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Time difference between San Francisco and Chicago

Chicago is 2 hours ahead of San Francisco

Right now

San Francisco
09:38
PDT · UTC-7
Chicago
11:38
CDT · UTC-5

Open this pair in the planner

Best time for a call between San Francisco and Chicago

Hours highlighted in green work for everyone on the list.

  • 09:00 San Francisco 11:00 Chicago
  • 10:00 San Francisco 12:00 Chicago
  • 11:00 San Francisco 13:00 Chicago

Hour by hour: San Francisco to Chicago

Working hours are shaded. The rows marked with a star are the ones we recommend for a call.

San Francisco (reference) Chicago
00:00 02:00
01:00 03:00
02:00 04:00
03:00 05:00
04:00 06:00
05:00 07:00
06:00 08:00
07:00 09:00
08:00 10:00
★ 09:00 11:00
★ 10:00 12:00
★ 11:00 13:00
12:00 14:00
13:00 15:00
14:00 16:00
15:00 17:00
16:00 18:00
17:00 19:00
18:00 20:00
19:00 21:00
20:00 22:00
21:00 23:00
22:00 00:00 (next day)
23:00 01:00 (next day)

Table built for August 26, 2026. The live values above update in your browser.

Daylight saving time

Both cities change their clocks, but not always on the same date — the difference between them shifts for a few weeks each year.

Frequently asked questions

What is the time difference between San Francisco and Chicago?

Chicago is 2 hours ahead of San Francisco

What is the best time to call between San Francisco and Chicago?

The most convenient slot is 09:00 San Francisco / 11:00 Chicago. That keeps the call inside working hours in both cities.

Does the difference between San Francisco and Chicago change during the year?

Both cities change their clocks, but not always on the same date — the difference between them shifts for a few weeks each year.

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