Chicago to MST
-2hChicago
CDTSOURCEMST
MSTGreen rows indicate typical business hours (9 AM - 5 PM)
CDT and MST on the World Map
The map below highlights the CDT (Central Standard Time) and MST (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.
Chicago vs MST: Offsets, DST and Best Call Times
Chicago runs on Central Daylight Time (CDT) at UTC-05:00, currently observing daylight saving time. MST runs on Mountain Standard Time (MST) at UTC-07:00. That puts Chicago 2 hours behind MST — a difference of -2h at the current offsets.
In practice, when it is 9:00 AM in Chicago it is 7:00 AM in MST. Midnight in Chicago is 10:00 PM in MST.Chicago observes daylight saving time while MST does not, so the gap narrows or widens by an hour part of the year.
Chicago to MST time conversion table
| Chicago (CDT) | MST (MST) | Day |
|---|---|---|
| 12:00 AM | 10:00 PM | previous day |
| 6:00 AM | 4:00 AM | same day |
| 7:00 AM | 5:00 AM | same day |
| 8:00 AM | 6:00 AM | same day |
| 9:00 AM | 7:00 AM | same day |
| 12:00 PM | 10:00 AM | same day |
| 3:00 PM | 1:00 PM | same day |
| 5:00 PM | 3:00 PM | same day |
| 6:00 PM | 4:00 PM | same day |
| 9:00 PM | 7:00 PM | same day |
Why people convert Chicago to MST time
- Scheduling a call from Chicago to MST: a 10:00 AM start in Chicago lands at 8:00 AM in MST, so you can confirm the slot without doing the arithmetic yourself.
- Finding shared working hours: both Chicago and MST are inside the 9-to-5 working day between 11:00 AM and 5:00 PM CDT time (9:00 AM–3:00 PM MST). That is roughly 6 hours of usable overlap.
- Booking travel or deliveries: tracking MST local time against Chicago keeps pickup windows and arrival estimates honest across the -2h offset.
- Always state the zone abbreviation, not just the hour. "3:00 PM CDT" is unambiguous; "3 PM" across a -2h gap is not.
- Block 11:00 AM–5:00 PM CDT as the recurring meeting window if you work primarily from Chicago and need MST 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 -2h gap.
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 MST
Both Chicago and MST sit inside the 9 AM – 5 PM working day between 11:00 AM–5:00 PM CDT, which is 9:00 AM–3:00 PM MST. That gives roughly 6 hours of shared time — the safest window for a live call or meeting.
Business hours overlap
Chicago and MST share 6 hours of working-hours overlap (11:00 AM–5:00 PM CDT), so scheduling a live meeting is straightforward.
Chicago is 2 hours behind MST (CDT UTC-05:00 → MST UTC-07:00). The shared working window is 11:00 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
MST
☀ 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 MST?
Chicago (CDT, UTC-05:00) is 2 hours behind MST (MST, UTC-07:00). The gap is currently -2h.
How do I convert Chicago time to MST time?
Add -2h to Chicago local time. For example, 9:00 AM in Chicago is 7:00 AM in MST.
What time is it in MST right now?
MST uses MST at UTC-07:00. Use the live converter at the top of this page — it updates in real time and already accounts for the -2h offset from Chicago.
What is the best time to call MST from Chicago?
Call between 11:00 AM and 5:00 PM CDT — that maps to 9:00 AM–3:00 PM MST and keeps both parties inside the working day.
Which is behind, Chicago or MST?
Chicago is 2 hours behind MST. When it is 12:00 PM in Chicago it is 10:00 AM in MST.
Do Chicago and MST use different time zones?
Chicago (USA) uses CDT at UTC-05:00, while MST uses MST at UTC-07:00. The IANA identifiers are America/Chicago and America/Denver.
Does daylight saving time affect the Chicago–MST difference?
Yes at the moment: Chicago is on daylight saving time and MST is not, so the -2h gap shifts by an hour when exactly one of them changes clocks.
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 MST?
Not normally. The -2h gap only pushes the date over the previous day.
What is the time difference between Chicago and MST?
MST is -2h 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 MST in?
MST operates on its local timezone.
What are the business hours in Chicago?
Standard business hours in Chicago are 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM CST.
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 MST?
When it is 12:00 AM (midnight) in Chicago (CST), it is -2h later in MST (MST).
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