EST to CST converter

EST to CST quick reference

EST or EDT, CST or CDT? Daylight saving explained

EST (UTC−5) is the winter name and EDT (UTC−4) the summer name. Most people write “EST” all year and mean whatever the clocks say in New York, so MeetETA reads EST as local Eastern time on the date you pick, and says so when that date is on EDT.

CST (UTC−6) is the winter name and CDT (UTC−5) the summer name. “CST” usually means local Central time (Chicago, Dallas, Houston) whatever the season, so MeetETA reads it that way and handles daylight saving for the date you pick.

Right now New York is on EDT, UTC−4 and Chicago is on CDT, UTC−5 (the clocks at the top of the page always show the live values).

How the gap changes during the year

Chicago is 1 hour behind New York all year.

Working-day overlap, hour by hour

Each row is an hour in New York. Green means that side is inside a 9–5 working day. There is 7 h of shared 9–5 time; the easiest window is 8 AM–10 PM EST (7 AM–9 PM CST).

Shows New York 5 AM to 10 PM. Times on the Chicago side may fall on the next day.

Example conversions

Questions people ask

What is the time difference between EST and CST?

Chicago is 1 h behind New York all year. Right now it is 1 h.

Does the EST to CST difference change with daylight saving?

Both sides use daylight saving, so the gap only changes when they switch on different dates.

How do I convert 3 PM EST to CST?

3 PM EST is 2 PM CST. Or just type “3 PM EST” in the converter at the top of this page.

When can the US East Coast and US Central time meet during work hours?

There is 7 h of shared 9–5 time; the most comfortable window is 8 AM–10 PM EST (7 AM–9 PM CST).

What time is 9 PM CST in EST?

9 PM CST is 10 PM EST. For other times, type something like “9 PM CST” in the converter.

Should I write EST or EDT?

EST (UTC−5) is the winter name and EDT (UTC−4) the summer name. Most people write “EST” all year and mean whatever the clocks say in New York, so MeetETA reads EST as local Eastern time on the date you pick, and says so when that date is on EDT.

Should I write CST or CDT?

CST (UTC−6) is the winter name and CDT (UTC−5) the summer name. “CST” usually means local Central time (Chicago, Dallas, Houston) whatever the season, so MeetETA reads it that way and handles daylight saving for the date you pick.

Is MeetETA free?

Yes. MeetETA is free, shows no ads and needs no account. Your cities and settings stay in your browser, and where consent is required, analytics only load after you accept cookies.