Nairobi to CST
-9hNairobi
EATSOURCECST
CSTGreen rows indicate typical business hours (9 AM - 5 PM)
EAT and CST on the World Map
The map below highlights the EAT (East Africa Time) and CST (Central Standard Time) timezone regions across the globe.
EAT – East Africa Time
UTC+03:00East Africa Time (EAT) is the time zone for East Africa, 3 hours ahead of UTC.
- •Nairobi is a major tech hub in Africa, often called 'Silicon Savannah'.
- •Ethiopia uses its own calendar, which is 7-8 years behind the Gregorian calendar.
- •EAT is the same offset as MSK (Moscow Time).
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.
About Nairobi
WikipediaNairobi operates on East Africa Time (EAT), UTC+3. As the tech hub of Africa (Silicon Savannah), Nairobi leads African fintech and mobile innovation.
Nairobi National Park is the only national park within a capital city, with lions visible against the skyline.
Understanding the -9h Gap: Nairobi vs CST
Nairobi runs on East Africa Time (EAT) at UTC+03:00. CST runs on Central Standard Time (CST) at UTC-06:00. That puts Nairobi 9 hours behind CST — a difference of -9h at the current offsets.
In practice, when it is 9:00 AM in Nairobi it is 12:00 AM in CST. Midnight in Nairobi is 3:00 PM in CST. Neither zone observes daylight saving time, so the offset between them stays constant all year.
Nairobi to CST time conversion table
| Nairobi (EAT) | CST (CST) | Day |
|---|---|---|
| 12:00 AM | 3:00 PM | previous day |
| 6:00 AM | 9:00 PM | previous day |
| 7:00 AM | 10:00 PM | previous day |
| 8:00 AM | 11:00 PM | previous day |
| 9:00 AM | 12:00 AM | same day |
| 12:00 PM | 3:00 AM | same day |
| 3:00 PM | 6:00 AM | same day |
| 5:00 PM | 8:00 AM | same day |
| 6:00 PM | 9:00 AM | same day |
| 9:00 PM | 12:00 PM | same day |
Why people convert Nairobi to CST time
- Scheduling a call from Nairobi to CST: a 10:00 AM start in Nairobi lands at 1:00 AM in CST, so you can confirm the slot without doing the arithmetic yourself.
- Handling a -9h gap: Nairobi and CST 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 CST is 12:00 AM in Nairobi.
- Keeping family and friends in sync: knowing that 8:00 PM in Nairobi is 11:00 AM in CST makes it easy to avoid calling at 3 AM.
- Always state the zone abbreviation, not just the hour. "3:00 PM EAT" is unambiguous; "3 PM" across a -9h gap is not.
- With a -9h gap there is no shared 9-to-5 window, so alternate the early start: one week Nairobi takes the early slot, the next week CST does.
About EAT (East Africa Time)
East Africa Time (EAT) is used in the countries of East Africa including Kenya, Ethiopia, Tanzania, Uganda, and others. EAT does not observe daylight saving time and shares the same offset as Moscow Standard Time (MSK).
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.
Best time to call between Nairobi and CST
With a -9h offset there is no overlap inside a normal 9 AM – 5 PM day. CST opens at 9:00 AM CST, which is 12:00 AM in Nairobi, so real-time calls need an early-morning or late-evening slot on one side.
Business hours overlap
Nairobi and CST have no shared working hours because of the -9h gap. Teams need to alternate early starts or rely on asynchronous handovers.
Nairobi is 9 hours behind CST (EAT UTC+03:00 → CST UTC-06:00). 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
Nairobi
Does not observe DST
CST
☀ Currently in DST
Standard: UTC-06:00 · DST: UTC-05:00
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 Nairobi and CST?
Nairobi (EAT, UTC+03:00) is 9 hours behind CST (CST, UTC-06:00). The gap is currently -9h.
How do I convert Nairobi time to CST time?
Add -9h to Nairobi local time. For example, 9:00 AM in Nairobi is 12:00 AM in CST.
What time is it in CST right now?
CST uses CST at UTC-06:00. Use the live converter at the top of this page — it updates in real time and already accounts for the -9h offset from Nairobi.
What is the best time to call CST from Nairobi?
There is no shared working-hours window because of the -9h gap. The closest option is 1:00 PM in Nairobi, which is 4:00 AM in CST.
Which is behind, Nairobi or CST?
Nairobi is 9 hours behind CST. When it is 12:00 PM in Nairobi it is 3:00 AM in CST.
Do Nairobi and CST use different time zones?
Nairobi (Kenya) uses EAT at UTC+03:00, while CST uses CST at UTC-06:00. The IANA identifiers are Africa/Nairobi and America/Chicago.
Does daylight saving time affect the Nairobi–CST difference?
Neither zone observes daylight saving time, so the -9h offset between Nairobi and CST is fixed all year.
Which other cities share Nairobi's time zone?
EAT also covers Nairobi, Addis Ababa, Dar es Salaam, Kampala, Mogadishu, Antananarivo.
Which countries use EAT, Nairobi's zone?
EAT is used in Kenya, Ethiopia, Tanzania, Uganda, Somalia, Madagascar, Eritrea, Djibouti.
Is there a day difference between Nairobi and CST?
Not normally. The -9h gap only pushes the date over the previous day.
What is the time difference between Nairobi and CST?
CST is -9h from Nairobi.
What timezone is Nairobi in?
Nairobi operates on East Africa Time (EAT), UTC+3. As the tech hub of Africa (Silicon Savannah), Nairobi leads African fintech and mobile innovation.
What timezone is CST in?
CST operates on its local timezone.
What are the business hours in Nairobi?
Standard business hours in Nairobi are 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM EAT.
Which countries use EAT (East Africa Time)?
EAT is used in Kenya, Ethiopia, Tanzania, Uganda, Somalia, Madagascar, and 2 more countries.
Does EAT observe daylight saving time?
No, EAT does not observe daylight saving time and remains at UTC+03:00 year-round.
What are some interesting facts about EAT?
Nairobi is a major tech hub in Africa, often called 'Silicon Savannah'. Ethiopia uses its own calendar, which is 7-8 years behind the Gregorian calendar.
Which cities are in the CST timezone?
Major cities in the CST timezone include Chicago, Houston, Dallas, San Antonio, Mexico City, Austin, Winnipeg, Memphis.
What is the UTC offset for CST?
Central Standard Time (CST) is at UTC-06:00. During daylight saving time, it shifts to CDT.
What should I know about the CST timezone?
CST covers 20 US states fully or partially. Chicago and Houston are the two largest cities in the Central Time Zone.
When is it midnight in Nairobi, what time is it in CST?
When it is 12:00 AM (midnight) in Nairobi (EAT), it is -9h later in CST (CST).
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