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On Sunday morning at 2:00 a.m., clocks in the Czech Republic will move forward one hour to Central European Summer Time (CEST). This change, which affects the entire European Union, marks the start of a period that will last until the last Sunday in October.
While the change has become routine, its impact on daily life, including travel, can be significant. The purpose of summer time was originally to save energy, with its historical roots in what is now the Czech Republic pre-dating the establishment of Czechoslovakia.
Today, the switch is a regular part of life, but its future remains uncertain as EU nations debate whether to continue the practice. For now, Czechia will follow EU regulations and continue to observe the time shift.
Summer time in Czechia
Summer time was first introduced in the Czech lands during World War I in 1915 as a means of conserving energy. After a brief period of abolition, the Nazis reintroduced it in 1940 during their occupation. It was again abandoned by the Communist government in 1949, but reintroduced in 1979, becoming the norm once more.
In 1996, the European Union extended the duration of summer time from six to seven months to align with broader energy-saving goals. This shift has remained in place since then.
Despite the historical precedent for switching between time zones, public opinion on the practice is divided. In 2018, the European Commission proposed ending the mandatory time change, leaving it to individual member states to decide whether to keep CEST or revert to Central European Time (CET) year-round.
In the Czech Republic, the government has chosen to extend the practice through 2025, with no immediate plans to abandon it. This ongoing debate has left many Czechs wondering whether the time shift is still relevant in today’s world.
Travel disruptions and timetable adjustments
While the switch to summer time affects many aspects of daily life, it also brings changes to travel schedules, especially for long-distance trains. In Czechia, 12 overnight trains operated by Czech Railways will experience disruptions due to the time change.
The transition to CEST means that these trains will be delayed by one hour. However, Czech Railways is taking steps to minimize these delays, including reducing the time trains spend at stations.
The Baltic Express, a popular overnight train, will depart from Gdynia in Poland one hour earlier than scheduled to accommodate the time change. Passengers on this train, traveling to destinations such as Wrocław and Prague, will experience no delays once the train enters Czech territory.
These adjustments are designed to prevent knock-on effects on daytime trains, which will not wait for the delayed overnight services. However, key connections at Břeclav and Bohumín stations will be maintained for trains with sleeper cars bound for international destinations.
Travelers planning to take long-distance trains this weekend should be aware of these adjustments. Czech Railways has updated the departure times in their booking system, but check here for a full list of affected trains.
