The switch on 25 October

Greece will set its clocks back one hour in the early hours of Sunday, 25 October 2026, moving from summer time to winter time. Reports say the change takes place at 04:00, when the clocks will show 03:00. Greece runs on UTC+3 during summer time, and the switch returns it to UTC+2, the Eastern European time zone. The Ministry of Infrastructure and Transport said in a statement that the summer time measure expires on that Sunday under EU Directive 2000/84/EC of 19 January 2001. The rule has applied across Europe since 1996, and Greece first adopted it in 1975.

Why the date falls on 25 October

The EU rule places the change on the last Sunday of October each year, and in 2026 that Sunday is 25 October. NEWS 24/7 explains that because October 2026 ends on a weekend, 25 October is the earliest date the change can fall. The winter period will stay in force until the next switch. That switch is scheduled for Sunday, 28 March 2027, when the clocks move forward again and summer time resumes.

Clock figures differ across reports

Most reports, including the ministry statement, give the switch as 04:00 to 03:00. NEWS 24/7 is the outlier, saying the clocks should move from 03:00 to 02:00. Articles from SKAI, Naftemporiki, NewsIT and in.gr all repeat the 04:00 to 03:00 version. The ministry's figure is the one to rely on for the timing of the change.

What changes day to day

Winter time gives people an extra hour of sleep, which in.gr puts at sixty minutes. Sunset will come earlier by the clock, so afternoons will darken sooner. Morning light will appear earlier in the day, though NEWS 24/7 notes that evenings will close in faster as winter advances. in.gr recalls that when the measure began, the shift caused some people to be late for work or appointments, which is why the change was set for a Sunday.

The push to end the clock change

The European Commission proposed in 2018 ending seasonal clock changes, a move the European Parliament backed. The topic came up again in the Parliament's plenary in October 2025. According to in.gr, no final decision has been taken so far. Opponents, as in.gr describes them, focus on how abrupt clock changes affect the body clock and sleep quality, and they question how much energy the switch saves today. NewsIT adds that health specialists warn the adjustment of the circadian rhythm could affect sleep quality and wellbeing.