🇺🇸 Chicago ↔ 🇺🇸 San Francisco

Chicago is usually 2 hours ahead of San Francisco. Both observe daylight saving time, so the difference shifts by an hour for a few weeks around the spring and autumn changeovers.

Sunrise 5:17 AMSunset 8:30 PM(local)

Sunrise 5:49 AMSunset 8:36 PM(local)

Chicago: daylight saving timeNow UTC-5 CDT. Next change: November 1, 2026 — clocks go back 1 hour.
San Francisco: daylight saving timeNow UTC-7 PDT. Next change: November 1, 2026 — clocks go back 1 hour.
ChicagoUTC-5CDT
San FranciscoUTC-7PDT

🇺🇸 Chicago

Dialing code+1
Population2,664,452
Coordinates41.85°N, 87.65°W
Elevation179 m

🇺🇸 San Francisco

Dialing code+1
Population827,526
Coordinates37.77°N, 122.42°W
Elevation16 m

Best time for a call: 11:00–18:00 in ChicagoAdd to calendar

Working hours assumed 9:00–18:00.

Frequently asked questions

What is the time difference between Chicago and San Francisco?
Chicago is 2 hours ahead of San Francisco. Use the side-by-side clocks and the day/night strips above to convert any hour between them.
When is the best time to call between Chicago and San Francisco?
The best window to call is 11:00–18:00 Chicago time, when working hours overlap in both cities. Pick an hour on the strips to add it to your calendar.
Why does the time difference between Chicago and San Francisco change?
Because at least one of Chicago and San Francisco observes daylight saving time, the difference shifts by an hour when one city changes its clocks and the other has not yet (or does not).