Clocks Go Back in Cyprus on 25 October 2026: What Changes

Summer time in Cyprus ends this month. In the early hours of Sunday 25 October 2026 the clocks go back one hour, mornings get lighter and evenings get noticeably darker. Here is exactly when it happens, what you need to change yourself and how the switch affects daily life on the island.

When exactly do the clocks change?

The change happens at 04:00 on Sunday 25 October 2026, when the time becomes 03:00. Cyprus moves from Eastern European Summer Time (EEST, UTC+3) back to Eastern European Time (EET, UTC+2), which is its standard time for the winter.

In practice that means:

• You gain an extra hour of sleep on Saturday night.
• The hour from 03:00 to 03:59 happens twice, which matters only if you work nights or have a very early flight.
• Across the EU the change happens at the same moment, 01:00 UTC, so Cyprus stays two hours ahead of the UK and one hour ahead of Germany, France and Italy.

For general background on the island's time zone, office hours and public holidays, see our guide to time, working hours and national holidays in Cyprus.

Which devices change automatically?

Most connected devices handle the switch themselves, provided they are set up correctly. Others still need a human.

Two quick checks are worth doing before the weekend:

• On your phone, make sure automatic date and time is switched on and the time zone shows Cyprus (often listed as Nicosia, or Famagusta in the north). Phones bought abroad sometimes keep a home time zone if this was changed manually.
• Timers that matter, such as the central heating, immersion heater or garden irrigation, will run an hour "late" until you reset them. If you pay a lower night rate on electricity or rely on a timer for the water heater, adjust it on Sunday morning. Our guide to setting up electricity and water in Cyprus covers the basics of your account.

Sunrise and sunset before and after the change

The most visible effect is that sunrise and sunset both happen an hour earlier on the clock overnight: from Sunday 25 October, evenings get dark an hour sooner, and mornings are lighter for the school run. For exact sunrise and sunset times in your town, check timeanddate.com.

For what the rest of the season brings, see Cyprus weather month by month and our tips on winter in Cyprus and staying warm.

What it means for school runs, shops and daily routines

School mornings

Public primary schools run on a fixed timetable, with lessons from 07:45 to 13:05, according to the Ministry of Education. In the last weeks of summer time, children were setting off before or just after sunrise. From Monday 26 October the morning walk or drive happens in full daylight, which is easier for younger children and safer at crossings. Private and international schools set their own hours, but the same lighter mornings apply. If you are still getting to grips with the system, our guide to enrolling your child in a public school in Cyprus explains how it works.

The trade-off comes later in the day. After-school clubs, football training and the walk home from afternoon activities will now often finish in darkness, so reflective strips on school bags and lights on bikes are worth adding.

Shops, offices and services

The clock change does not alter opening hours: shops, banks and government offices keep the same times on the clock, they simply feel different, with the evening rush hour now falling around dusk. Some smaller businesses, beach bars and seasonal restaurants move to shorter winter timetables around this time of year, so check before you travel any distance. Outdoor activities such as hiking are best planned for the morning, as it is dark by about 17:00.

Calls with family abroad

Because the UK and the rest of the EU change on the same night, the time difference with home stays the same for most European expats. The exception is North America: the United States and Canada change one week later, on Sunday 1 November 2026, so for that week New York is six hours behind Cyprus instead of the usual seven. Countries without daylight saving time, such as Turkey and the Gulf states, become one hour further ahead of Cyprus from 25 October.

What about the north of Cyprus?

The north changes its clocks at the same moment as the Republic, at 04:00 on 25 October 2026, moving to UTC+2. That has been the case since autumn 2017.

It was not always so. In 2016 the authorities in the north followed Turkey, which had stopped changing its clocks and stayed permanently on UTC+3. For that winter the island had two time zones, which confused people crossing to work and left dark winter mornings. The north returned to the same time as the rest of Cyprus on 29 October 2017 and has followed the EU schedule since. As a result there is currently no time difference at the crossing points, although the north is now one hour behind Turkey during the winter months. If you cross regularly, our guide to crossing to north Cyprus as a resident covers the practical side.

Is the EU about to scrap the clock change?

Not yet. The European Commission proposed ending seasonal clock changes in 2018, after a public consultation in which about 4.6 million people took part and 84% backed abolition. The European Parliament supported the plan in March 2019, but the Council of the EU, where national governments sit, has never agreed a common position. The main sticking point is whether each country would stay on permanent summer or permanent winter time, and the risk of creating a patchwork of time zones across the single market.

The debate came back in October 2025, when Spain proposed ending the changes from 2026 and MEPs repeated their support. The Commission has since commissioned a new impact assessment, due by the end of 2026. As of October 2026, however, no decision has been taken, and the 2000 EU directive that sets the last Sunday in March and the last Sunday in October still applies. Cyprus follows that framework, so the clocks will go forward again on Sunday 28 March 2027. Even if governments reached agreement soon, reports suggest a final switch would not come before 2027 or 2028.

Quick checklist for the weekend

• Make sure your phone is set to automatic date and time.
• Reset the oven, microwave, car and wall clocks on Sunday morning.
• Adjust timers on heating, water heaters, pool pumps and irrigation.
• Check bike lights and reflective gear for darker afternoons.
• Note the one-week gap with the US if you have calls booked.
• Put Sunday 28 March 2027 in your diary for the next change.