PST to CST converter
Convert Pacific Time to Central Time. Chicago is two hours ahead of Los Angeles, all year, so 9 AM in California is 11 AM in Chicago.
Chicago is 2 hours ahead of Los Angeles (PST vs CST).
From California to the Midwest
Going from the West Coast to the Midwest means adding two hours. 9:00 AM PST is 11:00 AM CST, and 5:00 PM PST is 7:00 PM CST. The gap is a constant two hours, because California and the central states change their clocks on the same dates.
For a team spread between the two, the effect is that California is always the early riser. By the time Los Angeles has its first meeting at 9, Chicago is closing in on lunch, and Chicago’s day is over just as the West Coast hits mid-afternoon.
The Pacific to Central gap is the shortest of the coast-to-heartland links in the US.
Setting meetings
The overlap runs from 9 AM to 3 PM Pacific, which is 11 AM to 5 PM Central.
- 9:00 AM PST is 11:00 AM CST
- 1:00 PM PST is 3:00 PM CST
- 3:00 PM PST is 5:00 PM CST, Chicago’s closing time
Anything scheduled after 3 PM Pacific falls after the Midwest office closes.
Travel
The flight from Los Angeles to Chicago takes about four hours and loses two hours on the clock.
- Depart LAX at 7:00 AM PST, arrive about 1:00 PM CST
- Depart O’Hare at 5:00 PM CST, arrive about 7:00 PM PST
- A Dallas game at 7:00 PM CST starts at 5:00 PM PST
Going east, the day seems shorter.
Sport and broadcast
Network schedules are listed in Eastern and Pacific time, with Central in the middle.
- An NFL game at 12:00 PM PST kicks off at 2:00 PM CST
- An 8:00 PM PST premiere airs at 10:00 PM CST
- A morning radio show at 6:00 AM PST is 8:00 AM CST
Pacific audiences see events two hours earlier than Central ones.
Deadlines in Pacific Time
A West Coast deadline of 5:00 PM PST is 7:00 PM CST, after normal hours in Chicago. A deadline of 11:59 PM PST is 1:59 AM CST on the next date.
For Californians, a Midwest deadline of 5:00 PM CST closes at 3:00 PM PST, so you have two fewer hours than the date suggests.
A gap that does not move
California and the central states both follow the US rule: forward on the second Sunday of March, back on the first Sunday of November. Neither side changes without the other, so the gap is two hours in every month.
- Mar 14, 2027: Chicago and Los Angeles moves to CDT (UTC−5); the gap becomes 2 hours
- Nov 7, 2027: Chicago and Los Angeles moves to CST (UTC−6); the gap becomes 2 hours
Two small exceptions: for an hour or two after each change, if one side is updated before the other, and in places that do not change at all, such as Arizona and Saskatchewan.
Los Angeles to Chicago, every hour
Times are for Nov 6, 2026. Green rows are the hours when both places are inside a 9-to-5 day.
| Los Angeles (PST) | ChicagoCST, +2 hrs |
|---|---|
| 12:00 AM (midnight) | 2:00 AM |
| 1:00 AM | 3:00 AM |
| 2:00 AM | 4:00 AM |
| 3:00 AM | 5:00 AM |
| 4:00 AM | 6:00 AM |
| 5:00 AM | 7:00 AM |
| 6:00 AM | 8:00 AM |
| 7:00 AM | 9:00 AM |
| 8:00 AM | 10:00 AM |
| 9:00 AM | 11:00 AM |
| 10:00 AM | 12:00 PM |
| 11:00 AM | 1:00 PM |
| 12:00 PM (noon) | 2:00 PM |
| 1:00 PM | 3:00 PM |
| 2:00 PM | 4:00 PM |
| 3:00 PM | 5:00 PM |
| 4:00 PM | 6:00 PM |
| 5:00 PM | 7:00 PM |
| 6:00 PM | 8:00 PM |
| 7:00 PM | 9:00 PM |
| 8:00 PM | 10:00 PM |
| 9:00 PM | 11:00 PM |
| 10:00 PM | 12:00 AM next day |
| 11:00 PM | 1:00 AM next day |
“next day” and “previous day” mean Chicago is on a different calendar date from Los Angeles.
Quick answers
What time is 9 AM PST in CST?
11:00 AM CST. Chicago is two hours ahead of California.
Is Central Time ahead of Pacific?
Yes, by two hours, in summer and winter.
What is 5 PM PST in Chicago?
7:00 PM CST.
What is the best time to call Chicago from LA?
Between 9 AM and 2 PM Pacific, which is 11 AM to 4 PM in Chicago.
Do Pacific and Central change clocks on the same date?
Yes, at 2:00 AM local time on the second Sunday of March and the first Sunday of November.