Overview
- The clocks will be set back from 03:00 to 02:00 on the night of 24–25 October 2026, producing a duplicated hour that rail and flight operators will adjust for in their timetables.
- A DAK–Forsa survey from late September found 71% of Germans now call the semiannual change unnecessary and opposition among 18– to 29‑year‑olds fell from 66% to 50%.
- Chronobiologists say the one‑hour shift perturbs circadian rhythms and produces 'mini‑jetlag' symptoms; about 29% of respondents reported fatigue, sleep problems or concentration issues after past switches.
- Safety data show risks rise when evening rush hour moves into dusk, with Bavarian police and ADAC figures pointing to large numbers of wild‑animal collisions and higher accident rates after the change.
- Germany's legal time is maintained by PTB atomic clocks in Braunschweig and broadcast via the DCF77 transmitter in Mainflingen, while the EU has not agreed to end seasonal switching and an impact study is due by the end of 2026.