Does it account for Daylight Saving Time?

Yes, our converter uses the IANA timezone database, which includes all current DST rules for every timezone in the world.

UTC (Coordinated Universal Time) is the primary time standard by which the world regulates clocks. All timezones are defined as offsets from UTC.

Can I compare multiple timezones at once?

Yes, you can add multiple cities or timezones and see the equivalent times side by side.

How many timezones are there in the world?

There are 38 distinct UTC offsets in use, ranging from UTC-12 to UTC+14. This includes half-hour (UTC+5:30 India, UTC+9:30 Australia) and 45-minute offsets (UTC+5:45 Nepal, UTC+8:45 Australia).

What is the International Date Line?

The International Date Line (IDL) runs roughly along the 180° meridian in the Pacific Ocean. When you cross it westward, you gain a day; crossing eastward, you lose a day.

Why do some timezones have 30 or 45 minute offsets?

Countries chose offsets that best matched their solar noon. India uses UTC+5:30 and Nepal uses UTC+5:45 because standard hourly offsets didn't align well with their geography.

Which country has the most timezones?

France has the most (12 timezones) due to overseas territories. Russia spans 11 timezones. The US has 6 (including Hawaii and Alaska).

Stockholm to Chicago

-7h

Stockholm

CESTSOURCE

Sweden · UTC+02:00☀ DST active

HH12

MM00

12:00 (24-hr)

12 AM6 AM12 PM6 PM12 AM

Chicago

CDT

USA · UTC-05:00☀ DST active

HH05

MM00

05:00 (24-hr)

12 AM6 AM12 PM6 PM12 AM

Quick Reference

Time Conversion Table

Stockholm

Chicago

12:00 AM

5:00 PM-1

2:00 AM

7:00 PM-1

4:00 AM

9:00 PM-1

6:00 AM

11:00 PM-1

8:00 AM

1:00 AM

10:00 AM

3:00 AM

12:00 PM

5:00 AM

2:00 PM

7:00 AM

4:00 PM

9:00 AM

6:00 PM

11:00 AM

8:00 PM

1:00 PM

10:00 PM

3:00 PM

Green rows indicate typical business hours (9 AM - 5 PM)

CEST and CDT on the World Map

The map below highlights the CEST (Central European Time) and CDT (Central Standard Time) timezone regions across the globe.

CEST Zone

→

CDT Zone

Explore all world timezones interactively →

CET – Central European Time

UTC+01:00

Central European Time (CET) is used across most of Western and Central Europe, 1 hour ahead of UTC.

Countries in CET

GermanyFranceItalySpainNetherlandsBelgiumAustriaSwitzerlandPolandCzech RepublicSwedenNorwayDenmarkHungaryCroatiaSerbiaSlovakiaSloveniaBosnia and HerzegovinaNorth MacedoniaAlbaniaMontenegroLuxembourgMaltaTunisiaAlgeriaNigeria

Major Cities in CET

ParisBerlinRomeMadridAmsterdamBrusselsViennaWarsawZurichStockholmOsloCopenhagenPragueBudapestBarcelonaMunichMilanLagos

Key Facts about CET

•CET covers more European countries than any other time zone.
•Spain uses CET despite being geographically aligned with GMT/WET.
•The Frankfurt Stock Exchange, Euronext (Amsterdam/Paris), and Borsa Italiana operate on CET.
•Over 500 million people live in the CET time zone.
•France moved to CET during the German occupation in WWII and never switched back.

Daylight Saving:Yes – switches to CEST

Learn more about CET on Wikipedia

CST – Central Standard Time

UTC-06:00

Central Standard Time (CST) is the time zone for the central United States, Canada, and Mexico, 6 hours behind UTC.

Countries in CST

United States (Central)Canada (Manitoba, Saskatchewan)MexicoGuatemalaHondurasEl SalvadorCosta RicaNicaraguaBelize

Major Cities in CST

ChicagoHoustonDallasSan AntonioMexico CityAustinWinnipegMemphisMilwaukeeNashvilleKansas CityNew OrleansMinneapolisGuatemala City

Key Facts about CST

•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.

Daylight Saving:Yes – switches to CDT

Learn more about CST on Wikipedia

About Stockholm

Wikipedia

Stockholm operates on Central European Time (CET/CEST). As a global startup hub (home to Spotify, Klarna), Stockholm time coordinates Nordic tech markets.

Population:975,000

Metro:2.4 million

Business Hours:8:00 AM - 5:00 PM CET

Currency:SEK (kr)

Stock Exchange:Nasdaq Stockholm

Key Landmarks

Gamla StanRoyal PalaceVasa MuseumStockholm City HallDjurgården

Did You Know?

Stockholm is spread across 14 islands connected by 57 bridges.

Learn more about CEST timezone →

About Chicago

Wikipedia

Chicago operates on Central Time (CST/CDT), 1 hour behind New York. Home to CME and CBOE, Chicago is a global center for derivatives trading.

Population:2.7 million

Metro:9.5 million

Business Hours:8:00 AM - 5:00 PM CST

Currency:USD ($)

Stock Exchange:CME (Chicago Mercantile Exchange), CBOE

Key Landmarks

Willis TowerMillennium ParkCloud Gate (The Bean)Navy PierArt Institute of Chicago

Did You Know?

The Chicago Board of Trade is the world's oldest futures and options exchange.

Learn more about CDT timezone →

Understanding the -7h Gap: Stockholm vs Chicago

Stockholm runs on Central European Summer Time (CEST) at UTC+02:00, currently observing daylight saving time. Chicago runs on Central Daylight Time (CDT) at UTC-05:00, also currently on daylight saving time. That puts Stockholm 7 hours behind Chicago — a difference of -7h at the current offsets.

In practice, when it is 9:00 AM in Stockholm it is 2:00 AM in Chicago. Midnight in Stockholm is 5:00 PM in Chicago. Because both zones shift for daylight saving, the gap between them only changes during the few weeks each year when their transition dates differ.

Stockholm to Chicago time conversion table

Stockholm (CEST)	Chicago (CDT)	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 Stockholm to Chicago time

Scheduling a call from Stockholm to Chicago: a 10:00 AM start in Stockholm lands at 3:00 AM in Chicago, so you can confirm the slot without doing the arithmetic yourself.
Finding shared working hours: both Stockholm and Chicago are inside the 9-to-5 working day between 4:00 PM and 5:00 PM CEST time (9:00 AM–10:00 AM CDT). That is roughly 1 hours of usable overlap.
Watching a live event or market open: Stockholm viewers need 2:00 AM in Chicago to catch a 9:00 AM start there, and 7:00 AM if the event is anchored to Stockholm.

Always state the zone abbreviation, not just the hour. "3:00 PM CEST" is unambiguous; "3 PM" across a -7h gap is not.
Block 4:00 PM–5:00 PM CEST as the recurring meeting window if you work primarily from Stockholm and need Chicago colleagues present.
Stockholm: Clocks fall back on Sun, Oct 25, 2026. Re-check this page after that date because the offset changes and so does the -7h gap.
Chicago: Clocks fall back on Sun, Nov 1, 2026. Any meeting series spanning that date will shift by an hour in local time.

About CET (Central European Time)

Central European Time (CET) is the standard time zone for most of Europe, covering over 30 countries from Spain to Poland, and from Norway to Italy. CET is 1 hour ahead of GMT and is used by the European Union's most populous nations. During summer, most CET countries switch to Central European Summer Time (CEST, UTC+02:00). Major European financial markets in Frankfurt, Paris, and Amsterdam operate on CET.

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 Stockholm and Chicago

Both Stockholm and Chicago sit inside the 9 AM – 5 PM working day between 4:00 PM–5:00 PM CEST, which is 9:00 AM–10:00 AM CDT. That gives roughly 1 hours of shared time — the safest window for a live call or meeting.

Business hours overlap

Stockholm and Chicago overlap for only 60 minutes (4:00 PM–5:00 PM CEST), so meetings have to be booked precisely.

Stockholm is 7 hours behind Chicago (CEST UTC+02:00 → CDT UTC-05:00). The shared working window is 4:00 PM–5:00 PM CEST. Remember to re-check around daylight-saving transitions.

🕐 Daylight Saving Time Info

Stockholm

☀ Currently in DST

Standard: UTC+01:00 · DST: UTC+02:00

Clocks fall back on Sun, Oct 25, 2026

Chicago

☀ 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:

⏳

History of Timekeeping

From sundials to atomic clocks - 5000 years of measuring time

🌍

How Time Zones Work

UTC, offsets, and why zones don't follow straight lines

☀️

Daylight Saving Time

DST dates, which countries observe it, and the ongoing debate

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the time difference between Stockholm and Chicago?

Stockholm (CEST, UTC+02:00) is 7 hours behind Chicago (CDT, UTC-05:00). The gap is currently -7h.

How do I convert Stockholm time to Chicago time?

Add -7h to Stockholm local time. For example, 9:00 AM in Stockholm is 2:00 AM in Chicago.

What time is it in Chicago right now?

Chicago uses CDT at UTC-05:00. Use the live converter at the top of this page — it updates in real time and already accounts for the -7h offset from Stockholm.

What is the best time to call Chicago from Stockholm?

Call between 4:00 PM and 5:00 PM CEST — that maps to 9:00 AM–10:00 AM CDT and keeps both parties inside the working day.

Which is behind, Stockholm or Chicago?

Stockholm is 7 hours behind Chicago. When it is 12:00 PM in Stockholm it is 5:00 AM in Chicago.

Do Stockholm and Chicago use different time zones?

Stockholm (Sweden) uses CEST at UTC+02:00, while Chicago (USA) uses CDT at UTC-05:00. The IANA identifiers are Europe/Stockholm and America/Chicago.

Does daylight saving time affect the Stockholm–Chicago difference?

Both zones observe DST, so the difference stays at -7h for most of the year and only changes during the weeks when their transition dates do not line up.

Which other cities share Stockholm's time zone?

CEST also covers Paris, Berlin, Rome, Madrid, Amsterdam, Brussels, Vienna, Warsaw and 10 more.

Which countries use CEST, Stockholm's zone?

CEST is used in Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Netherlands, Belgium, Austria, Switzerland and 19 more.

Is there a day difference between Stockholm and Chicago?

Not normally. The -7h gap only pushes the date over the previous day.

What is the time difference between Stockholm and Chicago?

Chicago is -7h from Stockholm.

What timezone is Stockholm in?

Stockholm operates on Central European Time (CET/CEST). As a global startup hub (home to Spotify, Klarna), Stockholm time coordinates Nordic tech markets.

What timezone is Chicago in?

Chicago operates on Central Time (CST/CDT), 1 hour behind New York. Home to CME and CBOE, Chicago is a global center for derivatives trading.

What are the business hours in Stockholm?

Standard business hours in Stockholm are 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM CET.

What are the business hours in Chicago?

Standard business hours in Chicago are 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM CST.

What is the best time to schedule a call between Stockholm and Chicago?

The best overlap for a call is when both cities are in business hours. Stockholm works 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM CET and Chicago works 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM CST (-7h difference). Try scheduling during the overlapping window for maximum convenience.

What currencies are used in Stockholm and Chicago?

Stockholm uses SEK (kr) while Chicago uses USD ($). Check current exchange rates when planning travel or business between these cities.

How do Stockholm and Chicago compare in size?

Stockholm has a population of approximately 975,000 (metro: 2.4 million), while Chicago has approximately 2.7 million (metro: 9.5 million).

What are the major landmarks in Stockholm and Chicago?

Stockholm is known for Gamla Stan, Royal Palace, Vasa Museum. Chicago is famous for Willis Tower, Millennium Park, Cloud Gate (The Bean).

Do Stockholm and Chicago have stock exchanges?

Yes. Stockholm has the Nasdaq Stockholm and Chicago has the CME (Chicago Mercantile Exchange), CBOE. The -7h time difference affects trading hour overlaps between these exchanges.