Mexico to Spain
+8hMexico
CSTSOURCESpain
CESTGreen rows indicate typical business hours (9 AM - 5 PM)
CST and CEST on the World Map
The map below highlights the CST (Central Standard Time) and CEST (Central European Time) timezone regions across the globe.
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.
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.
Understanding the +8h Gap: Mexico vs Spain
Mexico runs on Central Standard Time (CST) at UTC-06:00. Spain runs on Central European Summer Time (CEST) at UTC+02:00, also currently on daylight saving time. That puts Mexico 8 hours ahead of Spain — a difference of +8h at the current offsets.
In practice, when it is 9:00 AM in Mexico it is 5:00 PM in Spain. Midnight in Mexico is 8:00 AM in Spain.Spain observes daylight saving time while Mexico does not, so the gap narrows or widens by an hour part of the year.
Mexico to Spain time conversion table
| Mexico (CST) | Spain (CEST) | Day |
|---|---|---|
| 12:00 AM | 8:00 AM | same day |
| 6:00 AM | 2:00 PM | same day |
| 7:00 AM | 3:00 PM | same day |
| 8:00 AM | 4:00 PM | same day |
| 9:00 AM | 5:00 PM | same day |
| 12:00 PM | 8:00 PM | same day |
| 3:00 PM | 11:00 PM | same day |
| 5:00 PM | 1:00 AM | next day |
| 6:00 PM | 2:00 AM | next day |
| 9:00 PM | 5:00 AM | next day |
Why people convert Mexico to Spain time
- Scheduling a call from Mexico to Spain: a 10:00 AM start in Mexico lands at 6:00 PM in Spain, so you can confirm the slot without doing the arithmetic yourself.
- Handling a +8h gap: Mexico and Spain have no overlap inside a normal 9-to-5 day, so real-time meetings need an early-morning or late-evening slot on one side. 9:00 AM in Spain is 5:00 PM in Mexico.
- Booking travel or deliveries: tracking Spain local time against Mexico keeps pickup windows and arrival estimates honest across the +8h offset.
- Always state the zone abbreviation, not just the hour. "3:00 PM CST" is unambiguous; "3 PM" across a +8h gap is not.
- With a +8h gap there is no shared 9-to-5 window, so alternate the early start: one week Mexico takes the early slot, the next week Spain does.
- Spain: Clocks fall back on Sun, Oct 25, 2026. Any meeting series spanning that date will shift by an hour in local time.
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.
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.
Best time to call between Mexico and Spain
With a +8h offset there is no overlap inside a normal 9 AM – 5 PM day. Spain opens at 9:00 AM CEST, which is 5:00 PM in Mexico, so real-time calls need an early-morning or late-evening slot on one side.
Business hours overlap
Mexico and Spain have no shared working hours because of the +8h gap. Teams need to alternate early starts or rely on asynchronous handovers.
Mexico is 8 hours ahead of Spain (CST UTC-06:00 → CEST UTC+02:00). There is no shared 9-to-5 window, so plan around an early or late slot. Remember to re-check around daylight-saving transitions.
🕐 Daylight Saving Time Info
Mexico
Does not observe DST
Spain
☀ Currently in DST
Standard: UTC+01:00 · DST: UTC+02:00
Clocks fall back on Sun, Oct 25, 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 Mexico and Spain?
Mexico (CST, UTC-06:00) is 8 hours ahead of Spain (CEST, UTC+02:00). The gap is currently +8h.
How do I convert Mexico time to Spain time?
Add +8h to Mexico local time. For example, 9:00 AM in Mexico is 5:00 PM in Spain.
What time is it in Spain right now?
Spain uses CEST at UTC+02:00. Use the live converter at the top of this page — it updates in real time and already accounts for the +8h offset from Mexico.
What is the best time to call Spain from Mexico?
There is no shared working-hours window because of the +8h gap. The closest option is 1:00 PM in Mexico, which is 9:00 PM in Spain.
Which is ahead, Mexico or Spain?
Mexico is 8 hours ahead of Spain. When it is 12:00 PM in Mexico it is 8:00 PM in Spain.
Do Mexico and Spain use different time zones?
Mexico (Mexico) uses CST at UTC-06:00, while Spain (Spain) uses CEST at UTC+02:00. The IANA identifiers are America/Mexico_City and Europe/Madrid.
Does daylight saving time affect the Mexico–Spain difference?
Yes at the moment: Spain is on daylight saving time and Mexico is not, so the +8h gap shifts by an hour when exactly one of them changes clocks.
Which other cities share Mexico's time zone?
CST also covers Chicago, Houston, Dallas, San Antonio, Mexico City, Austin, Winnipeg, Memphis and 6 more.
Which countries use CST, Mexico's zone?
CST is used in United States (Central), Canada (Manitoba, Saskatchewan), Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador, Costa Rica, Nicaragua and 1 more.
Is there a day difference between Mexico and Spain?
Not normally. The +8h gap only pushes the date over for late-evening times.
What is the time difference between Mexico and Spain?
Spain is +8h from Mexico.
What timezone is Mexico in?
Mexico operates on its local timezone.
What timezone is Spain in?
Spain operates on its local timezone.
Which countries use CST (Central Standard Time)?
CST is used in United States (Central), Canada (Manitoba, Saskatchewan), Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador, and 3 more countries.
Does CST observe daylight saving time?
Yes, CST switches to CDT during summer months.
What are some interesting facts about CST?
CST covers 20 US states fully or partially. Chicago and Houston are the two largest cities in the Central Time Zone.
Which cities are in the CET timezone?
Major cities in the CET timezone include Paris, Berlin, Rome, Madrid, Amsterdam, Brussels, Vienna, Warsaw.
What is the UTC offset for CET?
Central European Time (CET) is at UTC+01:00. During daylight saving time, it shifts to CEST.
What should I know about the CET timezone?
CET covers more European countries than any other time zone. Spain uses CET despite being geographically aligned with GMT/WET.
When is it midnight in Mexico, what time is it in Spain?
When it is 12:00 AM (midnight) in Mexico (CST), it is +8h later in Spain (CET).
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