Reference offset
CST is commonly associated with UTC-6 in standard time. The live clock shows the current regional offset separately.
Time-zone reference
Central Standard Time (US)
CST in the United States is the standard-time abbreviation for the central zone anchored by cities such as Chicago and Dallas.
Enable JavaScript for the live regional clock.
Enable JavaScript for the live regional clock.
Which CST is on the invitation?
This page uses the North American meaning: Central Standard Time, UTC−06:00. Chicago is the live regional reference and can use a different offset during daylight time. The current clock therefore should not be read as a permanently fixed CST display.
CST is also widely used for China Standard Time at UTC+08:00. Those two meanings are fourteen hours apart. A city, full zone name, or numeric offset is essential when the audience is international.
Conversion example
12:00 North American CST is 18:00 UTC. At UTC+08:00, 12:00 is 04:00 UTC. Identical abbreviations can identify very different instants.
A common scheduling mistake
A calendar parser cannot safely infer which CST you mean from the three letters alone.
Regional rules: IANA Time Zone Database Our calculation methods
What this abbreviation usually means
This page focuses on the North American meaning of CST because the abbreviation is reused in other parts of the world.
CST conversion chart
Each hour of CST (UTC−6) converted to other common standard-time abbreviations. “+1” and “−1” mark the next or previous calendar day.
| CST | UTC | PST | EST | GMT | CET | IST |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 00:00 | 06:00 | 22:00−1 | 01:00 | 06:00 | 07:00 | 11:30 |
| 01:00 | 07:00 | 23:00−1 | 02:00 | 07:00 | 08:00 | 12:30 |
| 02:00 | 08:00 | 00:00 | 03:00 | 08:00 | 09:00 | 13:30 |
| 03:00 | 09:00 | 01:00 | 04:00 | 09:00 | 10:00 | 14:30 |
| 04:00 | 10:00 | 02:00 | 05:00 | 10:00 | 11:00 | 15:30 |
| 05:00 | 11:00 | 03:00 | 06:00 | 11:00 | 12:00 | 16:30 |
| 06:00 | 12:00 | 04:00 | 07:00 | 12:00 | 13:00 | 17:30 |
| 07:00 | 13:00 | 05:00 | 08:00 | 13:00 | 14:00 | 18:30 |
| 08:00 | 14:00 | 06:00 | 09:00 | 14:00 | 15:00 | 19:30 |
| 09:00 | 15:00 | 07:00 | 10:00 | 15:00 | 16:00 | 20:30 |
| 10:00 | 16:00 | 08:00 | 11:00 | 16:00 | 17:00 | 21:30 |
| 11:00 | 17:00 | 09:00 | 12:00 | 17:00 | 18:00 | 22:30 |
| 12:00 | 18:00 | 10:00 | 13:00 | 18:00 | 19:00 | 23:30 |
| 13:00 | 19:00 | 11:00 | 14:00 | 19:00 | 20:00 | 00:30+1 |
| 14:00 | 20:00 | 12:00 | 15:00 | 20:00 | 21:00 | 01:30+1 |
| 15:00 | 21:00 | 13:00 | 16:00 | 21:00 | 22:00 | 02:30+1 |
| 16:00 | 22:00 | 14:00 | 17:00 | 22:00 | 23:00 | 03:30+1 |
| 17:00 | 23:00 | 15:00 | 18:00 | 23:00 | 00:00+1 | 04:30+1 |
| 18:00 | 00:00+1 | 16:00 | 19:00 | 00:00+1 | 01:00+1 | 05:30+1 |
| 19:00 | 01:00+1 | 17:00 | 20:00 | 01:00+1 | 02:00+1 | 06:30+1 |
| 20:00 | 02:00+1 | 18:00 | 21:00 | 02:00+1 | 03:00+1 | 07:30+1 |
| 21:00 | 03:00+1 | 19:00 | 22:00 | 03:00+1 | 04:00+1 | 08:30+1 |
| 22:00 | 04:00+1 | 20:00 | 23:00 | 04:00+1 | 05:00+1 | 09:30+1 |
| 23:00 | 05:00+1 | 21:00 | 00:00+1 | 05:00+1 | 06:00+1 | 10:30+1 |
Where CST is used
These cities on our world clock use CST during standard time and CDT during daylight saving time:
- Chicago, United States
- Houston, United States
- Mexico City, Mexico
- Dallas, United States
When CST and CDT switch in Chicago
- : CDT begins — at 02:00 local time clocks go forward to 03:00.
- : CST resumes — at 02:00 local time clocks go back to 01:00.
- : CDT begins — at 02:00 local time clocks go forward to 03:00.
- : CST resumes — at 02:00 local time clocks go back to 01:00.
CST questions
What is CST in UTC?
CST (Central Standard Time (US)) is UTC−6, 6 hours behind UTC. To convert CST to UTC, add 6 hours: 12:00 CST is 18:00 UTC.
Is CST the same as CDT?
No. CST is the standard-time label and CDT is the daylight-saving label for the same region, one hour ahead. Most places that use CST in winter switch to CDT in summer, so a time written as CST during the summer months is usually a mislabel for CDT. When in doubt, name the city or use the IANA zone America/Chicago.
Which cities use CST?
Cities on our world clock that use CST in standard time include Chicago, Houston, Mexico City, Dallas.
Compare CST with related zones
These are the abbreviations people most often compare against this reference.