The short answer

7am in Central Standard Time is 8am in Eastern Time.

Central Standard Time is 1 hour behind Eastern Time. That's early morning in Eastern Time, before the typical working day begins.

Central Standard Time
7am
Eastern Time
8am
Right now
6:09amCDT · UTC-05:00 · Mon, Jun 22
7:09amEDT · UTC-04:00 · Mon, Jun 22
Read across to convert
Central Standard Time
CDT · UTC-05:00
6:09am ☀
Eastern Time
EDT · UTC-04:00
7:09am ☀
Pinned7amCentral Standard Time=8amEastern Time
12amMon
1am
1am
2am
2am
3am
3am
4am
4am
5am
5am
6am
NOW
6am
7am
PINNED
7am
8am
8am
9am
WORK
9am
WORK
10am
WORK
10am
WORK
11am
WORK
11am
WORK
12pm
WORK
12pm
WORK
1pm
WORK
1pm
WORK
2pm
WORK
2pm
WORK
3pm
WORK
3pm
WORK
4pm
WORK
4pm
WORK
5pm
5pm
6pm
6pm
7pm
7pm
8pm
8pm
9pm
9pm
10pm
10pm
11pm
11pm
12amTue ·+1d
daylightnightworking hoursoverlap
Best time to meet
Best for a call
Central Standard Time
9am–4pm
=
Eastern Time
10am–5pm
Popular conversions

Quick reference.

9amCentral Standard Time=10amEastern Time
12pmCentral Standard Time=1pmEastern Time
3pmCentral Standard Time=4pmEastern Time
5pmCentral Standard Time=6pmEastern Time
9pmCentral Standard Time=10pmEastern Time
In context

What each side covers.

Central Standard Time
CDT · UTC-05:00
6:09am
Cities on this clock
Eastern Time
EDT · UTC-04:00
7:09am
Did you mean…? “CDT” is shared by several places. This page shows Central Standard Time (US & Canada) — or switch to China Standard Time · Cuba Standard Time.

Frequently asked

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

What is the time difference between Central Standard Time and Eastern Time?
Central Standard Time is 1 hour behind Eastern 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 7am in Central Standard Time, what time is it in Eastern Time?
7am in Central Standard Time is 8am in Eastern Time. That's early morning in Eastern Time, before the typical working day begins. Use the hour-by-hour table above to read any other time across.
What's the best time for a call between Central Standard Time and Eastern Time?
9am–4pm in Central Standard Time lines up with 10am–5pm in Eastern 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 — CDT 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.