What is the CST to PST Converter?
This tool converts a time in Central Standard Time (CST) to Pacific Standard Time (PST). Both are time zones used in North America. CST is UTC−6 and PST is UTC−8, so Pacific time is always two hours behind Central time. If it is 3:00 PM in Chicago (CST), it is 1:00 PM in Los Angeles (PST).
How to use it
Enter the hour (0–23, using a 24-hour clock) and the minute of the Central Standard Time you want to convert. The calculator subtracts two hours and displays the equivalent Pacific Standard Time. Times that cross midnight wrap around correctly — for example, 1:00 AM CST becomes 11:00 PM PST the previous day.
The formula explained
The conversion is simply PST = CST − 2 hours. We convert the input to total minutes since midnight, subtract 120 minutes, then wrap the result into a 24-hour day using modular arithmetic so negative results roll back to the prior day.
$$\text{PST} = \left(\left(60\cdot\text{Hour (CST)} + \text{Minute} - 120\right) \bmod 1440\right)$$
$$\begin{gathered} \text{PST}_{\text{total}} = \left(60\cdot\text{Hour (CST)} + \text{Minute} - 120\right) \bmod 1440 \\[1.5em] \text{where}\quad \left\{ \begin{aligned} \text{Hour}_{\text{PST}} &= \left\lfloor \tfrac{\text{PST}_{\text{total}}}{60} \right\rfloor \\ \text{Min}_{\text{PST}} &= \text{PST}_{\text{total}} \bmod 60 \end{aligned} \right. \end{gathered}$$
Worked example
Suppose you have a meeting at 14:30 CST. Total minutes = \(14 \times 60 + 30 = 870\). Subtract 120 = 750 minutes. \(750 \div 60 = 12\) hours, remainder 30 minutes. So 14:30 CST = 12:30 PST.
$$\text{PST}_{\text{total}} = \left(14 \times 60 + 30 - 120\right) \bmod 1440 = 750$$FAQ
Is PST always 2 hours behind CST? Yes — both zones shift by the same amount during daylight saving, so the standard 2-hour gap is constant year-round (CDT to PDT is also 2 hours).
What about Daylight Saving Time? This tool uses standard time labels (CST/PST). The numeric 2-hour offset is the same when both zones observe daylight time (CDT/PDT).
What time format should I enter? Use a 24-hour clock: 0 for midnight, 13 for 1 PM, 23 for 11 PM.
