Romania switches to winter time / Clocks are turned back one hour, and Sunday will have 25 hours

Romania will switch to winter time on the night of Saturday, October 24, to Sunday, October 25, 2026. At 4:00, the clocks will be turned back by 60 minutes, becoming 3:00. Thus, Sunday will have 25 hours, offering additional time for rest.

The change marks the return to standard time, with the end of daylight saving time in Romania set for the last Sunday in October under Government Ordinance No. 20/1997. The date is also included in the European Commission’s calendar for the 2022–2026 period.

After the clocks are adjusted, it will be light earlier in the morning, while it will get dark sooner in the evening, relative to the time shown on the clock. The change does not reduce the duration of natural light, as the days continue to shorten until the winter solstice.

Although the European Commission proposed abandoning the seasonal time change in 2018, and the European Parliament supported eliminating the system in 2021, the legislative process has not been completed. A study launched in 2026 analyzes the effects of a possible abandonment on transport, energy, the internal market, and public health.

The return to daylight saving time is scheduled for March 28, 2027, when 3:00 will become 4:00.