Egypt winter time 2026: clocks go back one hour on 29 October
Egypt goes back to winter time at midnight on the night of Thursday 29 October 2026: when the clock reaches 12:00 a.m., it goes back to 11:00 p.m. on Thursday. You get one extra hour that night. From then on, Egypt is on UTC+2 until summer time returns in April 2027.
Quick answers
| When | Midnight between Thursday 29 and Friday 30 October 2026 |
|---|---|
| What happens | Clocks go back 60 minutes: 12:00 a.m. becomes 11:00 p.m. |
| New time zone | Eastern European Time, UTC+2 |
| Summer time returns | Friday 30 April 2027, the last Friday of April |
| The rule | Law No. 24 of 2023: summer time from the last Friday of April to the end of the last Thursday of October |
Al-Masry Al-Youm's Egypt Independent says that under the law, the switch to winter time comes at the end of the last Thursday in October, and that summer time began this year on Friday 24 April (Egypt Independent). Last year the change came on the night of Thursday 30 October 2025, at midnight (Egyptian Streets).
Do I need to change my phone?
Usually not. Phones and computers set to update the date and time automatically will change on their own. If yours does not, open Settings, then Date & Time, switch on automatic date and time, and check the time zone is Cairo. Wall clocks, ovens and car clocks need changing by hand.
Time differences after the change
From Friday 30 October, when it is 12:00 noon in Cairo:
| Place | Time | Compared with Egypt |
|---|---|---|
| South Africa | 12:00 | Same time |
| Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar | 13:00 | 1 hour ahead |
| UAE | 14:00 | 2 hours ahead |
| India | 15:30 | 3½ hours ahead |
| Germany, France, Italy | 11:00 | 1 hour behind |
| UK | 10:00 | 2 hours behind |
| New York | 06:00, then 05:00 from 1 November | 6 hours behind, then 7 |
Europe changes its clocks earlier, on Sunday 25 October, and the United States on Sunday 1 November, so some differences change twice in a week. Before 30 October, Egypt is on summer time (UTC+3), level with Saudi Arabia.
What changes in daily life
- Mornings get lighter and evenings darker by the clock. Sunrise, sunset and prayer times all move one hour earlier on the clock from Friday 30 October.
- The hour from 11 p.m. to midnight happens twice on the night of 29 October. If you have a flight, train or appointment in that hour, check which time it uses.
- Friday 30 October is the first day on winter time, and the weekend gives time to adjust.
