PT to CST Converter

Category: Time Zone Converters

- June 29, 2025

| |

Pacific Time (PDT/PST)

UTC-7/-8 • Los Angeles, Seattle, San Francisco

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, Mexico City

--:--:--

Select a time to convert

Time Difference: --

UTC Offset (PT): -08:00

UTC Offset (CST): -06:00

DST Status: --

PT Time: --

CST Time: --

Time Format:

Current PT: --:--:--

Current CST: --:--:--

🇺🇸 PT is Pacific Time (PDT/PST) and CST is Central Time (CDT/CST). Both follow the same daylight saving schedule with CST always 2 hours ahead of PT.

PT to CST Conversion Guide

What is PT to CST Conversion?

PT to CST conversion helps you translate time between Pacific Time and Central Time zones in North America. Pacific Time includes PDT (UTC-7) during summer and PST (UTC-8) during winter. Central Time includes CDT (UTC-5) during summer and CST (UTC-6) during winter. The time difference is consistently 2 hours, with CST always ahead of PT.

Time Zone Information

Pacific Time (PT): Used in Western US and Canada (Los Angeles, Seattle, San Francisco, Vancouver). PDT (UTC-7) in summer, PST (UTC-8) in winter.

Central Time (CST): Used in Central US, Canada, and Mexico (Chicago, Dallas, Houston, Mexico City). CDT (UTC-5) in summer, CST (UTC-6) in winter.

Time Difference: CST is always exactly 2 hours ahead of PT. This difference remains constant year-round since both zones follow the same DST schedule.

Daylight Saving Time Impact

Synchronized DST: Both PT and CST observe daylight saving time on the same dates (second Sunday in March to first Sunday in November)

Consistent Difference: The 2-hour time difference never changes because both zones spring forward and fall back together

Simple Conversion: Just add 2 hours to PT to get CST, or subtract 2 hours from CST to get PT - no complex DST calculations needed

Common Conversion Examples

Business Hours

PT 7:00 AM → CST 9:00 AM

PT 3:00 PM → CST 5:00 PM

Good overlap for cross-timezone meetings

Conference Calls

Best PT Time: 8:00 AM - 2:00 PM

Converts to CST: 10:00 AM - 4:00 PM

Optimal business overlap window

TV Shows & Events

PT 6:00 PM → CST 8:00 PM

PT 9:00 PM → CST 11:00 PM

Standard broadcast scheduling

Travel Planning

Flight PT 12:00 PM → Arrive CST 6:00 PM

Meeting CST 11:00 AM → PT 9:00 AM

Account for flight time + time zones

Conversion Tips & Best Practices

• Straightforward conversion - always exactly 2 hours difference with CST ahead of PT

• Both zones change for daylight saving time on identical dates, maintaining the 2-hour gap

• Business hours overlap well: PT 7 AM-3 PM equals CST 9 AM-5 PM

• TV networks often use "6/8 Central" notation meaning 6 PM PT, 8 PM CST

• Reliable timezone pair for scheduling across the western and central United States

• When traveling eastward from PT to CST, you "lose" 2 hours; westward you "gain" 2 hours

Turn Pacific Time into Central Time

If you've ever missed a meeting because you got time zones mixed up, you're not alone. This PT to CST converter helps you shift between Pacific and Central time with just a couple clicks. Whether you're planning a call between Los Angeles and Chicago, catching a live stream, or figuring out a flight schedule, this tool makes it easy to stay synced.

Pick a time, get an answer instantly

The converter centers on two time zones: Pacific Time (PT) and Central Time (CST). You can choose which one you're starting from using the dropdown. Once you've entered a date and time, it immediately shows you the corresponding time in the other zone. No math needed, no calendar flipping.

You can either hit “Convert Time” or just start typing—the auto convert option (on by default) updates the result as soon as you change the date or time.

How daylight saving time is handled

One of the nice touches here is how it handles daylight saving. Both PT and CST follow the same daylight rules, changing on the same days. The tool knows this and adjusts the math accordingly. That means whether you’re working with PDT/CDT in the summer or PST/CST in the winter, the two-hour time difference stays consistent.

Step-by-step: how to use it

Pick your starting time zone (either Pacific or Central).
Select a date and time using the inputs.
Check that “Auto Convert” is on or click “Convert Time.”
Scroll down to see the converted result, along with details like time difference, UTC offsets, and daylight saving status.

You’ll also see the current time for both zones live, constantly updating at the bottom of the page. Handy if you’re not sure what “now” means across zones.

Extra Tools if you want more control

Beyond the basics, the converter has a few toggles you can turn on or off depending on how you like to see time:

Daylight Saving Aware (on by default): Adjusts for seasonal time changes.
Show UTC Offset: Adds the time offset (like -07:00) to the results.
Show Seconds: Adds seconds to all clocks and conversions.
12 Hour / 24 Hour Toggle: Flips between AM/PM and 24-hour format.

If you want to see the current time where you are, the “Now” button fills in the current date and time automatically based on your selected input zone. And if you want to flip the direction—say you're converting from CST to PT—just click “Swap.”

What if you make a mistake?

Don’t worry. The “Reset” button brings everything back to the default setup. That means Pacific Time as your starting zone, today’s date and time filled in, and the basic settings turned on. You won’t break anything by playing around.

Where this is useful

Let’s say you’re based in San Francisco and planning to join a webinar hosted in Dallas. It’s scheduled for 4:00 PM Central Time. What time do you need to hop on? Just enter the date and 4:00 PM CST, and the tool tells you to be ready at 2:00 PM Pacific. Whether it's flights, Zoom calls, or showtimes, you get a clear answer right away.

Less confusion, more clarity

There’s nothing flashy here, just a practical tool that helps you handle time zones without overthinking it. The two-hour difference between PT and CST doesn’t change, and this converter keeps things aligned whether it’s March or November. Use it when your schedule depends on being on time, no matter where everyone’s calling from.