Convert EST to CST
EST
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CST
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parsetime shows the current time in US Eastern Time and US Central Time side by side, with the exact gap between them right now. Paste any timestamp (a Unix number, an ISO 8601 string, or plain text like “June 1 2026 3:00 pm”) to convert that same moment between the two zones, along with UTC and Unix time. Eastern Time shifts between EST (UTC−5) in winter and EDT (UTC−4) in summer, and Central Time shifts between CST (UTC−6) in winter and CDT (UTC−5) in summer. parsetime uses the official IANA timezone database, so the offset is always right for the exact date you enter.
Common questions
- What is the time difference between EST and CST?
- The panel at the top of this page shows it for the current moment, computed live from the IANA timezone database. It isn't a fixed number of hours: when EST or CST shifts on or off daylight saving time, the gap changes by an hour. Enter a specific date in the box to see the difference for that exact moment.
- What time is it in CST right now?
- The CST panel above shows the current local time there, ticking live, right next to EST so you can compare at a glance. To check a different moment instead of now, type it into the box and both zones update together.
- How do I convert a specific time, not just now?
- Type or paste any timestamp into the box above (a Unix number, an ISO 8601 string like 2026-06-01T11:10:52Z, or plain text like “June 1 2026 3:00 pm”) and the panel shows that exact instant in both EST and CST, along with UTC and Unix time. A value with no timezone is read as your own local time, and parsetime tells you when that happens.
- Does parsetime handle daylight saving time correctly?
- Yes. Eastern Time shifts between EST (UTC−5) in winter and EDT (UTC−4) in summer, and Central Time shifts between CST (UTC−6) in winter and CDT (UTC−5) in summer. parsetime uses the official IANA timezone database, so the offset is always right for the exact date you enter. Because the gap is computed for the exact instant shown, not a fixed offset, the EST/CST difference stays right even on the days around a clock change.