EST to CST Time Converter
Convert Eastern Standard Time to Central Standard Time
Quick Convert
Full Conversion Table
EST to CST for every hour
| EST | CST |
|---|---|
| 00:00 | --:-- |
| 01:00 | --:-- |
| 02:00 | --:-- |
| 03:00 | --:-- |
| 04:00 | --:-- |
| 05:00 | --:-- |
| 06:00 | --:-- |
| 07:00 | --:-- |
| 08:00 | --:-- |
| 09:00 | --:-- |
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| 11:00 | --:-- |
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| 13:00 | --:-- |
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| 15:00 | --:-- |
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| 18:00 | --:-- |
| 19:00 | --:-- |
| 20:00 | --:-- |
| 21:00 | --:-- |
| 22:00 | --:-- |
| 23:00 | --:-- |
Understanding the EST to CST Time Difference
The standard difference between EST and CST is -1 hour. EST to CST is a 1-hour conversion between the US Eastern and Central time zones. Chicago, Houston, Dallas, and much of the Midwest and South operate on Central Time. This is the smallest time zone gap in the continental US, making cross-timezone collaboration straightforward. Most nationally broadcast US events (TV shows, sports) list both Eastern and Central times (e.g., "8/7 Central").
Best Meeting Times: EST and CST Overlap
The 1-hour difference means nearly complete business-hour overlap. A 9 AM–5 PM Eastern schedule corresponds to 8 AM–4 PM Central. Scheduling conflicts are rare — most meetings work for both zones without adjustment.
About These Time Zones
EST — Eastern Standard Time
Standard UTC Offset: UTC-5
Reference time zone: America/New_York
CST — Central Standard Time
Standard UTC Offset: UTC-6
Reference time zone: America/Chicago
The live clocks, quick converter, and table on this page use the real current offset of each zone's reference region, so daylight saving time is applied automatically whenever it is in effect.