BST to CDT Converter

Category: Time Zone Converters

- July 02, 2025

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British Summer Time (BST)

UTC+1 • London, Birmingham, Manchester

Conversion Settings

Configure your timezone conversion preferences

Auto Convert

Daylight Saving Aware

Show UTC Offset

Show Seconds

Central Daylight Time (CDT)

UTC-5 • Chicago, Houston, Dallas

--:--:--

Select a time to convert

Time Difference: --

UTC Offset (BST/GMT): +1

UTC Offset (CDT/CST): -5

DST Status: --

BST/GMT Time: --

CDT/CST Time: --

Time Format:

Current BST/GMT: --:--:--

Current CDT/CST: --:--:--

🌍 BST is UTC+1 (summer), GMT is UTC+0 (winter). CDT is UTC-5 (summer), CST is UTC-6 (winter).

BST to CDT Conversion Guide

What is BST to CDT Conversion?

BST to CDT conversion helps you translate time between British Summer Time and Central Daylight Time. BST is UTC+1 during British summer time (last Sunday in March to last Sunday in October), while GMT is UTC+0 during winter. CDT is UTC-5 during US daylight time (second Sunday in March to first Sunday in November), while CST is UTC-6 during winter. BST is consistently 6 hours ahead of CDT when both are observing daylight saving time.

Time Zone Information

British Summer Time (BST): UTC+1, used in the UK during daylight saving time from last Sunday in March to last Sunday in October.

Greenwich Mean Time (GMT): UTC+0, used in the UK during standard time from last Sunday in October to last Sunday in March.

Central Daylight Time (CDT): UTC-5, used in central United States during daylight saving time from second Sunday in March to first Sunday in November.

Central Standard Time (CST): UTC-6, used during standard time from first Sunday in November to second Sunday in March.

Daylight Saving Time Impact

UK Schedule: BST observed from last Sunday in March to last Sunday in October

US Schedule: CDT observed from second Sunday in March to first Sunday in November

Overlap Period: Both zones observe daylight time during overlapping months (late March to late October)

Variable Difference: Time difference can vary between 5-7 hours depending on DST periods

Common Conversion Examples

Business Hours (BST to CDT)

BST 9:00 AM → CDT 3:00 AM

BST 5:00 PM → CDT 11:00 AM

Summer time conversion (both on DST)

Business Hours (GMT to CST)

GMT 9:00 AM → CST 3:00 AM

GMT 5:00 PM → CST 11:00 AM

Winter time conversion (both on standard time)

International Meetings

BST 2:00 PM → CDT 8:00 AM

BST 4:00 PM → CDT 10:00 AM

Best overlap for transatlantic business

Evening Entertainment

BST 8:00 PM → CDT 2:00 PM

BST 11:00 PM → CDT 5:00 PM

UK evening reaches US afternoon

Conversion Tips & Best Practices

• UK switches between GMT (winter) and BST (summer) on different dates than US DST changes

• Time difference can be 5, 6, or 7 hours depending on which zones are observing DST

• BST is 6 hours ahead of CDT when both observe daylight saving time

• Best meeting times: BST 2-6 PM for CDT business hours (8 AM-12 PM)

• UK and US have different DST transition dates, creating brief periods with unusual time differences

• CDT covers major US cities like Chicago, Houston, Dallas, and New Orleans

Convert Between BST and CDT

Juggling meetings between the UK and the central US? This tool is built to make that smoother. Whether you’re planning a video call or syncing up a deadline, it keeps BST (British Summer Time) and CDT (Central Daylight Time) in check for you.

BST (UTC+1)	CDT (UTC-5)
🇬🇧 United Kingdom 🇬🇮 Gibraltar 🇮🇲 Isle of Man 🇯🇪 Jersey 🇬🇬 Guernsey	🇺🇸 United States 🇲🇽 Mexico 🇨🇦 Canada 🇧🇿 Belize 🇸🇻 El Salvador 🇬🇹 Guatemala 🇭🇳 Honduras 🇳🇮 Nicaragua

A closer look at what this tool does

This converter takes a date and time from either BST or CDT and instantly gives you the equivalent in the other timezone. It handles daylight saving time changes automatically, so there’s no guesswork when clocks shift forward or back. You can also choose to display UTC offsets, see seconds, and switch between 12-hour and 24-hour formats.

Why this matters more than you'd think

Time differences can throw off everything from business meetings to birthday calls. This converter helps prevent scheduling slipups that happen when you assume both sides are either on or off daylight saving. It adjusts for UK and US DST periods and shows exactly how many hours apart they are at any given time of year.

How to use the BST ↔ CDT converter

1. Pick your base time

Select the date and time using the calendar and clock inputs in the “British Summer Time” or “Central Daylight Time” section. You can also use the “Now” button to snap to the current time.

2. Choose your input zone

Use the dropdown to pick whether your base time is in BST/GMT or CDT/CST. The tool will label the zones clearly, so you won’t lose track of which is which.

3. Tweak your settings

Below the input section, you’ll find checkboxes for:

Auto Convert: Instantly updates output when input changes
Daylight Saving Aware: Ensures correct offset is used during DST transitions
Show UTC Offset: Displays how far each timezone is from UTC
Show Seconds: Adds precision if you want it

4. Hit convert

Click “Convert Time” and your result will show in the output box. It includes the converted time, date, UTC offsets, DST status, and even the time difference between zones.

Extra features that make life easier

Swap zones: Hit the swap button to reverse the direction of conversion
Current times: Live clocks show the current BST and CDT times so you don’t have to check elsewhere
Format toggle: A button lets you flip between 12-hour and 24-hour time without re-entering anything
Keyboard shortcuts: Use Space or Enter to convert, S to swap, N for now, R to reset, and F to toggle formats

Know what to expect with daylight saving changes

The converter knows when each zone switches between standard and daylight time. The UK starts BST on the last Sunday in March and ends it on the last Sunday in October. The US starts CDT on the second Sunday in March and ends on the first Sunday in November. That means there are a few weeks each year when the time difference is five or seven hours instead of six. The tool keeps up with all of that.

An example from real life: London to Chicago

Imagine you're based in London and trying to confirm a webinar time with a client in Chicago. You want the event to start at 3 PM UK time on October 15. Plug that into the converter, and it tells you the equivalent in CDT is 9 AM. No mental math. No double-checking the calendar to see if DST has ended. Just a clean answer, ready to send in an email.

Stay synced from morning tea to morning coffee

Whether you're organizing a call from Manchester to Houston or double-checking a deadline across time zones, this converter is a solid tool to have open in your browser. It’s fast, handles all the tricky parts for you, and makes sure your time matches up with theirs.