Clock Changes and Travel: Flights, Trains and Ferries
Timetables are always quoted in local time, so the clock change can alter flight and train times on the weekend it happens.
Flights
Airlines publish departure and arrival times in local time at each airport. On the weekend the clocks change, a flight that takes the same time in the air will land at a different clock time. If you fly from the UK to a country that changes on another date, such as the US, the time difference shown on your ticket can differ for a few days.
Trains and ferries
Overnight trains and ferries have special timetables on the night of the change. In autumn a service may stop or wait for an hour so that it can leave at its scheduled clock time. Always check the operator's notice for that weekend.
Eurostar, ferries and other cross-Channel services use local time at each end, which means a journey from London to Paris appears on the clock to take an hour longer than it does, and the return journey an hour shorter.
Frequently asked questions
Are flight times shown in local time?
Yes. Departure times are in the local time of the departure airport and arrival times in the local time of the arrival airport.
Clock change guides
- What Is Daylight Saving Time (DST)? A Plain-English GuideWhat daylight saving time is, how it works in the UK, Europe and the US, why it exists, its history, who uses it and the argument over scrapping it.
- Why Do the Clocks Go Back in October? The Real ReasonThe clocks go back in autumn to return the UK to GMT, so winter mornings are lighter. The history, the rule, what time it happens and what changes for you.
- When Do the Clocks Go Forward Again After Going Back?When the UK clocks go forward again after the autumn change, how long the UK stays on GMT, when evenings get lighter and how to remember to reset your clocks.