Daylight saving time in Switzerland: dates and rules

When does Switzerland change its clocks?

Swiss daylight saving starts on the last Sunday in March: at 02:00 local time the clock moves to 03:00. It ends on the last Sunday in October: at 03:00 the clock returns to 02:00. Switzerland follows the same calendar as European countries applying the same change. Standard time is CET (UTC+1), while summer time is CEST (UTC+2).

Swiss clock-change dates in 2026

In 2026, daylight saving begins on Sunday 29 March and ends on Sunday 25 October. During the night of 25 October, the local hour from 02:00 to 02:59 occurs twice. Specifying CET or CEST makes the intended instant unambiguous.

Travel, meetings and software

An appointment written only as “02:30” during the autumn change may refer to two distinct instants. For reliable planning, include the date, the time and the Europe/Zurich zone. For technical exchange, store the corresponding UTC instant. Devices with current zone data normally switch automatically.

Frequently asked questions

Do clocks go forward or back?

Forward one hour in March; back one hour in October.

Can Switzerland change these rules?

Civil-time rules are set by the competent authorities and may change. This page describes the rules currently in force.