Time Zone History

Switzerland time zone history

Zürich left local mean time (UTC+0:34:08) in 1853, the third-earliest switch of the 298 zones with local mean time in the record. On standard time, clocks in Zürich run 26 minutes ahead of local mean solar time.

UTC+1

Standard time is UTC+1 (CEST/CET); clocks go forward to UTC+2 on the last Sunday in March and back on the last Sunday in October.

tz database name Europe/Zurich

Convert a time from Switzerland

Summer time in 46 of 57 years since 1970

UTC+0:29:46, UTC+0:34:08: behind today’s standard timeUTC+1: today’s standard timeUTC+2: 1 hour ahead of today’s standard timeUTC+0:29:46, UTC+0:34:08: behindtoday’s standard timeUTC+1: today’s standard timeUTC+2: 1 hour ahead of today’sstandard time

How to read this chart

Before 1970

18401860188019001920194019601840188019201960
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec1970198019902000201020202028JFMAMJJASOND1970198019902000201020202028

Standard time changes

DateChangeNew standard timeClock label
Before 1970
July 16, 1853Local mean time (UTC+0:34:08) replacedUTC+0:29:46BMT
June 1, 1894Standard time forward 30 minutesUTC+1CET

Daylight saving periods

YearsClocks go forwardClocks go backShift and labels
Before 1970
1941–1942first Monday in May, 01:00first Monday in October, 02:001 hour, CET to CEST
Since 1970
1981–1995last Sunday in March, 02:00last Sunday in September, 03:001 hour, CET to CEST
1996–2037last Sunday in March, 02:00last Sunday in October, 03:001 hour, CET to CEST

Clock changes in 2026, 2027 and 2028

The clocks go forward 1 hour (CET to CEST) on March 29, 2026, March 28, 2027 and March 26, 2028 at 02:00 and back 1 hour (CEST to CET) on October 25, 2026, October 31, 2027 and October 29, 2028 at 03:00, local time.

Also on UTC+1

France, Belgium, Czech Republic, Austria, Germany, Italy, Andorra, Hungary, Serbia and Poland (nearest first; 10 more on the list of offsets).

Clocks next door since 1970

  • France (489 km): same time except 896 days in 1976–1980.
  • Belgium (490 km): same time except 714 days in 1977–1980.
  • Czech Republic (526 km): same time except 357 days in 1979 and 1980.
  • Austria (590 km): same time except 175 days in 1980.
  • Germany (665 km): same time except 175 days in 1980.
  • United Kingdom (775 km): usually 1 hour behind; different on 3,097 days in 1970–1995.

How it compares

Standard time has stayed at UTC+1 since 1894.