CET to HST Converter
Convert time between Central European Time (CET) and Hawaii Standard Time (HST)
Central European Time (CET)
Hawaii Standard Time (HST)
Time Difference
Hawaii Standard Time (HST) is 0 hours ahead of Central European Time (CET)
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Select Time
Quick Reference
| CET | HST |
|---|---|
| 03:00 | 16:00 |
| 05:00 | 18:00 |
| 07:00 | 20:00 |
| 09:00 | 22:00 |
| 11:00 | 00:00 |
| 13:00 | 02:00 |
| 15:00 | 04:00 |
| 17:00 | 06:00 |
| 19:00 | 08:00 |
| 21:00 | 10:00 |
| 23:00 | 12:00 |
| 01:00 | 14:00 |
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 HST Time Conversion
Converting time between Central European Time (CET) and Hawaii Standard Time (HST) is essential for coordination between Europe and Hawaii. CET is UTC+1, while HST is UTC-10, making HST 11 hours behind CET.
This conversion is crucial for international business operations spanning Europe and Hawaii, including Honolulu and other Hawaiian islands. Hawaii does not observe daylight saving time, remaining on HST year-round, while CET transitions to CEST (UTC+2) from March to October. This means the time difference varies between 11 and 12 hours depending on the season.
Common Use Cases for CET to HST Conversion
Business & Work
- Scheduling meetings between European and Hawaii-based businesses and operations
- Coordinating operations between European and Hawaii regional offices
- Managing international teams across Europe and Hawaii
- Planning conference calls with distributed global teams in Hawaii time zone
- Coordinating with tourism, hospitality, and international business in Hawaii
Personal & Travel
- Coordinating with family and friends in Europe from Hawaii
- Planning travel between Europe and Hawaii
- Scheduling virtual events and online meetings across extreme time zones
- Coordinating online classes, training, or collaboration sessions
- Tracking European events and live broadcasts from Hawaii
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
Hawaii Standard Time (HST)
- UTC Offset: UTC-10
- IANA Timezone: Pacific/Honolulu
- Daylight Saving: None - Hawaii does not observe daylight saving time
- Major Cities: Honolulu, Hilo, Lahaina, Kailua-Kona
- Coverage: All Hawaiian Islands
Quick Reference: CET to HST
Note: HST is always 11 hours behind CET (March-October) or 12 hours behind (November-February when Europe is on CET and Hawaii stays on HST). Hawaii is more than a full day behind Central Europe!
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the time difference between CET and HST?
Central European Time (CET) is UTC+1, while Hawaii Standard Time (HST) is UTC-10. This means CET is 11 hours ahead of HST. When you have 12:00 noon in Paris (CET), it's 1:00 AM the same day in Honolulu (HST). During March-October when Europe is on CEST (UTC+2), the difference becomes 12 hours.
How does the CET to HST offset compare to other Pacific time zones?
HST is the western-most US time zone. It's 2 hours behind AKST (Alaska). Since CET is 11 hours ahead of HST, it's 10 hours ahead of AKST and 9-10 hours ahead of PDT/PST depending on the season. Hawaii is the furthest location from Europe in terms of time zones.
Does Hawaii observe daylight saving time like CET?
No, Hawaii does not observe daylight saving time. Hawaii remains on HST (UTC-10) year-round. CET transitions to CEST (UTC+2) from the last Sunday in March to the last Sunday in October. This means the time difference between CET and HST varies: 11 hours (November-March) or 12 hours (March-October).
When does the time difference change between 11 and 12 hours?
The time difference changes on the last Sunday in March when Europe transitions to summer time (CEST). From March to October, CET becomes CEST (UTC+2), making HST 12 hours behind. From November to March, CET returns to UTC+1, making HST 11 hours behind.
What are the best times to schedule calls between Europe and Hawaii?
Due to the massive 11-12 hour difference, overlapping business hours are very limited. Early morning in Europe (7-9 AM CET) overlaps with late afternoon/evening Hawaii time (8-10 PM HST previous day). Evening in Europe (5-7 PM CET) overlaps with early morning Hawaii (6-8 AM HST). The 5-7 PM CET window (6-8 AM HST) offers the best overlap.
Why do businesses coordinate between Europe and Hawaii?
Hawaii hosts significant tourism and hospitality industries, as well as tech companies, international trade operations, and military/government facilities. Many European companies partner with Hawaii-based businesses. The extreme time difference requires careful scheduling and often benefits from asynchronous communication and follow-the-sun work patterns.
Pro Tips
- • Hawaii does not observe daylight saving time, but Europe does. Mark the last Sunday in March and October on your calendar, as these dates change the time difference from 11 to 12 hours.
- • The 11-12 hour gap is the largest of any major US time zone with Europe - a 5 PM CET call is 6 AM HST. The 5-7 PM CET window (6-8 AM HST) is your best real-time meeting window.
- • European morning standups (9 AM CET) overlap with Hawaii evening (8 PM HST previous day). For alert participants, 5-6 PM CET (6-7 AM HST) works better for both time zones.
- • Rely heavily on asynchronous communication. Email, recorded updates, and shared documents are more practical than real-time meetings across the 11-12 hour gap.
- • Use "follow-the-sun" workflows: Europeans work during their day, hand off to Hawaii in early morning, enabling 24-hour coverage across both locations.
- • The 5-7 PM CET window (6-8 AM HST) is prime meeting time. Schedule all critical synchronous discussions within this window when both teams are relatively alert.
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