Chicago to Denver
-1hChicago
CDTSOURCEDenver
MDTGreen rows indicate typical business hours (9 AM - 5 PM)
CDT and MDT on the World Map
The map below highlights the CDT (Central Standard Time) and MDT (Mountain Standard 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.
MST – Mountain Standard Time
UTC-07:00Mountain Standard Time (MST) is the time zone for the Mountain region of North America, 7 hours behind UTC.
- •Arizona does not observe daylight saving time, staying on MST year-round.
- •The Navajo Nation in Arizona does observe DST, unlike the rest of the state.
- •Denver, the 'Mile High City', is the largest city fully in MST.
- •MST covers 6 US states entirely and parts of several others.
About Chicago
WikipediaChicago operates on Central Time (CST/CDT), 1 hour behind New York. Home to CME and CBOE, Chicago is a global center for derivatives trading.
The Chicago Board of Trade is the world's oldest futures and options exchange.
About Denver
WikipediaDenver operates on Mountain Time (MST/MDT), 2 hours behind New York. As a tech and aerospace hub, Denver bridges West Coast and Central US business hours.
Denver International Airport is the largest airport in North America by land area.
Understanding the -1h Gap: Chicago vs Denver
Chicago runs on Central Daylight Time (CDT) at UTC-05:00, currently observing daylight saving time. Denver runs on Mountain Daylight Time (MDT) at UTC-06:00, also currently on daylight saving time. That puts Chicago 1 hour behind Denver — a difference of -1h at the current offsets.
In practice, when it is 9:00 AM in Chicago it is 8:00 AM in Denver. Midnight in Chicago is 11:00 PM in Denver. Because both zones shift for daylight saving, the gap between them only changes during the few weeks each year when their transition dates differ.
Chicago to Denver time conversion table
| Chicago (CDT) | Denver (MDT) | Day |
|---|---|---|
| 12:00 AM | 11:00 PM | previous day |
| 6:00 AM | 5:00 AM | same day |
| 7:00 AM | 6:00 AM | same day |
| 8:00 AM | 7:00 AM | same day |
| 9:00 AM | 8:00 AM | same day |
| 12:00 PM | 11:00 AM | same day |
| 3:00 PM | 2:00 PM | same day |
| 5:00 PM | 4:00 PM | same day |
| 6:00 PM | 5:00 PM | same day |
| 9:00 PM | 8:00 PM | same day |
Why people convert Chicago to Denver time
- Scheduling a call from Chicago to Denver: a 10:00 AM start in Chicago lands at 9:00 AM in Denver, so you can confirm the slot without doing the arithmetic yourself.
- Finding shared working hours: both Chicago and Denver are inside the 9-to-5 working day between 10:00 AM and 5:00 PM CDT time (9:00 AM–4:00 PM MDT). That is roughly 7 hours of usable overlap.
- Coordinating a Chicago-based team with Denver 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 CDT" is unambiguous; "3 PM" across a -1h gap is not.
- Block 10:00 AM–5:00 PM CDT as the recurring meeting window if you work primarily from Chicago and need Denver colleagues present.
- Chicago: Clocks fall back on Sun, Nov 1, 2026. Re-check this page after that date because the offset changes and so does the -1h gap.
- Denver: Clocks fall back on Sun, Nov 1, 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 MST (Mountain Standard Time)
Mountain Standard Time (MST) covers the Rocky Mountain region of the United States and Canada. Arizona is notable for not observing daylight saving time, staying on MST year-round (except the Navajo Nation). The time zone includes major cities like Denver, Phoenix, Calgary, and Salt Lake City. During summer, most areas switch to Mountain Daylight Time (MDT, UTC-06:00).
Best time to call between Chicago and Denver
Both Chicago and Denver sit inside the 9 AM – 5 PM working day between 10:00 AM–5:00 PM CDT, which is 9:00 AM–4:00 PM MDT. That gives roughly 7 hours of shared time — the safest window for a live call or meeting.
Business hours overlap
Chicago and Denver share 7 hours of working-hours overlap (10:00 AM–5:00 PM CDT), so scheduling a live meeting is straightforward.
Chicago is 1 hour behind Denver (CDT UTC-05:00 → MDT UTC-06:00). The shared working window is 10:00 AM–5:00 PM CDT. Remember to re-check around daylight-saving transitions.
🕐 Daylight Saving Time Info
Chicago
☀ Currently in DST
Standard: UTC-06:00 · DST: UTC-05:00
Clocks fall back on Sun, Nov 1, 2026
Denver
☀ Currently in DST
Standard: UTC-07:00 · DST: UTC-06:00
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 Chicago and Denver?
Chicago (CDT, UTC-05:00) is 1 hour behind Denver (MDT, UTC-06:00). The gap is currently -1h.
How do I convert Chicago time to Denver time?
Add -1h to Chicago local time. For example, 9:00 AM in Chicago is 8:00 AM in Denver.
What time is it in Denver right now?
Denver uses MDT at UTC-06:00. Use the live converter at the top of this page — it updates in real time and already accounts for the -1h offset from Chicago.
What is the best time to call Denver from Chicago?
Call between 10:00 AM and 5:00 PM CDT — that maps to 9:00 AM–4:00 PM MDT and keeps both parties inside the working day.
Which is behind, Chicago or Denver?
Chicago is 1 hour behind Denver. When it is 12:00 PM in Chicago it is 11:00 AM in Denver.
Do Chicago and Denver use different time zones?
Chicago (USA) uses CDT at UTC-05:00, while Denver (USA) uses MDT at UTC-06:00. The IANA identifiers are America/Chicago and America/Denver.
Does daylight saving time affect the Chicago–Denver difference?
Both zones observe DST, so the difference stays at -1h for most of the year and only changes during the weeks when their transition dates do not line up.
Which other cities share Chicago's time zone?
CDT also covers Chicago, Houston, Dallas, San Antonio, Mexico City, Austin, Winnipeg, Memphis and 6 more.
Which countries use CDT, Chicago's zone?
CDT 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 Chicago and Denver?
Not normally. The -1h gap only pushes the date over the previous day.
What is the time difference between Chicago and Denver?
Denver is -1h from Chicago.
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 timezone is Denver in?
Denver operates on Mountain Time (MST/MDT), 2 hours behind New York. As a tech and aerospace hub, Denver bridges West Coast and Central US business hours.
What are the business hours in Chicago?
Standard business hours in Chicago are 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM CST.
What are the business hours in Denver?
Standard business hours in Denver are 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM MST.
What is the best time to schedule a call between Chicago and Denver?
The best overlap for a call is when both cities are in business hours. Chicago works 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM CST and Denver works 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM MST (-1h difference). Try scheduling during the overlapping window for maximum convenience.
How do Chicago and Denver compare in size?
Chicago has a population of approximately 2.7 million (metro: 9.5 million), while Denver has approximately 715,000 (metro: 2.9 million).
What are the major landmarks in Chicago and Denver?
Chicago is known for Willis Tower, Millennium Park, Cloud Gate (The Bean). Denver is famous for Red Rocks Amphitheatre, Denver Art Museum, Union Station.
Do Chicago and Denver have stock exchanges?
Yes. Chicago has the CME (Chicago Mercantile Exchange), CBOE and Denver has the N/A (Uses NYSE/NASDAQ). The -1h time difference affects trading hour overlaps between these exchanges.
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 MST timezone?
Major cities in the MST timezone include Denver, Phoenix, Salt Lake City, Calgary, Edmonton, Albuquerque, El Paso, Tucson.
What is the UTC offset for MST?
Mountain Standard Time (MST) is at UTC-07:00. During daylight saving time, it shifts to MDT.
What should I know about the MST timezone?
Arizona does not observe daylight saving time, staying on MST year-round. The Navajo Nation in Arizona does observe DST, unlike the rest of the state.
When is it midnight in Chicago, what time is it in Denver?
When it is 12:00 AM (midnight) in Chicago (CST), it is -1h later in Denver (MST).
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