AKST to CST Time Converter

Common Times Converted

AKST on the left, CST on the right.

AKST to CST: Full 24-Hour Conversion Table

Shaded rows are working hours; the darker shade marks the hours when both zones are at work.

What AKST and CST Actually Are

AKST — Alaska Standard Time

Anchorage, Fairbanks, Juneau. Standing at UTC-9:00 as written, and the region does change its clocks, so its live offset moves by an hour twice a year. The next change is on Sunday, November 1, 2026, to AKST.

Alaska compressed four time zones into one in 1983, moving most of the state onto a single clock to keep business hours aligned with the rest of the country.

CST — Central Standard Time

Chicago, Houston, Dallas, Mexico City, Winnipeg. Standing at UTC-6:00 as written, and the region does change its clocks, so its live offset moves by an hour twice a year. The next change is on Sunday, November 1, 2026, to CST. CST also stands for China Standard Time (UTC+8) and Cuba Standard Time (UTC-5). This page covers the North American one.

Saskatchewan sits inside the Central zone but never changes its clocks, so it matches CST in winter and its neighbors' MDT in summer.

What This Means in Practice

Both sides change clocks, on different dates

Both regions observe daylight saving but do not switch on the same day, so for a week or two each spring and fall the gap between them is an hour different from the rest of the year. Those short windows are where recurring invitations quietly break.

Major Cities in Each Zone

Cities on AKST

Cities on CST