While Gary, Indiana hasn’t had the best time over recent years, it is currently going through a period of rejuvenation, with a massive Hard Rock Casino recently opening in the city. This means that tourists may be wondering ‘what is the timezone of Gary, Indiana?’.
Gary is on Central Standard Time (CST). This is UTC-6. During Daylight Saving Months, Gary will switch to CDT instead. This is UTC-5. In both cases, you can see the timezone referred to as ‘CT’.
Let’s go into a bit more depth, shall we?
Central Standard Time in Gary, Indiana
From November to roughly the middle of March, Gary’s timezone is CST (UTC-6). However, do bear in mind that most places in Indiana do not operate on Central Standard. Most of those will operate on Central Eastern. This does mean that if you are driving from elsewhere in Indiana, then you may cross a timezone to get into Gary.
Does Gary, Indiana Use Daylight Saving Time?
Yes. Gary uses Daylight Saving Time. This runs between March and November each year (the exact dates will vary). During these months, the time zone becomes known as CDT.
CDT is UTC-5.
What Does CT Mean?
In some cases, you may see the letters ‘CT’ next to Gary’s time, rather than CST or CDT. The CT means ‘Central Time’. This can be used at any time of the year. You can just think of CT as being the current local time in Gary.
Is Indiana Just One Time Zone?
No. Indiana is in two time zones.
The vast majority of the state will be on Eastern Standard Time (UTC-5), with daylight saving time making this EDT (UTC-6).
It is worth noting that Gary is one of only a few places in Indiana that are in the CDT time zone. As we said before, this does mean that if you are heading from the east coast of the country, or elsewhere from Indiana, then you may find that you need to adjust your watch. Although don’t worry, there will be road signs to remind you that you are switching time zones.
Indiana is split into two time zones because the time zone line runs straight through the state. Congress has manipulated the line ever so slightly to ensure that it doesn’t pass through major population centers, which could cause a great deal of confusion if two people in a city were in a different time zone.
The time zones in Indiana are a bit different from other states. It isn’t a straight split. In some cases, the EST time zone will stretch to the western border of the state and, in other cases, it will stop just short. Once again, this is to avoid major population centers.
Final Thoughts
Gary, Indiana is in the CST time zone, which will switch to CDT for the daylight saving part of the year. You should remember that surrounding towns and cities may have a different time zone to Gary. You may need to adjust your watch if you are heading to the city.
