BST to CST
-7hBST
BSTSOURCECST
CSTGreen rows indicate typical business hours (9 AM - 5 PM)
BST and CST on the World Map
The map below highlights the BST (British Summer Time) and CST (Central Standard Time) timezone regions across the globe.
BST – British Summer Time
UTC+01:00British Summer Time (BST, UTC+01:00) is the daylight saving period in the United Kingdom, running from late March to late October.
- •BST runs from the last Sunday in March to the last Sunday in October.
- •BST is exactly one hour ahead of GMT, the UK's standard time.
- •During BST, London is 4 hours ahead of New York while the US is on Eastern Daylight Time.
- •The Isle of Man and the Channel Islands also observe BST.
CST – Central Standard Time
UTC-06:00Central Standard Time (CST) is the time zone for the central United States, Canada, and Mexico, 6 hours behind UTC.
- •CST covers 20 US states fully or partially.
- •Chicago and Houston are the two largest cities in the Central Time Zone.
- •Mexico City, one of the world's most populous cities, operates on CST.
- •CST is 1 hour behind EST and 2 hours ahead of PST.
Everything You Need to Know About BST and CST Time
BST runs on British Summer Time (BST) at UTC+01:00. CST runs on Central Standard Time (CST) at UTC-06:00. That puts BST 7 hours behind CST — a difference of -7h at the current offsets.
In practice, when it is 9:00 AM in BST it is 2:00 AM in CST. Midnight in BST is 5:00 PM in CST. Neither zone observes daylight saving time, so the offset between them stays constant all year.
BST to CST time conversion table
| BST (BST) | CST (CST) | Day |
|---|---|---|
| 12:00 AM | 5:00 PM | previous day |
| 6:00 AM | 11:00 PM | previous day |
| 7:00 AM | 12:00 AM | same day |
| 8:00 AM | 1:00 AM | same day |
| 9:00 AM | 2:00 AM | same day |
| 12:00 PM | 5:00 AM | same day |
| 3:00 PM | 8:00 AM | same day |
| 5:00 PM | 10:00 AM | same day |
| 6:00 PM | 11:00 AM | same day |
| 9:00 PM | 2:00 PM | same day |
Why people convert BST to CST time
- Scheduling a call from BST to CST: a 10:00 AM start in BST lands at 3:00 AM in CST, so you can confirm the slot without doing the arithmetic yourself.
- Finding shared working hours: both BST and CST are inside the 9-to-5 working day between 4:00 PM and 5:00 PM BST time (9:00 AM–10:00 AM CST). That is roughly 1 hours of usable overlap.
- Keeping family and friends in sync: knowing that 8:00 PM in BST is 1:00 PM in CST makes it easy to avoid calling at 3 AM.
- Always state the zone abbreviation, not just the hour. "3:00 PM BST" is unambiguous; "3 PM" across a -7h gap is not.
- Block 4:00 PM–5:00 PM BST as the recurring meeting window if you work primarily from BST and need CST colleagues present.
About BST (British Summer Time)
British Summer Time (BST) is the daylight saving period in the United Kingdom, when clocks move one hour forward from Greenwich Mean Time (GMT, UTC+00:00) to UTC+01:00. It runs from the last Sunday in March to the last Sunday in October. England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland all follow it, along with the Isle of Man and the Channel Islands of Jersey and Guernsey. During BST, London is one hour ahead of UTC, four hours ahead of New York on Eastern Daylight Time, and five hours ahead of New York once the United States returns to Eastern Standard Time in November. BST is also used to abbreviate Bangladesh Standard Time (UTC+06:00), which is listed separately on this site.
About CST (Central Standard Time)
Central Standard Time (CST) covers the central region of North America. It is the second most populous time zone in the US, including major cities like Chicago, Houston, and Dallas. CST is also used in Mexico City and much of Central America including Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador, and Costa Rica. During summer, most of the US and Canada switch to Central Daylight Time (CDT, UTC-05:00), while Mexico and Central American countries generally remain on CST.
Best time to call between BST and CST
Both BST and CST sit inside the 9 AM – 5 PM working day between 4:00 PM–5:00 PM BST, which is 9:00 AM–10:00 AM CST. That gives roughly 1 hours of shared time — the safest window for a live call or meeting.
Business hours overlap
BST and CST overlap for only 60 minutes (4:00 PM–5:00 PM BST), so meetings have to be booked precisely.
BST is 7 hours behind CST (BST UTC+01:00 → CST UTC-06:00). The shared working window is 4:00 PM–5:00 PM BST. Remember to re-check around daylight-saving transitions.
🕐 Daylight Saving Time Info
BST
☀ Currently in DST
Standard: UTC+00:00 · DST: UTC+01:00
Clocks fall back on Sun, Oct 25, 2026
CST
☀ Currently in DST
Standard: UTC-06:00 · DST: UTC-05:00
Clocks fall back on Sun, Nov 1, 2026
Learn More About Time
Dive deeper into the fascinating world of timekeeping, time zones, and how they shape our global society:
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the time difference between BST and CST?
BST (BST, UTC+01:00) is 7 hours behind CST (CST, UTC-06:00). The gap is currently -7h.
How do I convert BST time to CST time?
Add -7h to BST local time. For example, 9:00 AM in BST is 2:00 AM in CST.
What time is it in CST right now?
CST uses CST at UTC-06:00. Use the live converter at the top of this page — it updates in real time and already accounts for the -7h offset from BST.
What is the best time to call CST from BST?
Call between 4:00 PM and 5:00 PM BST — that maps to 9:00 AM–10:00 AM CST and keeps both parties inside the working day.
Which is behind, BST or CST?
BST is 7 hours behind CST. When it is 12:00 PM in BST it is 5:00 AM in CST.
Does daylight saving time affect the BST–CST difference?
Neither zone observes daylight saving time, so the -7h offset between BST and CST is fixed all year.
Which other cities share BST's time zone?
BST also covers London, Birmingham, Manchester, Glasgow, Edinburgh, Cardiff, Belfast, Liverpool and 2 more.
Which countries use BST, BST's zone?
BST is used in United Kingdom.
Is there a day difference between BST and CST?
Not normally. The -7h gap only pushes the date over the previous day.
What is the time difference between BST and CST?
CST is -7h from BST.
What timezone is BST in?
BST operates on its local timezone.
What timezone is CST in?
CST operates on its local timezone.
Which countries use BST (British Summer Time)?
BST is used in United Kingdom.
Does BST observe daylight saving time?
Yes, BST switches to BST during summer months.
What are some interesting facts about BST?
BST runs from the last Sunday in March to the last Sunday in October. BST is exactly one hour ahead of GMT, the UK's standard time.
Which cities are in the CST timezone?
Major cities in the CST timezone include Chicago, Houston, Dallas, San Antonio, Mexico City, Austin, Winnipeg, Memphis.
What is the UTC offset for CST?
Central Standard Time (CST) is at UTC-06:00. During daylight saving time, it shifts to CDT.
What should I know about the CST timezone?
CST covers 20 US states fully or partially. Chicago and Houston are the two largest cities in the Central Time Zone.
When is it midnight in BST, what time is it in CST?
When it is 12:00 AM (midnight) in BST (BST), it is -7h later in CST (CST).
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