CST to EST Converter — Central to Eastern Time

CST to EST Conversion Table

Offset: CST +1 hours = EST. Applies during standard time. Work hours (9 AM–5 PM) highlighted.

CST		EST
00:00		01:00
01:00		02:00
02:00		03:00
03:00		04:00
04:00		05:00
05:00		06:00
06:00		07:00
07:00		08:00
08:00		09:00
09:00		10:00
10:00		11:00
11:00		12:00
12:00		13:00
13:00		14:00
14:00		15:00
15:00		16:00
16:00		17:00
17:00		18:00
18:00		19:00
19:00		20:00
20:00		21:00
21:00		22:00
22:00		23:00
23:00		00:00 (+1 day)

The Central-to-Eastern conversion is one of the most common in the US. Companies with offices in Chicago, Dallas, or Nashville coordinating with teams in New York, Washington D.C., or Atlanta use this daily.

Central Time is 1 hour behind Eastern. A 9 AM Central meeting is 10 AM Eastern. Lunch at noon in Chicago is 1 PM in New York. The single-hour gap makes cross-timezone scheduling straightforward.

Both zones follow the same US DST calendar, so the 1-hour difference never changes. CST (UTC−6) and EST (UTC−5) become CDT (UTC−5) and EDT (UTC−4) on the same dates.

Daylight Saving Time: What Changes

Both CST and EST observe daylight saving time. Since they typically switch on the same schedule, the 1-hour difference stays constant year-round — except during the brief transition windows when one zone has switched and the other hasn't yet. During those 1-2 weeks, the offset shifts by one hour.

Frequently Asked Questions

How far apart are Central and Eastern time?

Eastern Time is exactly 1 hour ahead of Central Time. This is true all year. When it is 3 PM CST, it is 4 PM EST.

Does the CST-to-EST difference change during DST?

No. Both zones are on the same US DST schedule. They shift forward and back on the same days, keeping the gap locked at 1 hour.

If a TV show airs at 8 PM Eastern, what time is it Central?

7 PM Central. US broadcast schedules listed as "8/7c" follow this pattern — the second number is always one hour earlier for the Central time zone.

CST to EST Converter — Central to Eastern Time

CST to EST Conversion Table

Daylight Saving Time: What Changes

Frequently Asked Questions

Learn More

Your calendar + time zones, at a glance.

CST to EST Converter — Central to Eastern Time

CST to EST Conversion Table

Daylight Saving Time: What Changes

Frequently Asked Questions

Related Conversions

Learn More

Your calendar + time zones, at a glance.