EST to CST Converter
This page converts Eastern Standard Time (EST) to China Standard Time (CST). CST is 13 hours ahead of EST, so a meeting at one time slides predictably to the other. Edit the time or date to begin.
Daylight saving notes
In the United States and Canada, daylight saving time runs from the second Sunday in March to the first Sunday in November. That affects Eastern Standard Time (EST).
EST to CST conversion chart
For example, a 9:00 AM EST meeting takes place at 10:00 PM CST. Concretely, when New York (EST) and Beijing (CST) set up a call, cST is 13 hours ahead of EST.
| EST time | CST time |
|---|---|
| 12:00 AM | 1:00 PM |
| 1:00 AM | 2:00 PM |
| 2:00 AM | 3:00 PM |
| 3:00 AM | 4:00 PM |
| 4:00 AM | 5:00 PM |
| 5:00 AM | 6:00 PM |
| 6:00 AM | 7:00 PM |
| 7:00 AM | 8:00 PM |
| 8:00 AM | 9:00 PM |
| 9:00 AM | 10:00 PM |
| 10:00 AM | 11:00 PM |
| 11:00 AM | 12:00 AM+1 day |
| 12:00 PM | 1:00 AM+1 day |
| 1:00 PM | 2:00 AM+1 day |
| 2:00 PM | 3:00 AM+1 day |
| 3:00 PM | 4:00 AM+1 day |
| 4:00 PM | 5:00 AM+1 day |
| 5:00 PM | 6:00 AM+1 day |
| 6:00 PM | 7:00 AM+1 day |
| 7:00 PM | 8:00 AM+1 day |
| 8:00 PM | 9:00 AM+1 day |
| 9:00 PM | 10:00 AM+1 day |
| 10:00 PM | 11:00 AM+1 day |
| 11:00 PM | 12:00 PM+1 day |
This chart uses the fixed EST and CST offsets; the live converter above follows current daylight saving.
Convert EST to CST Time Zone
Everything you need for EST to CST — the difference, the current times, and how to plan around it.
How do I convert EST to CST?
It takes three quick steps:
- Click the EST field on the left and pick the time you want to convert.
- The matching CST time updates on the right automatically — there’s no button to press.
- Need a different day? Click the date field and the result follows, rolling over if it crosses midnight.
What is the time difference between EST and CST?
CST is 13 hours ahead of EST. In everyday terms, once you know the time on one side you just add 13 hours to get the other — so a call between New York and Beijing is always 13 hours apart.
What time is it in CST right now?
Right now the time in China Standard Time (CST) is Tuesday, June 30, 2026 · 1:53:55 AM. It ticks every second, so you’re always looking at the live CST clock.
What time is it in EST right now?
And in Eastern Standard Time (EST), it’s currently Monday, June 29, 2026 · 12:53:55 PM. Compare the two and the 13 hours gap is easy to see.
What's the best time for a EST–CST call?
For example, a 9:00 AM EST meeting takes place at 10:00 PM CST. The trick is to aim for a slot that lands inside normal working hours on both sides. Once you’ve found a time, hit Share on the converter to copy a link with the time built in — easy to send to a colleague. Juggling three or more zones? The meeting planner highlights the hours that overlap for everyone.
How does daylight saving affect EST to CST?
The labels EST and CST are fixed offsets, so the result on this page is always exact. One side switches between standard and summer time while the other stays put, so the real-world gap can shift by an hour for part of the year. It's worth checking which label a region is actually using before you lock in a time.
Why can you trust this EST to CST converter?
Every conversion here is calculated from the IANA time zone database — the same source your phone, computer, and browser rely on. Plenty of tools hard-code a single offset, which quietly goes wrong whenever a region changes its rules or flips for daylight saving. We follow the real rules instead, so EST to CST stays accurate for today and for any past or future date you type in.
Convert EST to other time zones
- UTC Coordinated Universal Time
- GMT Greenwich Mean Time
- EDT Eastern Daylight Time
- CST Central Standard Time
- CDT Central Daylight Time
- MST Mountain Standard Time
- MDT Mountain Daylight Time
- PST Pacific Standard Time
- PDT Pacific Daylight Time
- AKST Alaska Standard Time
- AKDT Alaska Daylight Time
- HST Hawaii Standard Time
- AST Atlantic Standard Time
- ADT Atlantic Daylight Time
- NST Newfoundland Standard Time
- NDT Newfoundland Daylight Time
- BRT Brasília Time
- ART Argentina Time
- WET Western European Time
- WEST Western European Summer Time
- CET Central European Time
- CEST Central European Summer Time
- EET Eastern European Time
- EEST Eastern European Summer Time
- BST British Summer Time
- IST Irish Standard Time
- MSK Moscow Standard Time
- TRT Turkey Time
- WAT West Africa Time
- CAT Central Africa Time
- EAT East Africa Time
- SAST South Africa Standard Time
- GST Gulf Standard Time
- IST Israel Standard Time
- IDT Israel Daylight Time
- IST India Standard Time
- PKT Pakistan Standard Time
- BDT Bangladesh Standard Time
- ICT Indochina Time
- WIB Western Indonesian Time
- WITA Central Indonesian Time
- WIT Eastern Indonesian Time
- CST China Standard Time
- HKT Hong Kong Time
- SGT Singapore Time
- PHT Philippine Time
- JST Japan Standard Time
- KST Korea Standard Time
- AWST Australian Western Standard Time
- ACST Australian Central Standard Time
- ACDT Australian Central Daylight Time
- AEST Australian Eastern Standard Time
- AEDT Australian Eastern Daylight Time
- NZST New Zealand Standard Time
- NZDT New Zealand Daylight Time
Convert to CST from other time zones
- UTC Coordinated Universal Time
- GMT Greenwich Mean Time
- EST Eastern Standard Time
- EDT Eastern Daylight Time
- CST Central Standard Time
- CDT Central Daylight Time
- MST Mountain Standard Time
- MDT Mountain Daylight Time
- PST Pacific Standard Time
- PDT Pacific Daylight Time
- AKST Alaska Standard Time
- AKDT Alaska Daylight Time
- HST Hawaii Standard Time
- AST Atlantic Standard Time
- ADT Atlantic Daylight Time
- NST Newfoundland Standard Time
- NDT Newfoundland Daylight Time
- BRT Brasília Time
- ART Argentina Time
- WET Western European Time
- WEST Western European Summer Time
- CET Central European Time
- CEST Central European Summer Time
- EET Eastern European Time
- EEST Eastern European Summer Time
- BST British Summer Time
- IST Irish Standard Time
- MSK Moscow Standard Time
- TRT Turkey Time
- WAT West Africa Time
- CAT Central Africa Time
- EAT East Africa Time
- SAST South Africa Standard Time
- GST Gulf Standard Time
- IST Israel Standard Time
- IDT Israel Daylight Time
- IST India Standard Time
- PKT Pakistan Standard Time
- BDT Bangladesh Standard Time
- ICT Indochina Time
- WIB Western Indonesian Time
- WITA Central Indonesian Time
- WIT Eastern Indonesian Time
- HKT Hong Kong Time
- SGT Singapore Time
- PHT Philippine Time
- JST Japan Standard Time
- KST Korea Standard Time
- AWST Australian Western Standard Time
- ACST Australian Central Standard Time
- ACDT Australian Central Daylight Time
- AEST Australian Eastern Standard Time
- AEDT Australian Eastern Daylight Time
- NZST New Zealand Standard Time
- NZDT New Zealand Daylight Time
Frequently asked questions
How many hours ahead of EST is CST?
CST is 13 hours ahead of EST — a fixed 13 hours difference, since both are fixed-offset labels.
What time is it in CST when it's 12:00 PM EST?
When it's 12:00 PM (noon) EST, it's 1:00 AM CST the next day.
Do EST or CST use daylight saving time?
Eastern Standard Time (EST) observes daylight saving, alternating with EDT; China Standard Time (CST) is a fixed offset with no daylight saving.
Why might the real-world EST–CST difference change during the year?
The labels EST and CST are fixed offsets, so this converter is always exact. But Eastern Standard Time's region switches between standard and summer time, so for part of the year you may actually want EDT to CST. Always check which label a region is currently using before you schedule.