EST to CST Converter and Time Difference
CST is 1 hour behind EST.
Best meeting time
Everyone is in working hours from 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM (New York time).
Working hours are 9 AM to 5 PM in each city. Times are for Friday, 6 November 2026.
EST 6 AM to 10 PM in CST
Each row is a time in Eastern Time (EST/EDT) and the matching time in Central Time (CST/CDT).
| EST | CST | Day | Fit |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6:00 AM | 5:00 AM | Same day | Outside working hours |
| 7:00 AM | 6:00 AM | Same day | Outside working hours |
| 8:00 AM | 7:00 AM | Same day | Early or late for one city |
| 9:00 AM | 8:00 AM | Same day | Early or late for one city |
| 10:00 AM | 9:00 AM | Same day | Both in working hours |
| 11:00 AM | 10:00 AM | Same day | Both in working hours |
| 12:00 PM | 11:00 AM | Same day | Both in working hours |
| 1:00 PM | 12:00 PM | Same day | Both in working hours |
| 2:00 PM | 1:00 PM | Same day | Both in working hours |
| 3:00 PM | 2:00 PM | Same day | Both in working hours |
| 4:00 PM | 3:00 PM | Same day | Both in working hours |
| 5:00 PM | 4:00 PM | Same day | Early or late for one city |
| 6:00 PM | 5:00 PM | Same day | Early or late for one city |
| 7:00 PM | 6:00 PM | Same day | Early or late for one city |
| 8:00 PM | 7:00 PM | Same day | Early or late for one city |
| 9:00 PM | 8:00 PM | Same day | Outside working hours |
| 10:00 PM | 9:00 PM | Same day | Outside working hours |
Each row is a time in Eastern Time (EST/EDT) and the matching time in Central Time (CST/CDT).
CST 6 AM to 10 PM in EST
The same comparison in the other direction: each row is a time in Central Time (CST/CDT) and the matching time in Eastern Time (EST/EDT).
| CST | EST | Day | Fit |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6:00 AM | 7:00 AM | Same day | Outside working hours |
| 7:00 AM | 8:00 AM | Same day | Early or late for one city |
| 8:00 AM | 9:00 AM | Same day | Early or late for one city |
| 9:00 AM | 10:00 AM | Same day | Both in working hours |
| 10:00 AM | 11:00 AM | Same day | Both in working hours |
| 11:00 AM | 12:00 PM | Same day | Both in working hours |
| 12:00 PM | 1:00 PM | Same day | Both in working hours |
| 1:00 PM | 2:00 PM | Same day | Both in working hours |
| 2:00 PM | 3:00 PM | Same day | Both in working hours |
| 3:00 PM | 4:00 PM | Same day | Both in working hours |
| 4:00 PM | 5:00 PM | Same day | Early or late for one city |
| 5:00 PM | 6:00 PM | Same day | Early or late for one city |
| 6:00 PM | 7:00 PM | Same day | Early or late for one city |
| 7:00 PM | 8:00 PM | Same day | Early or late for one city |
| 8:00 PM | 9:00 PM | Same day | Outside working hours |
| 9:00 PM | 10:00 PM | Same day | Outside working hours |
| 10:00 PM | 11:00 PM | Same day | Outside working hours |
Each row is a time in Central Time (CST/CDT) and the matching time in Eastern Time (EST/EDT).
Daylight saving and this time difference
EST and CST both use daylight saving, but not always on the same dates. For a few weeks each spring and autumn, the gap is one hour different from the usual figure.
UTC offsets right now: EST is UTCUTC-5, and CST is UTCUTC-6 on Friday, 6 November 2026. Check the date of your meeting in the planner, since the gap can change for a few weeks each year.
To compare more than two cities, open the meeting planner. To see the gap between any two cities, try the time difference calculator.
Related conversions
Frequently asked questions
What is the time difference between EST and CST?
CST is 1 hour behind EST. The comparison uses Friday, 6 November 2026, so the result is correct for that date.
When is the best time for a meeting between EST and CST?
Everyone is in working hours from 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM (New York time).
Does the time difference between EST and CST change with daylight saving?
EST and CST both use daylight saving, but not always on the same dates. For a few weeks each spring and autumn, the gap is one hour different from the usual figure.