What is CST?

Central Standard Time / Cuba Standard Time / China Standard Time / Taipei Standard TimeUTC-6DST: CDT

About the CST Timezone

AbbreviationCST
Full nameCentral Standard Time / Cuba Standard Time / China Standard Time / Taipei Standard Time
UTC offsetUTC-6
Daylight saving (DST)Yes → CDT
UTC (DST)UTC-5

⚠️ The abbreviation "CST" is shared by more than one timezone. Make sure you know which one is intended in your context.

Cities in the CST Timezone

Chicago

United States

UTC-6

Mexico City

Mexico

UTC-6

Guatemala City

Guatemala

UTC-6

Winnipeg

Canada

UTC-6

San José

Costa Rica

UTC-6

Belize City

Belize

UTC-6

Managua

Nicaragua

UTC-6

Houston

United States

UTC-6

Dallas

United States

UTC-6

San Antonio

United States

UTC-6

and 65 more cities…

Frequently Asked Questions

What timezone is CST?
CST stands for Central Standard Time / Cuba Standard Time / China Standard Time / Taipei Standard Time. The standard UTC offset is UTC-6. Note that CST is a shared abbreviation used by more than one timezone.
What cities and countries use CST?
Cities in the CST timezone include: Chicago, Mexico City, Guatemala City, Winnipeg, San José, Belize City, Managua, Houston. Countries: United States, Mexico, Guatemala, Canada, Costa Rica, Belize, Nicaragua.
Does CST observe daylight saving time (DST)?
Yes, CST (Central Standard Time) observes daylight saving time (DST). Clocks are set forward during summer, and the zone is then referred to as CDT.
What is the UTC offset of CST?
The standard UTC offset for CST is UTC-6. During daylight saving time (CDT), the offset is UTC-5.
How do I convert CST to my local time?
To convert CST to your local time, find your timezone's UTC offset and calculate the difference from UTC-6 (CST's UTC offset). Use our timezone converter for automatic calculations.