Chicago to London Time Difference
London is 6 hours ahead of Chicago. When it's 07:06:20 AM in Chicago, it's 01:06:20 PM in London.
How Many Hours Ahead Is London From Chicago?
London is 6 hours ahead of Chicago. So Chicago is 6 hours behind London looking the other way — the same gap, described from the other end.
In practice that means a working day in Chicago starts when it is already 3:00 PM in London. The gap is not fixed all year: it becomes 5 hours on Sunday, October 25, 2026, when London changes its clocks.
Best Time to Call Chicago and London
Both cities are inside normal business hours between 9:00 AM and 11:00 AM in Chicago — that's 3:00 PM to 5:00 PM in London. That's a 2-hour window, so a call fits comfortably in either side's working day.
both at work Chicago only London only neither — hours shown along the strip are Chicago local time.
Convert a Specific Time
Pick any date and time in Chicago to see the exact equivalent in London.
Common Times Converted
Chicago time on the left, London time on the right.
Chicago to London: Full 24-Hour Conversion Table
Based on today, Sunday, October 11, 2026 in Chicago. Shaded rows are working hours; the darker shade marks the hours when both cities are at work.
| Chicago | London | Working hours |
|---|---|---|
| 12:00 AM | 6:00 AM | — |
| 1:00 AM | 7:00 AM | — |
| 2:00 AM | 8:00 AM | — |
| 3:00 AM | 9:00 AM | London only |
| 4:00 AM | 10:00 AM | London only |
| 5:00 AM | 11:00 AM | London only |
| 6:00 AM | 12:00 PM | London only |
| 7:00 AM | 1:00 PM | London only |
| 8:00 AM | 2:00 PM | London only |
| 9:00 AM | 3:00 PM | Both cities |
| 10:00 AM | 4:00 PM | Both cities |
| 11:00 AM | 5:00 PM | Chicago only |
| 12:00 PM | 6:00 PM | Chicago only |
| 1:00 PM | 7:00 PM | Chicago only |
| 2:00 PM | 8:00 PM | Chicago only |
| 3:00 PM | 9:00 PM | Chicago only |
| 4:00 PM | 10:00 PM | Chicago only |
| 5:00 PM | 11:00 PM | — |
| 6:00 PM | 12:00 AM next day | — |
| 7:00 PM | 1:00 AM next day | — |
| 8:00 PM | 2:00 AM next day | — |
| 9:00 PM | 3:00 AM next day | — |
| 10:00 PM | 4:00 AM next day | — |
| 11:00 PM | 5:00 AM next day | — |
Understanding the Chicago – London Time Difference
Chicago runs on America/Chicago, currently CDT (UTC-5:00). London runs on Europe/London, currently BST (UTC+1:00). The gap of 6 hours is simply the distance between those two offsets.
Both cities observe Daylight Saving Time, but they don't switch on the same date — so for a few weeks each year the gap between them is different again. The next shift is on Sunday, October 25, 2026, when London adjusts its clocks and the difference becomes 5 hours. Anything scheduled across that date needs checking again.
Full clock-change dates: Daylight Saving Time in the United States · Daylight Saving Time in the United Kingdom.
Chicago today
London today
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the time difference between Chicago and London?
London is currently 6 hours ahead of Chicago. That gap becomes 5 hours on Sunday, October 25, 2026, when London changes its clocks.
How many hours ahead is London from Chicago?
London is 6 hours ahead of Chicago. Looking at it the other way, Chicago is 6 hours behind London.
What time is it in London when it is 9:00 AM in Chicago?
When it is 9:00 AM in Chicago, it is 3:00 PM in London.
Is London ahead of or behind Chicago?
London is 6 hours ahead of Chicago. London reaches each point in the day first, so its working day is already finishing while Chicago is still getting started.
What is the best time to call between Chicago and London?
Between 9:00 AM and 11:00 AM Chicago time, which is 3:00 PM to 5:00 PM in London. Both cities are inside normal business hours during that window.
Does the time difference between Chicago and London change during the year?
Yes. Both cities observe Daylight Saving Time, and they do not always switch on the same date, so the gap between them shifts during the year. It changes to 5 hours on Sunday, October 25, 2026.
What time zones are Chicago and London in?
Chicago uses the America/Chicago time zone, currently CDT (UTC-5:00). London uses Europe/London, currently BST (UTC+1:00).