The short answer

12am in Central European Time is 6pm in Eastern Daylight Time on the previous day.

Central European Time is 6 hours ahead of Eastern Daylight Time. That's already evening in Eastern Daylight Time, after the typical working day ends.

Central European Time
12am
Eastern Daylight Time
6pm
previous day
Right now
5:09pmCEST · UTC+02:00 · Sun, Jul 26
11:09amEDT · UTC-04:00 · Sun, Jul 26
Read across to convert
Central European Time
CEST · UTC+02:00
5:09pm ☀
Eastern Daylight Time
EDT · UTC-04:00
11:09am ☀
Pinned12amCentral European Time=6pmEastern Daylight Time · Sat (previous day)
PINNED
12amSun
6pmSat ·−1d
1am
7pmSat ·−1d
2am
8pmSat ·−1d
3am
9pmSat ·−1d
4am
10pmSat ·−1d
5am
11pmSat ·−1d
6am
12amSun
7am
1am
8am
2am
9am
WORK
3am
10am
WORK
4am
11am
WORK
5am
12pm
WORK
6am
1pm
WORK
7am
2pm
WORK
8am
3pm
WORK
9am
WORK
4pm
WORK
10am
WORK
NOW
5pm
11am
WORK
6pm
12pm
WORK
7pm
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WORK
8pm
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9pm
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10pm
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WORK
11pm
5pm
daylightnightworking hoursoverlap
Best time to meet
Best for a call
Central European Time
3pm–5pm
=
Eastern Daylight Time
9am–11am
Popular conversions

Quick reference.

9amCentral European Time=3amEastern Daylight Time
12pmCentral European Time=6amEastern Daylight Time
3pmCentral European Time=9amEastern Daylight Time
5pmCentral European Time=11amEastern Daylight Time
9pmCentral European Time=3pmEastern Daylight Time
In context

What each side covers.

Central European Time
CEST · UTC+02:00
5:09pm
Cities on this clock
Eastern Daylight Time
EDT · UTC-04:00
11:09am
Did you mean…? “EDT” is shared by several places. This page shows Eastern Daylight Time (US & Canada) — or switch to Australian Eastern Standard Time.

Frequently asked

Quick answers about converting between Central European Time and Eastern Daylight Time. Can't find what you need? Email [email protected].

What is the time difference between Central European Time and Eastern Daylight Time?
Central European Time is 6 hours ahead of Eastern Daylight Time right now. We always show the live, daylight-saving-correct difference, so this figure already accounts for whichever side is observing summer time today.
When it's 12am in Central European Time, what time is it in Eastern Daylight Time?
12am in Central European Time is 6pm in Eastern Daylight Time on the previous day. That's already evening in Eastern Daylight Time, after the typical working day ends. Use the hour-by-hour table above to read any other time across.
What's the best time for a call between Central European Time and Eastern Daylight Time?
3pm–5pm in Central European Time lines up with 9am–11am in Eastern Daylight Time — both sides are inside a 9-to-5 working day.
Does this account for daylight saving time?
Yes. We track every clock change in both places, so the abbreviations you see — CEST and EDT — are the ones actually in effect right now, not a fixed all-year value. When either side changes its clocks, this page updates automatically.
Why is the date sometimes different on each side?
When two places are far enough apart, the same moment can fall on different calendar days. That is why some conversions are marked "previous day" or "next day" — it is the same instant in time, read off two clocks that crossed midnight at different points.