EST to CDT Time Converter
Live conversion between Eastern Standard Time (EST) and Central Daylight Time (CDT).
EST now
--:--:--
CDT now
--:--:--
EST is UTC −5 and CDT is also UTC −5 — when both are observed (rare overlap), they are equal. In the active calendar U.S. Eastern is one hour ahead of U.S. Central.
EST → CDT for every hour
| EST (Chicago) | CDT |
|---|---|
| 12:00 AM | 12:00 AM |
| 1:00 AM | 1:00 AM |
| 2:00 AM | 2:00 AM |
| 3:00 AM | 3:00 AM |
| 4:00 AM | 4:00 AM |
| 5:00 AM | 5:00 AM |
| 6:00 AM | 6:00 AM |
| 7:00 AM | 7:00 AM |
| 8:00 AM | 8:00 AM |
| 9:00 AM | 9:00 AM |
| 10:00 AM | 10:00 AM |
| 11:00 AM | 11:00 AM |
| 12:00 PM | 12:00 PM |
| 1:00 PM | 1:00 PM |
| 2:00 PM | 2:00 PM |
| 3:00 PM | 3:00 PM |
| 4:00 PM | 4:00 PM |
| 5:00 PM | 5:00 PM |
| 6:00 PM | 6:00 PM |
| 7:00 PM | 7:00 PM |
| 8:00 PM | 8:00 PM |
| 9:00 PM | 9:00 PM |
| 10:00 PM | 10:00 PM |
| 11:00 PM | 11:00 PM |
Highlighted row is the current CDT hour. Times computed from IANA zones — DST-safe.
Where each zone is used
EST — Eastern Standard Time
United States (Eastern, winter)
Cities: New York, Atlanta, Washington, Miami, Boston
CDT — Central Daylight Time
United States (Central, summer)
Cities: Chicago, Houston, Dallas, New Orleans, Minneapolis
Frequently asked questions
What is EST to CDT time difference?
On paper, EST is UTC −5 and CDT is UTC −5. In practice the two abbreviations are rarely observed at the same time of year — right now New York is on EDT and Chicago is on CDT, and the live clock and 24-hour table on this page follow those real wall clocks, which is what you want for scheduling.
Does EST change for daylight saving?
EST itself is the standard (non-DST) form. The clock that uses EST switches to a daylight-saving variant in summer.
What time is 9am EST in CDT?
9:00 AM CDT ≈ 9:00 AM CDT.