CST to EST — Time Zone Converter
Central Time (CST, UTC−6) covers the central United States; Eastern Time (EST, UTC−5) covers the US East Coast. In standard time, EST is 1 hour ahead of CST. With only a small offset, working hours in the central United States and the US East Coast overlap for most of the day — scheduling is easy. Use the live converter below — it applies today's IANA time zone data, including daylight saving time, and gives you a meeting schedule you can paste straight into email or Slack.
CST to EST, hour by hour (today)
CST to EST quick reference
Standard-time conversions (CST UTC−6 → EST UTC−5). During daylight saving periods the gap shifts by an hour — the live table above always shows today's exact times.
| CST (Central Time) | EST (Eastern Time) |
|---|---|
| 7:00 AM | 8:00 AM |
| 9:00 AM | 10:00 AM |
| 11:00 AM | 12:00 PM |
| 1:00 PM | 2:00 PM |
| 3:00 PM | 4:00 PM |
| 5:00 PM | 6:00 PM |
| 7:00 PM | 8:00 PM |
Need the opposite direction? EST to CST converter
Frequently asked questions
What is the time difference between CST and EST?+
Central Time (CST) is UTC−6 and Eastern Time (EST) is UTC−5, so in standard time EST is 1 hour ahead of CST. The gap shifts by an hour around daylight saving transitions, so always check a live converter near the change dates in spring and autumn.
Does CST or EST observe daylight saving time?+
Central Time observes daylight saving time (CST in winter, CDT in summer). Eastern Time observes daylight saving time (EST in winter, EDT in summer).
What is the best time for a meeting between CST and EST?+
With only a small offset, working hours in the central United States and the US East Coast overlap for most of the day — scheduling is easy. The converter above highlights office hours in green for both zones, so you can slide to a time that works for everyone.
How do I share a CST to EST meeting time by email?+
Pick a time in the converter, log it to the Smart Clipboard, and copy it as bullets, a formatted table, or a one-line question — with both CST and EST times spelled out so nobody has to do the math.