ET to CST Converter

Category: Time Zone Converters

- June 29, 2025

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Eastern Time (EDT/EST)

UTC-4/5 • New York, Washington DC, Miami

Conversion Settings

Configure your timezone conversion preferences

Auto Convert

Daylight Saving Aware

Show UTC Offset

Show Seconds

Central Time (CDT/CST)

UTC-5/6 • Chicago, Dallas, Houston

--:--:--

Select a time to convert

Time Difference: --

UTC Offset (ET): -05:00

UTC Offset (CT): -06:00

DST Status: --

ET Time: --

CT Time: --

Time Format:

Current ET: --:--:--

Current CT: --:--:--

🇺🇸 ET is always 1 hour ahead of CT. Both zones observe Daylight Saving Time from the second Sunday in March to the first Sunday in November.

ET to CT Conversion Guide

What is ET to CT Conversion?

ET to CT conversion helps you translate time between Eastern Time and Central Time zones in the United States. Eastern Time includes EDT (UTC-4) during daylight saving and EST (UTC-5) during standard time. Central Time includes CDT (UTC-5) during daylight saving and CST (UTC-6) during standard time. The time difference between these zones is consistently 1 hour, with ET being ahead.

Time Zone Information

Eastern Time (ET): Used in states like New York, Florida, Georgia, and parts of others. Switches between EDT (UTC-4) in summer and EST (UTC-5) in winter.

Central Time (CT): Used in states like Texas, Illinois, Wisconsin, and parts of others. Switches between CDT (UTC-5) in summer and CST (UTC-6) in winter.

Time Difference: ET is consistently 1 hour ahead of CT year-round. Both zones change together for Daylight Saving Time.

Daylight Saving Time Impact

DST Period: Runs from the second Sunday in March (2025: March 9) to the first Sunday in November (2025: November 2)

Summer Time: EDT (UTC-4) and CDT (UTC-5) - both zones are 1 hour ahead of their standard time

Winter Time: EST (UTC-5) and CST (UTC-6) - both zones use their standard time offsets

Consistent Difference: The 1-hour time difference remains constant as both zones change simultaneously

Common Conversion Examples

Business Hours

ET 9:00 AM → CT 8:00 AM

ET 5:00 PM → CT 4:00 PM

Perfect for cross-timezone meetings

Meeting Planning

Best ET Time: 10:00 AM - 4:00 PM

Converts to CT: 9:00 AM - 3:00 PM

Good overlap for business calls

TV Shows & Events

ET 8:00 PM → CT 7:00 PM

ET 11:00 PM → CT 10:00 PM

Standard broadcast times

Flight Scheduling

ET Departure: 2:00 PM

CT Arrival: 3:00 PM (local)

Account for travel time separately

Conversion Tips & Best Practices

• Simply subtract 1 hour from ET to get CT - this rule works year-round

• Both zones change for Daylight Saving Time on the same dates, maintaining the 1-hour difference

• Be aware that some states like Indiana have counties in both time zones

• TV networks often announce times as "8/7c" meaning 8 PM ET, 7 PM CT

• Stock market opens at 9:30 AM ET (8:30 AM CT) and closes at 4:00 PM ET (3:00 PM CT)

• During DST transitions at 2:00 AM, be extra careful with early morning scheduling

ET to CT Time Converter

Whether you're setting up meetings across time zones or just trying to catch your favorite show at the right hour, getting the time right between Eastern and Central time can make or break your plans. This ET to CT Converter is here to take the guesswork out of it. No spreadsheets, no mental math, no confusion. Just enter a time, pick your timezone, and get the result instantly.

Why this tool is worth bookmarking

This converter does more than shift an hour forward or back. It adjusts for Daylight Saving Time, handles 12 or 24-hour format preferences, and gives you clear feedback on what’s going on behind the scenes. You’ll see the exact time difference, UTC offsets, and even the live time in both zones.

If you’ve ever sat there thinking, “Is it 2 PM in Chicago or 3?” then this tool is for you.

How to use the converter, step by step

1. Choose a date and time

Start by picking the date and time you want to convert using the fields at the top. The input defaults to Eastern Time, but you can swap to Central with a click.

2. Pick the input timezone

Use the dropdown to choose if your input time is in ET (Eastern Time) or CT (Central Time). This sets the starting point for your conversion.

3. Configure extra settings (optional)

Auto Convert: Updates the result as soon as you change the date or time.
Daylight Saving Aware: Keeps track of DST so your conversion reflects real-world clock shifts.
Show UTC Offset: Displays the offset from UTC like -04:00 or -05:00.
Show Seconds: Adds seconds to your result if you want extra precision.

4. Hit Convert

Click the Convert Time button (or just press Space or Enter if you're keyboard-friendly) and your result will appear in the bottom half of the tool. It’ll show the converted time, the date, the UTC offsets for both zones, and whether they’re in standard or daylight time.

Need to make changes? You’re covered

The converter includes three quick Tools:

Swap: Flips the direction of conversion. ET becomes CT and vice versa, without losing your input.
Now: Grabs the current time in your selected input zone and runs the conversion.
Reset: Brings everything back to default settings, including resetting the date to today.

Make it yours with the format toggle

Prefer military time? Click the "12 Hour" button to switch to 24-hour mode, and vice versa. This setting affects both the converted result and the live clocks shown below.

Live clocks for instant context

Just beneath the settings, you’ll see the current time in both Eastern and Central zones. They update every second and give you a clear picture of what’s happening right now, no need to convert anything.

Here’s where it comes in handy

Imagine you're organizing a remote team call from New York with folks in Chicago. You enter 3:30 PM ET, and it immediately tells you that’s 2:30 PM CT. You’re not second-guessing whether Daylight Saving Time is messing with your meeting time. It just works. You can apply the same to TV show air times, webinar schedules, or even flight planning across zones.

Small details that make a big difference

ET is always 1 hour ahead of CT, and this tool sticks to that no matter the season.
Both zones observe Daylight Saving Time, changing clocks on the same dates each year.
If you're in a place like Indiana, double-check your county. Some areas use ET, others CT.
TV listings often show “8/7c” because of this 1-hour gap between Eastern and Central.
Stock market hours? This tool helps too. It opens at 9:30 AM ET (8:30 AM CT) and closes at 4 PM ET (3 PM CT).

Keep your schedule clear and your timing right

No one likes getting the hour wrong and showing up late or early to a call. With this ET to CT converter, you can confidently schedule across these zones without second-guessing or Googling “What time is it in Chicago right now?” Keep this page handy and let it do the thinking for you.