CST to MST
-1hCST
CSTSOURCEMST
MSTGreen rows indicate typical business hours (9 AM - 5 PM)
CST and MST on the World Map
The map below highlights the CST (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.
CST vs MST: Offsets, DST and Best Call Times
CST runs on Central Standard Time (CST) at UTC-06:00. MST runs on Mountain Standard Time (MST) at UTC-07:00. That puts CST 1 hour behind MST — a difference of -1h at the current offsets.
In practice, when it is 9:00 AM in CST it is 8:00 AM in MST. Midnight in CST is 11:00 PM in MST. Neither zone observes daylight saving time, so the offset between them stays constant all year.
CST to MST time conversion table
| CST (CST) | MST (MST) | 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 CST to MST time
- Scheduling a call from CST to MST: a 10:00 AM start in CST lands at 9:00 AM in MST, so you can confirm the slot without doing the arithmetic yourself.
- Finding shared working hours: both CST and MST are inside the 9-to-5 working day between 10:00 AM and 5:00 PM CST time (9:00 AM–4:00 PM MST). That is roughly 7 hours of usable overlap.
- Coordinating a CST-based team with MST 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 CST" is unambiguous; "3 PM" across a -1h gap is not.
- Block 10:00 AM–5:00 PM CST as the recurring meeting window if you work primarily from CST and need MST 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 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 CST and MST
Both CST and MST sit inside the 9 AM – 5 PM working day between 10:00 AM–5:00 PM CST, which is 9:00 AM–4:00 PM MST. That gives roughly 7 hours of shared time — the safest window for a live call or meeting.
Business hours overlap
CST and MST share 7 hours of working-hours overlap (10:00 AM–5:00 PM CST), so scheduling a live meeting is straightforward.
CST is 1 hour behind MST (CST UTC-06:00 → MST UTC-07:00). The shared working window is 10:00 AM–5:00 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
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 CST and MST?
CST (CST, UTC-06:00) is 1 hour behind MST (MST, UTC-07:00). The gap is currently -1h.
How do I convert CST time to MST time?
Add -1h to CST local time. For example, 9:00 AM in CST is 8:00 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 -1h offset from CST.
What is the best time to call MST from CST?
Call between 10:00 AM and 5:00 PM CST — that maps to 9:00 AM–4:00 PM MST and keeps both parties inside the working day.
Which is behind, CST or MST?
CST is 1 hour behind MST. When it is 12:00 PM in CST it is 11:00 AM in MST.
Does daylight saving time affect the CST–MST difference?
Neither zone observes daylight saving time, so the -1h offset between CST and MST 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 MST?
Not normally. The -1h gap only pushes the date over the previous day.
What is the time difference between CST and MST?
MST is -1h from CST.
What timezone is CST in?
CST operates on its local timezone.
What timezone is MST in?
MST 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 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 CST, what time is it in MST?
When it is 12:00 AM (midnight) in CST (CST), it is -1h later in MST (MST).
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See every conversion from CST →·See every conversion from MST →