Clocks Fall Back This Sunday — Berlin's Earliest Wintertime Switch Since 2020

EU regulations require clocks to go back on the last Sunday in October, which falls between the 25th and 31st. In 2026 that date is 25 October — the earliest possible — last seen in 2020 and not expected again until 2037. At 3 a.m. on Sunday, clocks in Germany fall back to 2 a.m., ending Central European Summer Time and returning to standard time. The practical result is one extra hour of sleep but also noticeably earlier sunsets: in Berlin, darkness falls at 16:50 on 25 October, and even earlier in Görlitz at 16:46. Smart devices adjust automatically; ovens and car clocks need manual adjustment. Summer time in 2026 ran from 29 March to 25 October — 210 days, seven fewer than in 2027, when it will run until 31 October. The next spring-forward date is 28 March 2027. As for abolishing the twice-yearly change, EU plans have been stalled for years because member states cannot agree on a common permanent time. A European Commission study is expected to deliver results by the end of 2026.