Central Time to Eastern Time Converter
Compare the time in Chicago and New York, then find the right hour for your plans.
Central and Eastern time
Eastern is currently 1 hour ahead of Central
Central to Eastern time chart
Find a Central hour on the left and its Eastern equivalent on the right. Each row has a link you can share. Times are shown in 12-hour and 24-hour formats.
This chart uses the Chicago calendar date shown above and is updated when the site is rebuilt. On a clock-change day, a skipped or repeated hour is marked; use the converter for other dates.
| Central Time CHICAGO · 12-HOUR / 24-HOUR | Eastern Time NEW YORK · 12-HOUR / 24-HOUR |
|---|---|
| # 12:00 AM 00:00 | 1:00 AM 01:00 EST |
| # 1:00 AM 01:00 | 2:00 AM 02:00 EST |
| # 2:00 AM 02:00 | 3:00 AM 03:00 EST |
| # 3:00 AM 03:00 | 4:00 AM 04:00 EST |
| # 4:00 AM 04:00 | 5:00 AM 05:00 EST |
| # 5:00 AM 05:00 | 6:00 AM 06:00 EST |
| # 6:00 AM 06:00 | 7:00 AM 07:00 EST |
| # 7:00 AM 07:00 | 8:00 AM 08:00 EST |
| # 8:00 AM 08:00 | 9:00 AM 09:00 EST |
| # 9:00 AM 09:00 | 10:00 AM 10:00 EST |
| # 10:00 AM 10:00 | 11:00 AM 11:00 EST |
| # 11:00 AM 11:00 | 12:00 PM 12:00 EST |
| # 12:00 PM 12:00 | 1:00 PM 13:00 EST |
| # 1:00 PM 13:00 | 2:00 PM 14:00 EST |
| # 2:00 PM 14:00 | 3:00 PM 15:00 EST |
| # 3:00 PM 15:00 | 4:00 PM 16:00 EST |
| # 4:00 PM 16:00 | 5:00 PM 17:00 EST |
| # 5:00 PM 17:00 | 6:00 PM 18:00 EST |
| # 6:00 PM 18:00 | 7:00 PM 19:00 EST |
| # 7:00 PM 19:00 | 8:00 PM 20:00 EST |
| # 8:00 PM 20:00 | 9:00 PM 21:00 EST |
| # 9:00 PM 21:00 | 10:00 PM 22:00 EST |
| # 10:00 PM 22:00 | 11:00 PM 23:00 EST |
| # 11:00 PM 23:00 | 12:00 AM 00:00 EST (next day) |
Daylight Saving Time
Central Standard Time (CST) is UTC−6; Central Daylight Time (CDT) is UTC−5, one hour ahead of CST. Eastern Standard Time (EST) is UTC−5; Eastern Daylight Time (EDT) is UTC−4, one hour ahead of EST. “Central Time” and “Eastern Time” follow the season; CST and EST refer specifically to standard time.
Central Time is currently observing Standard Time (STD) (CST, UTC−6). Its next change is Sunday, March 14, 2027, when clocks move forward from 1:59 AM to 3:00 AM local time and the offset changes from UTC−6 to UTC−5.
Eastern Time is currently observing Standard Time (STD) (EST, UTC−5). Its next change is Sunday, March 14, 2027, when clocks move forward from 1:59 AM to 3:00 AM local time and the offset changes from UTC−5 to UTC−4.
Clock changes in 2026 and beyond
In Chicago and New York, clocks move forward at 2:00 AM local standard time in spring and back at 2:00 AM local daylight time in fall. Both cities change on these dates, but New York changes one hour earlier in real time.
| Year | Spring forward | Fall back |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Sunday, March 8, 2026 | Sunday, November 1, 2026 |
| 2027 | Sunday, March 14, 2027 | Sunday, November 7, 2027 |
What happens on the changeover day?
In spring, when New York has already jumped forward but Chicago has not, 1:00 AM CST in Chicago is 3:00 AM EDT in New York. Chicago's 2:00–2:59 AM hour does not exist. In fall, Chicago's 1:00–1:59 AM hour happens twice: 1:00 AM CDT is 1:00 AM EST in New York, while the second 1:00 AM, in CST, is 2:00 AM EST. The hourly chart above applies only to its stated date.
Three common mistakes
- Using CST or EST year-round. Those abbreviations mean standard time, not the local time in every season. Use CT or ET when the date determines the abbreviation.
- Assuming the usual difference during the transition. The clocks change an hour apart in real time. Check the exact date and instant.
- Booking a skipped or repeated hour. Spring's missing hour cannot be scheduled; in fall, specify the first or second occurrence and include the zone abbreviation.
Dates and current status are calculated using IANA time zone data at build time. US Department of Transportation: Daylight Saving Time.
Is Eastern Time always one hour ahead of Central Time?
No. Chicago and New York normally differ by one hour, but their clocks change at different instants on daylight saving transition days. Check the date and local time.
What is 1:00 PM Central Time in Eastern Time?
On an ordinary day, 1:00 PM Central is 2:00 PM Eastern. Use the date-aware converter when planning near a clock change.
Are CST and CDT the same?
No. CST is UTC−6 and CDT is UTC−5. Central Time switches between them where daylight saving time is observed.
Put the time difference to work
Schedule a remote meeting across states
For a Chicago team meeting with New York colleagues on an ordinary weekday, 10:00 AM Central is 11:00 AM Eastern. Put the date and both local times in the invitation, and use a calendar with named time zones. Check the converter for meetings near a clock change.
Call a customer in another time zone
Choose a time that falls within the customer's stated business hours, and avoid early mornings, lunch, evenings, weekends, and holidays unless they request otherwise. For example, 2:00 PM Central is normally 3:00 PM Eastern; confirm the actual date and the recipient's location before calling.
When and where to use Central Time
Use Central Time (CT) when communicating a local time for a place in the Central Time Zone, such as Chicago, Dallas, or New Orleans. Specify a date and city or use the appropriate CST/CDT abbreviation when an exact instant matters. Alabama, Arkansas, Illinois, Iowa, Louisiana, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Oklahoma, and Wisconsin are entirely in Central Time. Parts of Florida, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Michigan, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota, Tennessee, and Texas also use Central Time; other parts of those states use another zone. Check the specific city or county near a boundary. The US Department of Transportation oversees the official time-zone boundaries.