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Central Time now
CST · CDT · Chicago

“CST” has several meanings. In North America it usually means US Central Time, the clock in Chicago and Texas — which is CST only in winter and CDT in summer. In Asia, CST means China Standard Time (UTC+8), and in the Caribbean it can mean Cuba Standard Time. The main clock is US Central Time; China and Cuba are right below it.

Which CST do you mean?

If the context is the United States, Canada or Mexico, CST is UTC−6. If it is China, Taiwan or a Chinese company, CST is almost certainly China Standard Time, UTC+8 — a 14-hour difference. When in doubt, ask for the city or the UTC offset.

Mexico City and most of Central America stay on UTC−6 all year, so in summer they are one hour behind Chicago.

CST versus CDT

CDT (UTC−5) is used from the second Sunday in March to the first Sunday in November. In that period Chicago is only one hour behind New York and two hours ahead of Los Angeles — the same as in winter, because all three regions change together.

Daylight saving time

US Central Time changes on the same Sundays as the rest of the US. China does not use daylight saving time, and Mexico City stopped in 2022.

US Central Time (CST ↔ CDT)

  • Sunday, 8 March 2026 at 02:00 local time: clocks go forward from UTC−6 to UTC−5
  • Sunday, 1 November 2026 at 02:00 local time: clocks go back from UTC−5 to UTC−6
  • Sunday, 14 March 2027 at 02:00 local time: clocks go forward from UTC−6 to UTC−5
  • Sunday, 7 November 2027 at 02:00 local time: clocks go back from UTC−5 to UTC−6

Cuba (CST ↔ CDT)

  • Sunday, 8 March 2026 at 00:00 local time: clocks go forward from UTC−5 to UTC−4
  • Sunday, 1 November 2026 at 01:00 local time: clocks go back from UTC−4 to UTC−5
  • Sunday, 14 March 2027 at 00:00 local time: clocks go forward from UTC−5 to UTC−4
  • Sunday, 7 November 2027 at 01:00 local time: clocks go back from UTC−4 to UTC−5

Example conversions

Calculated from the official time zone rules for two dates, so you can see how daylight saving time affects the result.

Winter example — 15 January 2027

US Central TimeUTCEastern TimeLondonChina
09:00 AM03:00 PM10:00 AM03:00 PM11:00 PM
12:00 PM06:00 PM01:00 PM06:00 PM02:00 AMnext day
05:00 PM11:00 PM06:00 PM11:00 PM07:00 AMnext day

Summer example — 15 July 2027

US Central TimeUTCEastern TimeLondonChina
09:00 AM02:00 PM10:00 AM03:00 PM10:00 PM
12:00 PM05:00 PM01:00 PM06:00 PM01:00 AMnext day
05:00 PM10:00 PM06:00 PM11:00 PM06:00 AMnext day

Frequently asked questions

What time is it in CST right now?

The main clock shows US Central Time in Chicago with the abbreviation currently in effect (CST or CDT). China Standard Time and Cuba are shown below it.

Is it CST or CDT now?

US Central Time uses CDT (UTC−5) during daylight saving time, from March to November, and CST (UTC−6) in winter.

Is CST the same as China time?

Only by abbreviation. China Standard Time is UTC+8, while US Central Standard Time is UTC−6.

How many hours is CST behind UTC?

US Central Standard Time is 6 hours behind UTC; Central Daylight Time is 5 hours behind.