Chicago → San Francisco: Time Difference
San Francisco is 2 hours behind Chicago.
How the difference works
Chicago uses America/Chicago (UTC-6 standard time) and San Francisco uses America/Los_Angeles (UTC-8 standard time) — a standard-time gap of 2 hours behind Chicago. Both cities observe daylight saving time, but they switch on different dates, so the gap can temporarily change around those transitions.
Distance: about 2,985 km (1,855 mi) great-circle distance.
Chicago → San Francisco, hour by hour
| Chicago | San Francisco | Best hours to call |
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Frequently asked questions
What is the time difference between Chicago and San Francisco?
In standard time, San Francisco is 2 hours behind Chicago. Both cities observe daylight saving time, but they switch on different dates, so the gap can temporarily change around those transitions.
When it is 9:00 in Chicago, what time is it in San Francisco?
In standard time it is 07:00 in San Francisco. During daylight saving periods the answer can move by an hour — the live table on this page always reflects today's rules.
How far is San Francisco from Chicago?
About 2,985 km (1,855 miles) as the crow flies, computed from city-center coordinates.