LEFKE, NORTHERN CYPRUS — Clocks across the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus moved forward by one hour in the early hours of Sunday, 29 March 2026, as the island officially transitioned to summer time. At exactly 03:00 am on Sunday, 29 March 2026, clocks advanced to 04:00 am, cutting Sunday short by one hour to make it a 23-hour day. The European University of Lefke issued the announcement ahead of the change, urging all residents, students, and staff to make the necessary adjustments. Smartphones and internet-connected devices updated automatically, while wall clocks, alarm clocks, car dashboards, and non-networked devices required manual adjustment. Travellers, healthcare workers, and shift workers were particularly advised to verify their alarms in advance to avoid disruption caused by the missing hour.
“When local standard time reached 03:00 am on Sunday, 29 March 2026, clocks moved forward to 04:00 am — effectively skipping one hour of the early morning.”
Daylight saving time is observed across much of Europe to better align waking hours with natural daylight during the longer spring and summer days. Northern Cyprus follows the European calendar to maintain time zone consistency with neighbouring countries. Clocks will return to standard time in the autumn, when residents will gain back the lost hour.
— Written by Victoria Uduak Akpan
