CET to CDT Converter
Convert time between Central European Time (CET) and Central Daylight Time (CDT)
Central European Time (CET)
Central Daylight Time (CDT)
Time Difference
Central Daylight Time (CDT) is 0 hours ahead of Central European Time (CET)
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Select Time
Quick Reference
| CET | CDT |
|---|---|
| 03:00 | 20:00 |
| 05:00 | 22:00 |
| 07:00 | 00:00 |
| 09:00 | 02:00 |
| 11:00 | 04:00 |
| 13:00 | 06:00 |
| 15:00 | 08:00 |
| 17:00 | 10:00 |
| 19:00 | 12:00 |
| 21:00 | 14:00 |
| 23:00 | 16:00 |
| 01:00 | 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 CET to CDT Time Conversion
Converting time between Central European Time (CET) and Central Daylight Time (CDT) is essential for coordination between Europe and the US Central region. CET is UTC+1, while CDT is UTC-5, making CDT 6 hours behind CET.
This conversion is crucial for international business operations spanning Europe and the US Central region, including major cities like Chicago, Houston, and Dallas. Both regions observe daylight saving time, with CET transitioning to CEST (UTC+2) from March to October, and CDT being active from March to November. This means the actual difference can vary between 6 and 7 hours depending on the time of year.
Common Use Cases for CET to CDT Conversion
Business & Work
- Scheduling transatlantic business meetings between Europe and Central US headquarters
- Coordinating operations between European and Central US regional offices
- Managing international teams across Europe and major Central US cities
- Planning conference calls with distributed global teams in Central time zone
- Coordinating with financial, energy, and industrial operations in the Central region
Personal & Travel
- Coordinating with family and friends in Europe from Central US locations
- Planning travel between Europe and Central US cities
- Scheduling virtual events and online meetings across time zones
- Coordinating online classes, training, or collaboration sessions
- Tracking European events and live broadcasts from Central US
Time Zone Information
Central European Time (CET)
- UTC Offset: UTC+1 (UTC+2 during CEST)
- IANA Timezone: Europe/Paris
- Daylight Saving: Last Sunday in March to Last Sunday in October
- Major Cities: Paris, Berlin, Amsterdam, Brussels, Vienna, Prague, Milan, Madrid
- Coverage: Central Europe including France, Germany, Spain, Italy, Poland, and more
Central Daylight Time (CDT)
- UTC Offset: UTC-5 (UTC-6 during CST)
- IANA Timezone: America/Chicago
- Daylight Saving: Second Sunday in March to First Sunday in November
- Major Cities: Chicago, Houston, Dallas, San Antonio, Austin, New Orleans
- Coverage: Central United States and parts of Canada and Mexico
Quick Reference: CET to CDT
Note: CDT is always 6 hours behind CET (March-November when CDT is active), or 7 hours behind when CST (UTC-6) is active (November-March)
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the time difference between CET and CDT?
Central European Time (CET) is UTC+1, while Central Daylight Time (CDT) is UTC-5. This means CET is 6 hours ahead of CDT. When you have 12:00 PM in Paris (CET), it's 6:00 AM in Chicago (CDT) the same day. During winter months when CST (UTC-6) is active instead of CDT, the difference becomes 7 hours.
How does the CET to CDT offset compare to other US time zones?
CDT is 1 hour behind EDT (Eastern) and 1 hour ahead of MDT (Mountain). Since CET is 6 hours ahead of CDT, it's 5 hours ahead of EDT and 7 hours ahead of MDT. The Central region offers a balanced time zone for Europe-US coordination, better than either coast.
Does Europe observe daylight saving time like CDT does?
Yes, Europe observes daylight saving time. CET transitions to CEST (Central European Summer Time, UTC+2) from the last Sunday in March to the last Sunday in October. CDT is observed from the second Sunday in March to the first Sunday in November. The transitions happen on different dates, creating periods where the offset is either 6 or 7 hours.
When do the daylight saving time transitions occur?
Europe transitions to summer time on the last Sunday in March and back to standard time on the last Sunday in October. The US transitions to daylight time on the second Sunday in March and back to standard time on the first Sunday in November. This means there are 1-2 week periods where the offset differs by one hour when only one region is in daylight saving time.
What are the best times to schedule calls between Europe and Central US?
Due to the 6-hour difference, overlapping business hours are limited. Early morning in Europe (7-9 AM CET) overlaps with late evening in Central US (1-3 AM CDT). Late afternoon in Europe (5-7 PM CET) overlaps with late morning in Central US (11 AM-1 PM CDT). The 11 AM-1 PM CDT window (5-7 PM CET) offers the best afternoon-late morning overlap for both regions.
Why do many European companies operate from Central US offices?
The Central US region offers significant advantages: lower operational costs than coastal cities, major tech hubs (Austin, Dallas), corporate headquarters (Chicago), excellent air connectivity, and a substantial skilled workforce. The 6-hour offset with Europe is more manageable than the 9-hour offset with Pacific time, allowing better business hour overlap for coordination and meetings.
Pro Tips
- • Europe transitions on the last Sunday of March and October, while the US transitions on the second Sunday of March and first Sunday of November. Mark your calendar for these dates as they create temporary offset changes.
- • The 6-hour difference is significant - a 5 PM CET call is 11 AM CDT. For urgent Europe-Central US meetings, the 5-6 PM CET window (11 AM-12 PM CDT) works well for both regions.
- • European morning standups (9 AM CET) overlap with Central US midnight (3 AM CDT). Consider scheduling critical discussions at 5 PM CET (11 AM CDT) instead, when both teams are alert.
- • Schedule Indian team morning meetings (7-9 AM IST) for CDT evening slots (8:30-10:30 PM CDT) to maintain work-life balance on both sides.
- • Chicago office hours (9 AM-5 PM CDT) align with 3-11 PM CET the same day - excellent overlap for European evening work.
- • The 5-6 PM CET window (11 AM-12 PM CDT) is prime time for Europe-Central US meetings. Use this "golden hour" for synchronous collaboration and urgent discussions.
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