CET to CST
-7hCET
CETSOURCECST
CSTGreen rows indicate typical business hours (9 AM - 5 PM)
CET and CST on the World Map
The map below highlights the CET (Central European Time) and CST (Central Standard Time) timezone regions across the globe.
CET – Central European Time
UTC+01:00Central European Time (CET) is used across most of Western and Central Europe, 1 hour ahead of UTC.
- •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.
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.
Understanding the -7h Gap: CET vs CST
CET runs on Central European Time (CET) at UTC+01:00. CST runs on Central Standard Time (CST) at UTC-06:00. That puts CET 7 hours behind CST — a difference of -7h at the current offsets.
In practice, when it is 9:00 AM in CET it is 2:00 AM in CST. Midnight in CET is 5:00 PM in CST. Neither zone observes daylight saving time, so the offset between them stays constant all year.
CET to CST time conversion table
| CET (CET) | 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 CET to CST time
- Scheduling a call from CET to CST: a 10:00 AM start in CET lands at 3:00 AM in CST, so you can confirm the slot without doing the arithmetic yourself.
- Finding shared working hours: both CET and CST are inside the 9-to-5 working day between 4:00 PM and 5:00 PM CET time (9:00 AM–10:00 AM CST). That is roughly 1 hours of usable overlap.
- Coordinating a CET-based team with CST contacts: quoting times in the other side's local clock — not your own — removes the single biggest source of missed meetings.
- Always state the zone abbreviation, not just the hour. "3:00 PM CET" is unambiguous; "3 PM" across a -7h gap is not.
- Block 4:00 PM–5:00 PM CET as the recurring meeting window if you work primarily from CET and need CST colleagues present.
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 CET and CST
Both CET and CST sit inside the 9 AM – 5 PM working day between 4:00 PM–5:00 PM CET, 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
CET and CST overlap for only 60 minutes (4:00 PM–5:00 PM CET), so meetings have to be booked precisely.
CET is 7 hours behind CST (CET UTC+01:00 → CST UTC-06:00). The shared working window is 4:00 PM–5:00 PM CET. Remember to re-check around daylight-saving transitions.
🕐 Daylight Saving Time Info
CET
☀ Currently in DST
Standard: UTC+01:00 · DST: UTC+02:00
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 CET and CST?
CET (CET, UTC+01:00) is 7 hours behind CST (CST, UTC-06:00). The gap is currently -7h.
How do I convert CET time to CST time?
Add -7h to CET local time. For example, 9:00 AM in CET 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 CET.
What is the best time to call CST from CET?
Call between 4:00 PM and 5:00 PM CET — that maps to 9:00 AM–10:00 AM CST and keeps both parties inside the working day.
Which is behind, CET or CST?
CET is 7 hours behind CST. When it is 12:00 PM in CET it is 5:00 AM in CST.
Does daylight saving time affect the CET–CST difference?
Neither zone observes daylight saving time, so the -7h offset between CET and CST is fixed all year.
Which other cities share CET's time zone?
CET also covers Paris, Berlin, Rome, Madrid, Amsterdam, Brussels, Vienna, Warsaw and 10 more.
Which countries use CET, CET's zone?
CET is used in Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Netherlands, Belgium, Austria, Switzerland and 19 more.
Is there a day difference between CET and CST?
Not normally. The -7h gap only pushes the date over the previous day.
What is the time difference between CET and CST?
CST is -7h from CET.
What timezone is CET in?
CET operates on its local timezone.
What timezone is CST in?
CST operates on its local timezone.
Which countries use CET (Central European Time)?
CET is used in Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Netherlands, Belgium, and 21 more countries.
Does CET observe daylight saving time?
Yes, CET switches to CEST during summer months.
What are some interesting facts about CET?
CET covers more European countries than any other time zone. Spain uses CET despite being geographically aligned with GMT/WET.
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 CET, what time is it in CST?
When it is 12:00 AM (midnight) in CET (CET), it is -7h later in CST (CST).
Related Developer Tools
Explore more tools that work great with timezone conversions for international teams:
Related Timezone Conversions
More CET time conversions
- cet to paris
- cet to cest
- cet to france
- cet to new york
- cet to london
- cet to dubai
- cet to tokyo
- cet to singapore
- cet to sydney
- cet to los angeles
- cet to delhi
- cet to mumbai
- cet to berlin
- cet to hong kong
- cet to toronto
- cet to kathmandu
- new york to cet
- london to cet
- dubai to cet
- tokyo to cet
- singapore to cet
- sydney to cet
- los angeles to cet
- paris to cet
- delhi to cet
- mumbai to cet
- berlin to cet
- hong kong to cet
- toronto to cet
- kathmandu to cet
See every conversion from CET →·See every conversion from CST →