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Greece ended summer time at 04:00 on Sunday 25 October 2026, when clocks went back to 03:00. Turkey did not change its clocks. From today until Sunday 28 March 2027 the Greek islands are one hour behind the Turkish coast. Departure times from the islands are usually printed in Greek time, so a return ferry “at 16:00” from Kos leaves at 17:00 on a phone set to Turkish time.
What happened?
- Greece: Greece follows the EU summer-time rules. The European Commission’s calendar for 2022–2026 (Official Journal C 149, 27 April 2021) set the end of summer time for Sunday 25 October 2026 at 01:00 UTC. In Greece that is 04:00 local time, when clocks went back to 03:00 and the country moved from UTC+3 (EEST) to UTC+2 (EET). Greek media such as Powergame (7 October) and Greek City Times (9 October) gave the same time.
- Turkey: Turkey has not changed its clocks since 2016. A Council of Ministers decision of 7 September 2016 (no. 2016/9154, Official Gazette of 8 September 2016) kept summer time all year. After a Council of State ruling in 2017, the law was amended and, according to Medyascope, a presidential decision in 2018 made the arrangement permanent. Turkish media in September 2026 confirmed that clocks would not go back this year. Turkey is on UTC+3 all year.
- When the gap closes: The Commission’s calendar for 2027–2031 (published in the Official Journal on 18 March 2026) starts summer time 2027 on Sunday 28 March at 01:00 UTC. Greek clocks then go forward from 03:00 to 04:00, and both sides show the same time again until 31 October 2027.
- Is the EU abolishing the clock change? Not for now. The Commission proposed ending it in 2018 and the European Parliament backed this in 2019, but EU governments in the Council never agreed a position. Sigmalive reported on 22 June 2026 that EU Commissioner Apostolos Tzitzikostas had reopened talks and that a new study is expected by the end of 2026. No decision has been taken, and the 2027–2031 calendar published in March 2026 still includes the twice-yearly change. For winter 2026–27 and summer 2027 nothing changes.
What it means for travellers
- Island departures are in Greek time: Ferry companies generally give each departure in the local time of the port it leaves from. Bodrum Sea Lines and Meis Ferry Lines say so explicitly; Ertürk, Turyol and Jalem Tur do not say which time their timetables use. For example, from 4 to 29 November Bodrum Sea Lines leaves Kos at 16:00 Greek time, which is 17:00 in Bodrum (our report). The Marmaris boat leaving Rhodes at 08:30 arrives at 10:30 Turkish time, although the crossing takes about an hour.
- Turkish agencies may use Turkish time: If you booked a tour or a package through an agency in Turkey, the return time on your voucher may be written in Turkish time. Ask when you book whether a time is Turkish or Greek, and write it down with the time zone.
- Phones switch on their own: Smartphones set to automatic date and time changed at 04:00 last night and switch to the local time of the network they are on. Near the coast a phone can pick up the other country’s network and show the wrong time, so set your reminder for the return boat with the time zone in mind.
- Day trips and the last boat back: In winter many routes have only one return a day, and some sail on only a few days a week. If you miss the last boat, you will usually have to stay the night. The latest boats are listed in the route guides: Ayvalık–Lesvos, Dikili–Lesvos, Çeşme–Chios, Kuşadası–Samos, Bodrum–Kos, Marmaris–Rhodes, Fethiye–Rhodes and Kaş–Kastellorizo. Staying on an island and visiting Turkey for the day? See Turkey day trips from the Greek islands.
- For Turkish passport holders on the visa on arrival: This visa, available only to Turkish citizens, is applied for through the ferry company several days in advance, at its office in Turkey, so office hours and deadlines are in Turkish time. The visa allows at most 7 days on the island of entry. The return from the island is in Greek time; check it before you book your last night so you do not miss a sparse winter sailing. Details are in our visa on arrival guide.
What runs over the winter, and what is open on the islands, is in our Greek islands in winter guide and our winter timetable report.
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Sources
- Commission communication on the summer-time calendar 2022–2026, OJ C 149/1 (27 April 2021) (accessed 25 October 2026)
- Commission communication on the summer-time calendar 2027–2031, OJ C/2026/1660 (18 March 2026, Spanish edition) (accessed 25 October 2026)
- Powergame - Αλλαγή ώρας 2026: Πότε πάμε τους δείκτες μια ώρα πίσω (7 October 2026) (accessed 25 October 2026)
- Greek City Times - Clocks go back on 25 October as Greece returns to winter time (9 October 2026) (accessed 25 October 2026)
- Alomaliye - Council of Ministers decision 2016/9154, Official Gazette no. 29825 (8 September 2016) (accessed 25 October 2026)
- Bianet - Yaz saati uygulamasına devam (28 October 2017) (accessed 25 October 2026)
- Medyascope - Kalıcı yaz saati uygulamasına ne zaman geçildi? (18 November 2024) (accessed 25 October 2026)
- Politikam - Türkiye’de saatler geri alınacak mı 2026? (19 September 2026) (accessed 25 October 2026)
- Sigmalive - EU revisits proposal to abolish daylight saving time changes (22 June 2026) (accessed 25 October 2026)
- timeanddate.com - Daylight saving time in the EU (accessed 25 October 2026)
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