How many hours ahead is CST compared to MST?

Central Standard Time is 1 hour ahead of Mountain Standard Time year-round. When Denver is at 9 AM MST, Chicago is at 10 AM CST. Both zones shift to CDT and MDT respectively for daylight saving time on the same schedule, so the 1-hour gap never changes.

What states straddle the Central and Mountain time boundary?

North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska, Kansas, and Texas all have counties split between Central and Mountain time. The dividing line generally follows county boundaries rather than state lines. El Paso, Texas is on Mountain Time despite being geographically distant from Denver.

Is there a time difference between Chicago and Dallas?

No. Both Chicago and Dallas are in the Central Time Zone, so they always show the same time. The same applies to Houston, Minneapolis, Kansas City, and New Orleans. All are on CST in winter and CDT in summer.

CST vs MST: Time Difference and Conversion

February 7, 2026

Central Standard Time (CST, UTC−6) and Mountain Standard Time (MST, UTC−7) are adjacent US time zones with a 1-hour difference. While the gap is small, the CST/MST boundary cuts through several states and affects scheduling for companies spread across the American interior.

The 1-Hour Gap

CST is UTC−6 while MST is UTC−7, placing the Central Zone 1 hour ahead of Mountain. When Denver is waking up at 7 AM MST, Kansas City is already at 8 AM CST. When Chicago wraps up its trading day at 4 PM CST, Denver still has until 3 PM MST. The small gap makes cross-zone scheduling highly manageable, with almost complete overlap of standard business hours.

In summer, CST shifts to CDT (UTC−5) and MST shifts to MDT (UTC−6), both on the same dates. The 1-hour gap persists identically. The only disruption comes from Arizona, which stays on MST year-round and is therefore at the same time as CDT Chicago during summer months.

Compare Central and Mountain time

Add Chicago and Denver to see both current times side by side and confirm the 1-hour offset.

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Quick Conversion Reference

To convert CST to MST, subtract 1 hour. To convert MST to CST, add 1 hour.

Central Time (CST/CDT)	Mountain Time (MST/MDT)
7:00 AM	6:00 AM
8:00 AM	7:00 AM
9:00 AM	8:00 AM
10:00 AM	9:00 AM
12:00 PM (noon)	11:00 AM
1:00 PM	12:00 PM (noon)
3:00 PM	2:00 PM
5:00 PM	4:00 PM
6:00 PM	5:00 PM

Tip

With only 1 hour separating CST and MST, essentially any meeting time that works for a Chicago team also works for a Denver team. Focus your scheduling attention on the East Coast/West Coast gap rather than the Central/Mountain gap — it will rarely cause friction.

The CST/MST Boundary in Practice

The dividing line between Central and Mountain time runs roughly north-to-south through the middle of the country, but it does not follow state lines cleanly. In the Dakotas, the western portions of both states observe Mountain Time while the eastern portions observe Central. In Kansas and Nebraska, similar east/west splits exist.

Texas presents the most notable exception: the vast majority of Texas is on Central Time, but El Paso and a few surrounding counties in the far west of the state observe Mountain Time. El Paso’s geographic and cultural proximity to New Mexico and its distance from Dallas and Houston explain the choice, even if it surprises first-time visitors.

Example

A trucking company routes freight from Chicago (CST) to Denver (MST). The dispatch office in Chicago schedules pickups in “local time” without specifying a zone. A driver in Denver picks up a shipment scheduled for 8 AM and arrives at 7 AM their time — a full hour early. In industries where logistics depend on precise timing, even a 1-hour timezone gap requires explicit zone labeling in all communications.

States with Both Central and Mountain Counties

Several states are split between Central and Mountain Time: North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska, Kansas, and Texas all have counties in both zones. When scheduling calls with contacts in these states, always confirm which timezone they observe rather than assuming the state as a whole is in one zone.

Verify time zones before you schedule

Use the world clock to look up any US city and see its exact timezone and current time.

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Time Zone ConverterConvert times between Central and Mountain zones instantly, including Arizona’s DST exception.

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Frequently Asked Questions

How many hours ahead is CST compared to MST?: Central Standard Time is 1 hour ahead of Mountain Standard Time year-round. When Denver is at 9 AM MST, Chicago is at 10 AM CST. Both zones shift to CDT and MDT respectively for daylight saving time on the same schedule, so the 1-hour gap never changes.
What states straddle the Central and Mountain time boundary?: North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska, Kansas, and Texas all have counties split between Central and Mountain time. The dividing line generally follows county boundaries rather than state lines. El Paso, Texas is on Mountain Time despite being geographically distant from Denver.
Is there a time difference between Chicago and Dallas?: No. Both Chicago and Dallas are in the Central Time Zone, so they always show the same time. The same applies to Houston, Minneapolis, Kansas City, and New Orleans. All are on CST in winter and CDT in summer.