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EST to CST converter

Central Time is 1 hour behind Eastern Time all year. It is the smallest gap in the country, and the one people most often forget to allow for.

From
New York
To
Chicago
Live
New YorkEST
9:00 AM
 
Working hours
ChicagoCST
8:00 AM
 
Early morning

Chicago is 1 hour behind New York.

Need a time that works for three or more people or cities? Plan a meeting →
Gap
1 hour
Eastern ahead of Central, all year
Your 9 AM
8:00 AM CT
Early for Central colleagues
Your 5 PM
4:00 PM CT
Central still has an hour of work left
Split states
5
Florida, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Tennessee

An hour that still catches people out

One hour sounds too small to matter, which is exactly why it causes missed calls. From the East Coast, Chicago, Texas and most of the Midwest are one step behind you all day.

Working with Chicago, Dallas and Houston

Most of the day is shared; the edges are not.

  • A 9 AM ET kickoff is 8:00 AM CT, before many Central offices are staffed
  • Your 12 PM lunch is their 11:00 AM late morning
  • They are still working at 6:00 PM ET, after you have logged off

A 10 AM ET start is the first slot that feels normal on both sides of the line.

States split between Eastern and Central

Five states run on both zones, so a state name alone is not enough.

  • Tennessee: Nashville and Memphis are Central; Knoxville and Chattanooga are Eastern
  • Kentucky: Louisville and Lexington are Eastern; Bowling Green and the west are Central
  • Indiana: mostly Eastern, but the corners near Chicago and Evansville are Central
  • Florida: the western Panhandle, including Pensacola, is Central
  • Michigan: four Upper Peninsula counties on the Wisconsin border are Central

Driving across the line

Heading west you gain an hour; heading east you lose one.

  • I-24 between Chattanooga and Nashville crosses from Eastern into Central
  • I-10 changes zone in the Florida Panhandle, between Tallahassee and Pensacola

Phones switch on their own; hotel check-in times, ferry schedules and restaurant bookings do not, so check which side of the line they are on.

Games and kickoffs

Central home games start at local times that land an hour later for you.

  • A 7:05 PM CT baseball first pitch = 8:05 PM ET
  • A noon ET college kickoff = 11:00 AM CT
  • A 7:30 PM CT basketball tip-off = 8:30 PM ET

Always one hour, apart from one night

Eastern and Central Time change their clocks on the same dates, so the gap stays at one hour all year. The only exception is a single hour on each change night: the Eastern side switches at 2 AM Eastern, which is 1 AM Central, and for the next hour the two zones briefly show either the same time (in November) or two hours apart (in March).

If you keep a calendar for people on both sides, create events in a named time zone such as America/Chicago. The calendar will then show each person the right local time even if they travel across the line.

Eastern to Central and Mountain, hour by hour

The same table works in every season. Shaded rows are the Eastern hours when a Chicago office is open.

Eastern (ET)CentralChicago, Houston, NashvilleMountainDenver, Salt Lake City
12:00 AM (midnight)11:00 PM prev. day10:00 PM prev. day
1:00 AM12:00 AM11:00 PM prev. day
2:00 AM1:00 AM12:00 AM
3:00 AM2:00 AM1:00 AM
4:00 AM3:00 AM2:00 AM
5:00 AM4:00 AM3:00 AM
6:00 AM5:00 AM4:00 AM
7:00 AM6:00 AM5:00 AM
8:00 AM7:00 AM6:00 AM
9:00 AM8:00 AM7:00 AM
10:00 AM9:00 AM8:00 AM
11:00 AM10:00 AM9:00 AM
12:00 PM (noon)11:00 AM10:00 AM
1:00 PM12:00 PM11:00 AM
2:00 PM1:00 PM12:00 PM
3:00 PM2:00 PM1:00 PM
4:00 PM3:00 PM2:00 PM
5:00 PM4:00 PM3:00 PM
6:00 PM5:00 PM4:00 PM
7:00 PM6:00 PM5:00 PM
8:00 PM7:00 PM6:00 PM
9:00 PM8:00 PM7:00 PM
10:00 PM9:00 PM8:00 PM
11:00 PM10:00 PM9:00 PM

“prev. day”: Central and Mountain are still on the previous date.

Quick answers

What is 9 AM Eastern in Central Time?

8:00 AM Central, in every season.

Is Central Time always 1 hour behind Eastern?

Yes. Both zones start and end daylight saving on the same dates, so the gap is one hour all year, except for a single hour on the change nights.

Is Nashville on Eastern or Central Time?

Central. Tennessee is split: Nashville and Memphis use Central Time, while Knoxville and Chattanooga use Eastern Time.

Which states are in both Eastern and Central Time?

Florida, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan and Tennessee each have areas in both zones.

What is 5 PM EST in CST?

4:00 PM CST. A 5 PM Eastern deadline leaves Central colleagues their last hour of the working day.

Do I gain or lose an hour driving from Eastern to Central?

You gain an hour driving west from Eastern into Central Time, and lose one driving east.