central Time?
- 12 PM Eastern Time is normally 11 AM Central Time. In winter, when clocks show EST and CST, 12 PM EST is 11 AM CST.
- How many hours is CST behind EST?
- One hour. EST is UTC−5 and CST is UTC−6, so CST = EST − 1 hour.
- How do I convert EST to CST?
- Subtract 1 hour (CST = EST − 1; EST = CST + 1). Examples: 10 AM EST → 9 AM CST; 3 PM EST → 2 PM CST.
- Is Eastern Time one hour ahead of Central Time?
- Yes — 10 AM Eastern is usually 9 AM Central. ET and CT are the everyday labels; winter clocks often read EST/CST, summer EDT/CDT.
- What is ET to CT?
- Eastern Time to Central Time. The usual gap is one hour (10 AM ET → 9 AM CT). Eastern Time and Central Time follow the date you choose, including daylight time in summer. EST and CST stay on standard time year-round.
- What is the difference between EST/CST and ET/CT?
- EST and CST always mean standard time (UTC−5 and UTC−6). ET and CT are everyday Eastern and Central time — standard in winter, daylight in summer. For a real calendar day, convert Eastern Time to Central Time for that date.
- Do EST and CST change for daylight saving time?
- No. EST and CST stay on standard time year-round, even in summer. For the time on a real date—including EDT or CDT—convert Eastern Time to Central Time and pick that date.