Are you getting ready for mornings to get lighter and evenings to get much darker an hour earlier? The switch to standard time in Slovakia and most European countries will take place this coming weekend. The time change involves not only adjusting the clocks but also certain implications for drivers, night-shift workers, and train schedules.
On the night of Saturday, October 24, to Sunday, October 25, 2026, the country will officially return to its standard Central European Time. At exactly 3:00 a.m. summer time, the clocks will be set back one hour to 2:00 a.m. This means that the Sunday in October will be one hour longer, and the day will last 25 hours. Detailed information about schedule changes or other related news can be found on the Slovakia News page.
How the schedule will change and why you’ll have to get used to the darkness
The main consequence of the change is a shift in natural lighting. Sunset will occur earlier, so after work or school, you’ll have to head home in the dark. At the same time, mornings will be brighter, making it easier for students and workers who start their day early to get up.
Despite discussions within the European Union about abolishing the seasonal clock change, no unified decision has yet been reached at the government level, and the usual schedule remains in place. For many people, the switch to standard time is considered easier than the switch to daylight saving time, since the lost hour is made up for; however, the body’s internal clock still needs time to adjust.
Who Should Check Their Schedule and Devices
Most modern electronic devices handle this task on their own. Smartphones, computers, and smartwatches connected to the internet will update the time automatically if time zone synchronization is enabled in the settings. However, manual adjustment will be necessary for:
- mechanical and wall clocks;
- built-in clocks in some car models;
- older household appliances, alarm clocks, and heating timers.
Those working the night of October 24–25 should pay special attention to these changes. Since the time between 2:00 a.m. and 3:00 a.m. occurs twice, the duration of the night shift may increase by one hour, which must be reflected in the calculation of wages in accordance with the law. This also applies to passengers on overnight international trains or buses—during the time change, vehicles may make technical stops at stations to stay on schedule.
Such annual changes often cause a fair amount of confusion in daily life, as the authors detail in their article on the switch to daylight saving time in Europe. The easiest way to avoid being late is to check your device settings before going to bed on Saturday and allow a few extra minutes for your morning routine on Sunday.
