Current time in St. Paul, MN
Central Time UTC−6 · IANA zone America/Chicago
Time zone details
| Time zone | Central Time (CT) |
|---|---|
| Standard time | CST, UTC−6 (early Nov – mid Mar) |
| Daylight time | CDT, UTC−5 (mid Mar – early Nov) |
| DST clock change | Forward 1 h, 2nd Sunday of March · Back 1 h, 1st Sunday of November |
| Sunrise today | — |
| Sunset today | — |
| Day length | — |
| Coordinates | 44.95° N, 93.09° W |
Time difference from St. Paul
| City | Local time now |
|---|---|
| New York | +1 h |
| Denver | −1 h |
| Phoenix | −1 / −2 h |
| Los Angeles | −2 h |
| Anchorage | −3 h |
| Honolulu | −4 / −5 h |
St. Paul keeps the same clock as the rest of the Central Time Zone — Minneapolis, Chicago, Kansas City, and Houston all read identical times.
About time in St. Paul
St. Paul is the seat of Ramsey County, the smallest and most densely populated county in Minnesota, and faces Minneapolis across the Mississippi River — the Twin Cities have always shared one clock, since all of Minnesota lies in the Central zone.
The city's Central Time dates to the railroad standardization of November 18, 1883; St. Paul was a natural adopter as the headquarters of James J. Hill's Great Northern Railway, whose transcontinental timetables depended on uniform zone time.
At nearly 45° north, St. Paul sees a wide seasonal swing: roughly 15 hours 37 minutes of daylight at the June solstice but only about 8 hours 46 minutes in late December.
Frequently asked questions
What time zone is St. Paul in?
St. Paul is in the Central Time Zone (CT). It keeps Central Standard Time (CST, UTC−6) in winter and Central Daylight Time (CDT, UTC−5) from the second Sunday of March to the first Sunday of November.
How far behind New York is St. Paul?
St. Paul is 1 hour behind New York all year. Both cities switch to daylight saving time on the same dates, so the gap never changes.
Does St. Paul observe daylight saving time?
Yes. Clocks in St. Paul move forward one hour at 2:00 AM on the second Sunday of March and back one hour at 2:00 AM on the first Sunday of November. In 2026 that means March 8 and November 1.