CST to COT
+1hCST
CSTSOURCECOT
COTGreen rows indicate typical business hours (9 AM - 5 PM)
CST and COT on the World Map
The map below highlights the CST (Central Standard Time) and COT (Colombia 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.
COT – Colombia Time
UTC-05:00Colombia Time (COT) is the standard time for Colombia, 5 hours behind UTC.
- •Colombia does not observe daylight saving time.
- •COT is the same offset as EST (UTC-05:00).
- •Bogotá sits at 2,640m elevation, making it one of the highest capital cities.
Time Conversion Guide: CST to COT
CST runs on Central Standard Time (CST) at UTC-06:00. COT runs on Colombia Time (COT) at UTC-05:00. That puts CST 1 hour ahead of COT — a difference of +1h at the current offsets.
In practice, when it is 9:00 AM in CST it is 10:00 AM in COT. Midnight in CST is 1:00 AM in COT. Neither zone observes daylight saving time, so the offset between them stays constant all year.
CST to COT time conversion table
| CST (CST) | COT (COT) | Day |
|---|---|---|
| 12:00 AM | 1:00 AM | same day |
| 6:00 AM | 7:00 AM | same day |
| 7:00 AM | 8:00 AM | same day |
| 8:00 AM | 9:00 AM | same day |
| 9:00 AM | 10:00 AM | same day |
| 12:00 PM | 1:00 PM | same day |
| 3:00 PM | 4:00 PM | same day |
| 5:00 PM | 6:00 PM | same day |
| 6:00 PM | 7:00 PM | same day |
| 9:00 PM | 10:00 PM | same day |
Why people convert CST to COT time
- Scheduling a call from CST to COT: a 10:00 AM start in CST lands at 11:00 AM in COT, so you can confirm the slot without doing the arithmetic yourself.
- Finding shared working hours: both CST and COT are inside the 9-to-5 working day between 9:00 AM and 4:00 PM CST time (10:00 AM–5:00 PM COT). That is roughly 7 hours of usable overlap.
- Keeping family and friends in sync: knowing that 8:00 PM in CST is 9:00 PM in COT makes it easy to avoid calling at 3 AM.
- Always state the zone abbreviation, not just the hour. "3:00 PM CST" is unambiguous; "3 PM" across a +1h gap is not.
- Block 9:00 AM–4:00 PM CST as the recurring meeting window if you work primarily from CST and need COT colleagues present.
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 COT (Colombia Time)
Colombia Time (COT) is used throughout Colombia. Colombia does not observe daylight saving time. COT shares the same offset as EST (UTC-05:00). Bogotá, the capital, is one of the largest cities in South America.
Best time to call between CST and COT
Both CST and COT sit inside the 9 AM – 5 PM working day between 9:00 AM–4:00 PM CST, which is 10:00 AM–5:00 PM COT. That gives roughly 7 hours of shared time — the safest window for a live call or meeting.
Business hours overlap
CST and COT share 7 hours of working-hours overlap (9:00 AM–4:00 PM CST), so scheduling a live meeting is straightforward.
CST is 1 hour ahead of COT (CST UTC-06:00 → COT UTC-05:00). The shared working window is 9:00 AM–4:00 PM CST. Remember to re-check around daylight-saving transitions.
🕐 Daylight Saving Time Info
CST
☀ Currently in DST
Standard: UTC-06:00 · DST: UTC-05:00
Clocks fall back on Sun, Nov 1, 2026
COT
Does not observe DST
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 CST and COT?
CST (CST, UTC-06:00) is 1 hour ahead of COT (COT, UTC-05:00). The gap is currently +1h.
How do I convert CST time to COT time?
Add +1h to CST local time. For example, 9:00 AM in CST is 10:00 AM in COT.
What time is it in COT right now?
COT uses COT at UTC-05:00. Use the live converter at the top of this page — it updates in real time and already accounts for the +1h offset from CST.
What is the best time to call COT from CST?
Call between 9:00 AM and 4:00 PM CST — that maps to 10:00 AM–5:00 PM COT and keeps both parties inside the working day.
Which is ahead, CST or COT?
CST is 1 hour ahead of COT. When it is 12:00 PM in CST it is 1:00 PM in COT.
Does daylight saving time affect the CST–COT difference?
Neither zone observes daylight saving time, so the +1h offset between CST and COT is fixed all year.
Which other cities share CST's time zone?
CST also covers Chicago, Houston, Dallas, San Antonio, Mexico City, Austin, Winnipeg, Memphis and 6 more.
Which countries use CST, CST'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 CST and COT?
Not normally. The +1h gap only pushes the date over for late-evening times.
What is the time difference between CST and COT?
COT is +1h from CST.
What timezone is CST in?
CST operates on its local timezone.
What timezone is COT in?
COT 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 COT timezone?
Major cities in the COT timezone include Bogotá, Medellín, Cali, Barranquilla, Cartagena.
What is the UTC offset for COT?
Colombia Time (COT) is at UTC-05:00.
What should I know about the COT timezone?
Colombia does not observe daylight saving time. COT is the same offset as EST (UTC-05:00).
When is it midnight in CST, what time is it in COT?
When it is 12:00 AM (midnight) in CST (CST), it is +1h later in COT (COT).
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See every conversion from CST →·See every conversion from COT →