Austria's Daylight Saving Time: What You Need To Know

Austria observes Daylight Saving Time (DST) from the last Sunday in March (02:00 Central European Time) to the last Sunday in October (03:00 Central European Summer Time). On the last Sunday in March, clocks in Austria are turned forward by one hour, and on the last Sunday in October, they are turned back by one hour. The period when the clocks are one hour ahead is called daylight time, and there is more daylight in the evenings and less in the mornings.

Austria's daylight saving time start and end dates

Austria does observe Daylight Saving Time (DST). In 2024, DST will begin at 02:00 am Central European Time (CET) on Sunday, 31 March, when clocks will be turned forward one hour to 03:00 am Central European Summer Time (CEST). This means that on 31 March, there will be more daylight in the evening and less in the morning.

The end of DST in Austria in 2024 will fall on the last Sunday of October, which is the 27th. At 03:00 am CEST, clocks will be turned backward one hour to 02:00 am CET. This transition is often referred to as 'Fall Back' or 'Winter Time' and results in more morning daylight and less in the evening.

Austria's standard time is CET (UTC+01:00), and the country has observed DST for 58 of the years between 1916 and 2024. The period when the clocks are one hour ahead is known as 'daylight time' or ''summer time'.

The history of daylight saving time in Austria

The idea of adjusting clocks to make better use of daylight hours was not new even then. Benjamin Franklin, while serving as an American delegate in Paris in 1784, wrote an essay titled "An Economical Project", in which he suggested that Parisians were wasting valuable morning daylight by sleeping through it. He proposed earlier bedtimes and rising times to economise on candles and benefit from natural light. However, his idea did not catch on, and it wasn't until 1895 that a similar suggestion was made by George Vernon Hudson, a New Zealand entomologist. Hudson proposed moving the clocks forward by two hours in the summer, but this also failed to gain traction.

In 1905, a British builder named William Willett had a similar idea while out on his morning horse ride in London. He noticed that people were still asleep, with their blinds drawn, and missing out on the morning daylight. Willett suggested advancing clocks by 20 minutes on each of the four Sundays in April and reversing the process in September. He spent a fortune campaigning for his idea, and in 1908, MP Robert Pearce introduced a bill to the House of Commons to make this compulsory. However, this faced massive opposition, particularly from the agricultural community, and Willett died in 1915 without seeing his vision realised.

When Austria-Hungary introduced DST in 1916, Britain followed suit on 21 May. The practice quickly spread across continents as countries sought any advantage they could gain during the war. After the war ended, most countries reverted to standard time, but some, like Britain, continued with DST. During the Second World War, Britain went even further, implementing 'Double Summer Time' with clocks put two hours ahead of GMT to save energy.

Today, Austria continues to observe DST, with clocks moving forward one hour on the last Sunday in March and back one hour on the last Sunday in October.

Central European Time (CET)

Austria's standard time is Central European Time (CET), which is UTC+01:00. This time zone covers most of western and central Europe.

Austria observes Daylight Saving Time (DST) from the last Sunday in March (02:00 CET) to the last Sunday in October (03:00 CEST). During DST, the clock goes forward by one hour, and the period is called Central European Summer Time. When DST ends, Austria returns to standard time, or Central European Time.

In 2024, DST will begin on Sunday, March 31, at 02:00, and end on Sunday, October 27, at 03:00.

Austria first observed DST in 1916 and has done so for 58 years between 1916 and 2024. The previous time DST was not observed was in 1979.

Central European Summer Time (CEST)

Austria observes Daylight Saving Time (DST), also known as Central European Summer Time (CEST), between the last Sunday in March at 2:00 am CET and the last Sunday in October at 3:00 am CEST. During DST, the clocks are turned forward by one hour, resulting in more daylight in the evenings and less in the mornings. This period is sometimes simply referred to as "daylight savings time".

In 2024, DST in Austria will begin on Sunday, March 31, at 2:00 am, and end on Sunday, October 27, at 3:00 am. During this time, the sun sets around 9 pm in June in Vienna, and at about 4 pm in December.

When DST ends, Austria reverts to standard time, known as Central European Time (CET), which is observed from the last Sunday in October to the last Sunday in March. During this period, there is more light in the morning and less in the evening.

Austria first observed DST in 1916 and has done so for 58 years between 1916 and 2024. The previous time with no DST observance was in 1979.

How daylight saving time affects sunrise and sunset

In Austria, Daylight Saving Time (DST) or Central European Summer Time is observed from the last Sunday in March at 2:00 am CET to the last Sunday in October at 3:00 am CEST. During DST, the clocks are one hour ahead of standard time, resulting in more daylight in the evenings and less in the mornings.

On the day DST starts, the sunrise and sunset are about one hour later than the previous day. For example, if DST begins at 2:00 am, turning the clock forward by one hour, the sunrise and sunset will occur an hour later than they did the day before. This shift in time affects people's daily routines and activities, as there is more daylight available during the evening hours.

Similarly, when DST ends in October, the clocks are turned back one hour at 3:00 am. As a result, the sunrise and sunset occur about one hour earlier on that day compared to the day before. This change brings more morning daylight and less evening daylight.

The impact of DST on sunrise and sunset times is most noticeable the day after the clock change. However, the overall effect on sunrise and sunset times throughout the DST period is significant. During the summer months, when DST is in effect, the sun rises and sets later each day than it would have without the time change. This shift in daylight hours can influence various aspects of life, including sleep patterns, outdoor activities, energy consumption, and evening leisure pursuits.

In summary, DST in Austria advances the clock by one hour, directly impacting sunrise and sunset times. This alteration provides longer evenings with more daylight during the summer, allowing for extended outdoor activities and a different light-dark cycle for daily routines.

Frequently asked questions