BST to CST Converter
Convert time between British Summer Time (BST) and Central Standard Time (CST)
British Summer Time (BST)
Central Standard Time (CST)
Time Difference
Central Standard Time (CST) is 0 hours ahead of British Summer Time (BST)
Select Date
Select Time
Quick Reference
| BST | CST |
|---|---|
| 02:00 | 20:00 |
| 04:00 | 22:00 |
| 06:00 | 00:00 |
| 08:00 | 02:00 |
| 10:00 | 04:00 |
| 12:00 | 06:00 |
| 14:00 | 08:00 |
| 16:00 | 10:00 |
| 18:00 | 12:00 |
| 20:00 | 14:00 |
| 22:00 | 16:00 |
| 00:00 | 18:00 |
Top 10 Most Common Time Zones
| Abbreviation | Full Name | UTC Offset | Typical Use |
|---|---|---|---|
| UTC | Coordinated Universal Time | UTC ±0 | Global reference standard (servers, logs, APIs) |
| EST / EDT | Eastern (US) Time | UTC −5 / −4 | New York, Toronto — North American business hub |
| CST / CDT | Central (US) Time | UTC −6 / −5 | Chicago, Dallas — US central business region |
| PST / PDT | Pacific (US) Time | UTC −8 / −7 | San Francisco, Los Angeles — tech industry standard |
| GMT / BST | Greenwich Mean / British Summer Time | UTC 0 / +1 | UK, used globally as a reference with UTC |
| CET / CEST | Central European (Summer) Time | UTC +1 / +2 | Paris, Berlin, Amsterdam — EU business core |
| IST | India Standard Time | UTC +5:30 | India — major IT & outsourcing region |
| CST | China Standard Time | UTC +8 | Beijing, Shanghai — East Asia business hub |
| JST | Japan Standard Time | UTC +9 | Tokyo — finance & tech hub |
| AEST / AEDT | Australian Eastern (Daylight) Time | UTC +10 / +11 | Sydney, Melbourne — APAC regional business |
Why Time Zone Abbreviations Are Ambiguous
Unlike standardized identifiers (like America/New_York or Europe/London from the IANA tz database), abbreviations such as "CST" or "IST" are not globally unique. They can refer to different time zones depending on context — country, region, or even time of year (due to daylight saving time).
Common Ambiguous Time Zone Abbreviations
| Abbrev. | Common Meaning(s) | UTC Offset | Region(s) |
|---|---|---|---|
| CST | Central Standard Time / China Standard Time / Cuba Standard Time | UTC−6 / UTC+8 / UTC−5 | North America, China, Cuba |
| IST | Indian Standard Time / Irish Standard Time / Israel Standard Time | UTC+5:30 / UTC+1 / UTC+2 | India, Ireland, Israel |
| AST | Atlantic Standard Time / Arabia Standard Time | UTC−4 / UTC+3 | Caribbean, Canada, Middle East |
| PST | Pacific Standard Time / Philippine Standard Time | UTC−8 / UTC+8 | North America, Philippines |
| EST | Eastern Standard Time (North America / Australia) | UTC−5 / UTC+10 | North America, Australia |
✅ Best Practice
To avoid ambiguity, always:
- Use IANA tz identifiers — e.g.,
America/New_Yorkinstead of "EST" - Specify UTC offset explicitly — e.g.,
UTC−5when abbreviations must be used - Include the full timezone name — e.g., "Eastern Standard Time (EST)" with UTC offset
Related Time Zone Conversions
About BST to CST Time Conversion
Converting time between British Summer Time (BST) and Central Standard Time (CST) is essential for coordinating activities between the UK and the US Central region during daylight saving time. BST is UTC+1, while CST is UTC-6, making CST 7 hours behind BST.
This time zone converter uses the IANA timezone database to ensure accurate calculations, accounting for daylight saving time transitions and regional variations. Whether you're scheduling business meetings between London and Chicago, planning travel, or coordinating with teams across time zones, our converter provides reliable results.
Common Use Cases for BST to CST Conversion
Business & Work
- Scheduling meetings between UK and US Central region offices
- Coordinating London and Chicago business operations
- Planning transatlantic conference calls and webinars for Central US
Personal & Travel
- Planning travel itineraries from UK to US Central region
- Coordinating with family and friends in Chicago, Dallas, and Houston
- Scheduling virtual events with UK-US Central audiences
Time Zone Information
British Summer Time (BST)
- UTC Offset: UTC+1 (UTC+0 during GMT)
- IANA Timezone: Europe/London
- Daylight Saving: Last Sunday in March to Last Sunday in October
- Major Cities: London, Manchester, Edinburgh, Cardiff, Belfast
- Coverage: United Kingdom and Ireland (during daylight saving time)
Central Standard Time (CST)
- UTC Offset: UTC-6 (UTC-5 during CDT)
- IANA Timezone: America/Chicago
- Daylight Saving: Second Sunday in March to First Sunday in November
- Major Cities: Chicago, Dallas, Houston, Memphis, New Orleans
- Coverage: Central United States and Canada
Quick Reference: BST to CST
Remember: CST is always 7 hours behind BST
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the time difference between BST and CST?
British Summer Time (BST) is UTC+1, while Central Standard Time (CST) is UTC-6. BST is 7 hours ahead of CST. This means when it's 1:00 PM in BST, it's 6:00 AM in CST. Note that BST is only active during daylight saving time (late March to late October).
When is BST active and what happens the rest of the year?
British Summer Time (BST) is active from the last Sunday in March to the last Sunday in October. During the rest of the year (late October to late March), the UK observes Greenwich Mean Time (GMT), which is UTC+0. This changes the time difference to 6 hours during GMT. CST does not observe daylight saving time year-round.
Does the US Central region also observe daylight saving time?
Yes, the US Central region observes daylight saving time. From mid-March to early November, it uses Central Daylight Time (CDT, UTC-5), and the rest of the year uses Central Standard Time (CST, UTC-6). During CDT, the difference from BST becomes 6 hours instead of 7. Always verify which daylight saving period is active when scheduling.
What are the major cities in BST and CST timezones?
BST covers major UK cities including London, Manchester, Edinburgh, Cardiff, and Belfast. CST covers major Central US cities like Chicago, Dallas, Houston, Memphis, New Orleans, and St. Louis. Understanding these key business hubs helps with transatlantic coordination.
How do I convert BST to CST manually?
To convert from BST to CST, subtract 7 hours from the BST time. For example, if it's 3:00 PM BST, it would be 8:00 AM CST. Remember that this conversion only applies during daylight saving time (late March to late October). Outside this period, use GMT (UTC+0) for UK time, which is 6 hours ahead of CST.
What should I know about scheduling across BST and CST?
The UK and US Central region have very limited working hour overlap. Morning BST times (8-10 AM) correspond to early morning CST times (1-3 AM), while afternoon BST (2-4 PM) corresponds to early morning CST (7-9 AM). This makes synchronous meetings challenging, requiring one party to work very early or very late hours.
Pro Tips
- • BST is always 7 hours ahead of CST - but only during late March to late October. Outside this period, use GMT which is 6 hours ahead.
- • Both UK and US observe daylight saving but on different dates. UK changes occur on the last Sunday of March and October, while US Central changes happen on the second Sunday of March and first Sunday of November.
- • Morning BST (8-10 AM) equals very early morning CST (1-3 AM), making real-time collaboration nearly impossible during these hours without one party working overnight.
- • Early afternoon BST (2-4 PM) roughly aligns with morning CST (7-9 AM), offering the best window for transatlantic business meetings during standard hours.
- • For best scheduling results, early morning UK times (7-8 AM BST = 12-1 AM CST) are impractical, while late afternoon UK times (4-6 PM BST = 9-11 AM CST) work better for Central US business hours.
- • Always check daylight saving transition dates when scheduling events far in advance, as UK (late March/October) and US Central (mid-March/early November) change on different dates by 1-2 weeks.