Convert CET to CST Central European Time ↔ Central Standard Time Free Online Secure
Type a time in CET and read it in CST straight away. The offset is −7 h, the arithmetic wraps at midnight, and the answer says which day it lands on.
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Through the day — Convert CET to CST (Central European Time ↔ Central Standard Time)
| CET | CST |
|---|---|
| 00:00 | 17:00 |
| 03:00 | 20:00 |
| 06:00 | 23:00 |
| 09:00 | 02:00 |
| 12:00 | 05:00 |
| 15:00 | 08:00 |
| 18:00 | 11:00 |
| 21:00 | 14:00 |
Where these units come from
Until the middle of the nineteenth century every town kept its own noon, set by the sun overhead, and nobody minded that the next town was four minutes behind. Railways ended that: a timetable cannot be written for a hundred local noons. Britain put its railways on Greenwich time in 1847, and in 1884 the International Meridian Conference in Washington chose Greenwich as the prime meridian and sketched the twenty-four-hour scheme we still use. Greenwich Mean Time was the world's reference until 1972, when Coordinated Universal Time replaced it: UTC is kept by atomic clocks and tied back to the turning Earth by leap seconds. The abbreviations on this page name standard time — the winter setting — which is why each one is a fixed number of hours rather than something that drifts through the year.
Where you meet them
A time zone becomes real the moment two people in different places have to agree on one moment: a call between offices, a flight that lands before it took off, a market that opens while you are asleep, a deadline written in somebody else's afternoon. Server logs, train and flight schedules and anything stamped with a time are kept in UTC precisely so that the question can always be settled, no matter whose clock was on the wall.
Questions people ask
What about summer time?
The offsets here are standard-time offsets, the ones a zone keeps in winter. Where summer time is observed, the same places move one hour further on for part of the year and take a different name: Central European Time becomes Central European Summer Time, Eastern Standard Time becomes Eastern Daylight Time. The switching dates are not the same in every country, and the two hemispheres change in opposite months, so for a date inside a summer-time period add an hour to whichever side observes it.
Why isn't every difference a whole number of hours?
Because offsets are decided by governments, not by geometry. India is half an hour off the hour, at UTC+05:30; Nepal is three quarters, at UTC+05:45; the Chatham Islands are at UTC+12:45. Any of these can be changed by law, and several countries have moved their offset within living memory.
Is the answer exact?
Where both units are defined in terms of one another by whole numbers, yes — the page says so above the figure, and the only rounding is in how many digits are shown. Where the ratio has no finite decimal, the page shows twelve significant digits and says the relation is approximate rather than pretending otherwise.
Does anything I type leave my device?
No. The arithmetic runs in your browser; nothing is uploaded and there is no server to upload it to. Load the page once and it keeps working with the network switched off.
The Cologne carnival, the Barcelona congress and the Chicago clock
The Carnival parade in Cologne sets off at 11:11. The first presentation at the mobile-phone congress in Barcelona begins at 09:00. The Swiss National Bank announces its decision at 09:30. Anyone living in Chicago, Dallas or Houston who wants to know what the clock says at home at those moments has to convert CET to CST. In winter the calculation is a subtraction: seven hours. 11:11 CET becomes 04:11 CST, 09:00 CET becomes 02:00 CST, and 09:30 CET becomes 02:30 CST. Any European time before 07:00 belongs to the previous day in Central America. Seven hours holds in summer too; the figure falls to six only between 8 and 28 March and between 25 and 31 October.
The page begins with European events followed in the middle of America, then gives the rule, the tables and the two zones. The calculation takes place in the browser, and no figure goes to a server.
The Cologne carnival
The Monday parade
The Rosenmontag parade starts at 11:11 CET, which is 4:11 a.m. CST. Midwesterners who want to see it live get up at dawn or watch a repeat at lunchtime.
Carnival evenings
The evening balls, from 20:00 CET, start at 1:00 p.m. CST. A “convert CET to CST” calculation made beforehand shows that European evening events fall, in central America, in the middle of the day.
The mobile-phone congress in Barcelona
Opening keynotes
The opening keynote begins at 09:00 CET, which is 2:00 a.m. CST. Journalists in Texas who follow it live stay up at night.
Product presentations
Afternoon presentations, from 15:00 CET, are at 8:00 a.m. CST. For central America it is the start of the working day.
The Swiss National Bank’s decision
The morning announcement
The interest-rate decision appears at 09:30 CET, which is 2:30 a.m. CST. Traders in Chicago learn of it from the morning press or a repeat.
The franc’s reaction
The Swiss franc reacts within seconds, long before the American market opens. A “convert CET to CST” calculation that is an hour out moves the decision to another part of the night.
Paris fashion week
Morning shows
A fashion show scheduled for 10:00 CET is at 3:00 a.m. CST. American buyers usually follow it in a recording.
Evening shows
An evening show at 20:00 CET is at 1:00 p.m. CST. For the Midwest it is a lunchtime broadcast.
The security conference in Munich
Plenary sessions
The morning plenary sessions begin at 09:00 CET, which is 2:00 a.m. CST. American diplomats stay up or read the summary at breakfast.
Afternoon debates
A debate at 14:30 CET is at 7:30 a.m. CST. Whoever does a “convert CET to CST” calculation for each session knows which fall in the first part of the morning.
Christmas markets on a live stream
The opening
The Nuremberg market opens with a ceremony at 17:30 CET, which is 10:30 a.m. CST. Americans in the centre watch it in the first part of the morning.
The market in the evening
A broadcast from the square at 19:00 CET is at 12:00 p.m. CST. For Chicago it is a lunchtime transmission with the evening atmosphere of Nuremberg.
Flights between Frankfurt and Chicago
The morning departure
A flight from Frankfurt to Chicago that leaves at 10:00 CET and takes nearly nine hours lands at 19:00 CET, which is 12:00 CST. The ticket shows 10:00 and 12:00, as for a trip of two hours.
The return
The night flight from Chicago, leaving at 18:00 CST and taking nearly eight hours, lands at 02:00 CST, which is 09:00 CET. A “convert CET to CST” calculation tells you at once how much time is left for the first meeting.
How to convert CET to CST, step by step
Subtract seven hours
CET is UTC+1 and CST is UTC−6, so the American Central clock is seven hours behind Central Europe. Subtract 7 from the European time on a 24-hour clock. If the result is negative, add 24 and go to the previous date.
Eight pairs
01:00 CET is 18:00 CST the day before. 06:00 CET is 23:00 CST the day before. 07:00 CET is 00:00 CST. 09:30 CET is 02:30 CST. 13:00 CET is 06:00 CST. 16:00 CET is 09:00 CST. 20:00 CET is 13:00 CST. 23:45 CET is 16:45 CST. The first two cross into the previous date.
In the summer months
In summer, CEST against CDT is also seven hours. 20:00 CEST is 13:00 CDT. The figure does not change; only the names of the clocks do.
America’s Central time
Who uses it
In winter UTC−6 is the clock of the Midwest and the Gulf coast: Chicago, Dallas, Houston, Minneapolis, Nashville and New Orleans, plus the Canadian city of Winnipeg and all of Mexico. In the warm season the American states move to UTC−5 under the name CDT.
Why it concerns you
A European poster never gives your hour. People in the Midwest therefore often have to convert CET to CST.
Central European time in brief
Who keeps it
In Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Poland, Austria and Switzerland the winter clock is called CET (UTC+1) and the summer one CEST (UTC+2), between the last Sunday of March and the last Sunday of October.
Romania
A reader in Bucharest stands an hour ahead of Central Europe, so they subtract eight hours, not seven, to reach American Central time.
Seven hours on the dial
Working days
While a European office works, from 09:00 to 17:00, it is night and early morning in Central America (02:00 to 10:00). While a Chicago office works from 09:00 to 17:00, it is evening and night in Europe (16:00 to 00:00). The two schedules overlap for a single hour.
Calls
A call from Berlin at 16:00 CET rings at 9:00 a.m. CST, at the start of the American day. One at 11:00 CET rings at 4:00 a.m. CST.
The flight
A plane that takes off from Frankfurt at 13:00 CET and flies for nearly nine hours lands at 22:00 CET, which is 15:00 CST. The ticket says 13:00 and 15:00, as for a flight of two hours.
The port of Rotterdam and the Gulf ports
The shipping schedule
A shipment announced at the port of Rotterdam for 08:00 CET is announced at 1:00 a.m. CST in Houston. Companies in Texas coordinating cargo work with a seven-hour offset.
Shipping documents
A document that has to be handed in “by 17:00” European time must be sent from Texas before 10:00 a.m. CST. A “convert CET to CST” calculation that is an hour out can mean a lost day.
Dated examples
January
On Friday 23 January, 16:00 CET is 09:00 CST. Both continents are on standard time.
March
On Friday 13 March, 16:00 CET is 10:00 CDT. America moved to summer time on 8 March and Europe only on the 29th, so the real gap is six hours.
July
On Friday 24 July, 16:00 CEST is 09:00 CDT. Both are on summer time, and the gap is seven hours.
October and December
On Friday 30 October, 16:00 CET is 10:00 CDT, because Europe returned to standard time on 25 October and America only on 1 November. On Friday 11 December, 16:00 CET is 09:00 CST.
The weeks when the distance changes
In spring
Between 8 and 28 March America is on summer time while Europe is still on winter time. The distance between CET and Central time is then six hours.
In autumn
Between 25 and 31 October the situation repeats in reverse. A “convert CET to CST” calculation on the seven-hour figure has to be corrected by an hour in those intervals.
Developer teams between Munich and Austin
The afternoon meeting
A team with members in Munich and Austin sets its meeting for 16:00 CET, which is 9:00 a.m. CST. For the Bavarians it is the end of the day, for the Texans the beginning.
The handover
Work that finishes at 17:30 CET reaches Austin at 10:30 a.m. CST, when the American colleagues are already working. A written handover keeps the thread.
The world’s clocks seen from Berlin
A table of subtractions
Relative to Berlin, London is 1 hour behind, New York 6, Chicago 7, Denver 8 and Los Angeles 9. Bucharest is an hour ahead, and Delhi 4 hours 30 minutes.
A complete sample invitation
At 18:00 in Berlin the clocks read 17:00 in London, 12:00 in New York, 11:00 in Chicago and 9:00 in Los Angeles. Whoever writes all the hours in the invitation spares the guests a “convert CET to CST” calculation.
Distance courses from European universities
The lesson schedule
A lesson at 18:00 CET begins at 11:00 a.m. CST. Students in the Midwest follow it toward noon.
Handing in work
A deadline of 23:59 CET ends at 4:59 p.m. CST the same day. Anyone who thinks they have until midnight at home loses whole hours.
Storms over the Alps, followed from Texas
Weather warnings
A European warning valid until 22:00 CET expires at 3:00 p.m. CST. Texans following a storm from across the ocean subtract seven hours from every hour in the bulletin.
Local time
Each bulletin carries the local time of Europe. A “convert CET to CST” calculation for both times shows when the latest version appeared.
How the clock changes affect this pair
The 2026 calendar
The difference between CET and CST depends on the date. In 2026: 1 January to 7 March, 29 March to 24 October and 1 November to 31 December: CST is 7 hours behind CET; 8 to 28 March and 25 to 31 October: CST is 6 hours behind CET.
In practice
Summer labels are CEST and CDT. The form above applies the winter gap of 7 hours, so for other periods correct the answer by the difference from the figure listed. Before you convert CET to CST, find the period that contains your date.
All twenty-four hours side by side
CET against CST
00:00 CET becomes 17:00 CST (previous day). 01:00 CET becomes 18:00 CST (previous day). 02:00 CET becomes 19:00 CST (previous day). 03:00 CET becomes 20:00 CST (previous day). 04:00 CET becomes 21:00 CST (previous day). 05:00 CET becomes 22:00 CST (previous day). 06:00 CET becomes 23:00 CST (previous day). 07:00 CET becomes 00:00 CST. 08:00 CET becomes 01:00 CST. 09:00 CET becomes 02:00 CST. 10:00 CET becomes 03:00 CST. 11:00 CET becomes 04:00 CST. 12:00 CET becomes 05:00 CST. 13:00 CET becomes 06:00 CST. 14:00 CET becomes 07:00 CST. 15:00 CET becomes 08:00 CST. 16:00 CET becomes 09:00 CST. 17:00 CET becomes 10:00 CST. 18:00 CET becomes 11:00 CST. 19:00 CET becomes 12:00 CST. 20:00 CET becomes 13:00 CST. 21:00 CET becomes 14:00 CST. 22:00 CET becomes 15:00 CST. 23:00 CET becomes 16:00 CST.
Notes on the table
The table lists the full day. Where the CST date differs from the CET date, the entry says so. Use it as a reference whenever you convert CET to CST. Only the hour moves. Minutes pass through unchanged, which makes this pair easy to check by eye. The gap used here is the standard winter one; the period section lists the dates on which it differs.
Half past every hour
CET :30 against CST
00:30 CET becomes 17:30 CST (previous day). 01:30 CET becomes 18:30 CST (previous day). 02:30 CET becomes 19:30 CST (previous day). 03:30 CET becomes 20:30 CST (previous day). 04:30 CET becomes 21:30 CST (previous day). 05:30 CET becomes 22:30 CST (previous day). 06:30 CET becomes 23:30 CST (previous day). 07:30 CET becomes 00:30 CST. 08:30 CET becomes 01:30 CST. 09:30 CET becomes 02:30 CST. 10:30 CET becomes 03:30 CST. 11:30 CET becomes 04:30 CST. 12:30 CET becomes 05:30 CST. 13:30 CET becomes 06:30 CST. 14:30 CET becomes 07:30 CST. 15:30 CET becomes 08:30 CST. 16:30 CET becomes 09:30 CST. 17:30 CET becomes 10:30 CST. 18:30 CET becomes 11:30 CST. 19:30 CET becomes 12:30 CST. 20:30 CET becomes 13:30 CST. 21:30 CET becomes 14:30 CST. 22:30 CET becomes 15:30 CST. 23:30 CET becomes 16:30 CST.
A note on the list
Schedules often use :30 slots. Each entry below gives the CST equivalent, so you do not have to convert CET to CST again for them. Read these rows as standard-time values and check the period section for dates where the difference changes.
Ten readings with minutes
Examples from CET to CST
01:05 CET becomes 18:05 CST (previous day). 03:20 CET becomes 20:20 CST (previous day). 05:50 CET becomes 22:50 CST (previous day). 07:35 CET becomes 00:35 CST. 10:10 CET becomes 03:10 CST. 13:25 CET becomes 06:25 CST. 16:40 CET becomes 09:40 CST. 19:55 CET becomes 12:55 CST. 22:15 CET becomes 15:15 CST. 23:05 CET becomes 16:05 CST.
What to notice
These are less round examples, with minutes. The offset has no minutes in it, so a reading of :45 stays :45 after the conversion. The gap used here is the standard winter one; the period section lists the dates on which it differs.
Morning, afternoon or night?
From CET to CST, with the time of day
06:00 CET becomes 23:00 CST (night). 08:00 CET becomes 01:00 CST (night). 10:00 CET becomes 03:00 CST (night). 12:00 CET becomes 05:00 CST (early morning). 14:00 CET becomes 07:00 CST (early morning). 16:00 CET becomes 09:00 CST (morning). 18:00 CET becomes 11:00 CST (morning). 20:00 CET becomes 13:00 CST (around midday). 22:00 CET becomes 15:00 CST (afternoon).
Why it matters
A conversion is only half the answer: the other half is whether the result is a sensible hour. After you convert CET to CST, check the bracketed word. The gap used here is the standard winter one; the period section lists the dates on which it differs.
A quick routine to convert CET to CST
First
Check the zone names
Romania is not on CET: it uses Eastern European Time, one hour ahead. Three countries share the letters CST; only the North American one, UTC−6, is used on this page.
Use a 24-hour clock
Write 4:30 p.m. as 16:30 and 12:00 a.m. as 00:00 before you start. For example, 09:15 CET becomes 02:15 CST.
Then
The operation
Subtract 7 hours. If the result passes midnight, correct the date: readings before 07:00 fall on the previous date.
A second example
Late in the evening, 22:40 CET becomes 15:40 CST.
Common slips when you convert CET to CST
Adding instead of subtracting
CST is behind CET, so the answer should be smaller than the starting hour. A larger number means an addition slipped in.
Losing the date
A CET time before 07:00 moves to the previous date. If the date stays put, the answer is a full day out.
The standard figure in the wrong weeks
The gap between CET and CST is not the same on every date in 2026. Check the period list above before you rely on the standard figure.
Confusing the abbreviation
Do not use CET for Romania, Bulgaria or Greece; they are on Eastern European Time, an hour ahead. Outside North America, CST can point to China (UTC+8) or Cuba (UTC−5); this converter always means the Central zone of the USA, Canada and Mexico.
Frequently asked questions
By how much do CET and CST differ?
7 hours, and CST is behind CET. That is the standard figure; on some dates in 2026 it differs, as the period list shows.
Which sum applies when I convert CET to CST?
Subtract 7 hours from the CET time, then fix the date if the result passes midnight.
What does 09:00 CET become in CST?
02:00 CST in the standard period.
Do the seasons affect this conversion?
Yes, on some dates; the period list above shows which.
Does the page keep what I type?
No. Everything happens on your own device.
Where to go next
See also Convert CET to WET, Convert CET to GMT, Convert IST to CST, Convert PST to CST, Convert CST to EST, Convert WET to CET, Convert CST to IST, Convert WET to UTC, Convert IST to UTC. The opposite direction is Convert CST to CET.
To sum up: convert CET to CST by one rule (subtract 7 hours) and a glance at the calendar. The work is done on your device.