What American Tourists Need To Know About Daylight Savings Time In Other Countries

Opinions about daylight saving time (DST) vary, and while some people absolutely love it for the extra hour of daylight, lesser energy consumption, and the overall mood boost associated with extended exposure to sunlight, others dread both the day it comes into effect and the day the clocks revert back to "normal." In the U.S., the current model of DST was introduced in 2007, following the Energy Policy Act of 2005, and each year, it comes into effect on the second Sunday of March until the first Sunday of November. It's a change that many people like to remember with the expressions "spring forward" and "fall back." 

This happens almost everywhere in America, except for some parts of Arizona, as well as Hawaii and territories like Puerto Rico, Guam, and other dependencies of the U.S. If you're at home, there are many precautions you can take to ensure a smoother transition both in March and in November, but if you're traveling, the strain of changes in daylight savings time, coupled with general jet lag, can prove to be difficult to adjust to. 

Without much exaggeration, time works differently in other parts of the world. That is why Rick Steves warns Americans about a common timing mistake in Europe, and why some resorts in the Maldives ask tourists to change the time on their clocks. Travel, coupled with the extra strain of springing forward or falling back, can make timing difficult, causing you to miss a train connection, a dinner reservation, or an entire flight altogether. It is therefore important to know when other countries implement DST so you can stay ahead of the curve and plan accordingly.

While the clocks revert to "normal" on the first Sunday of November in the United States, these changes happen on different days in other parts of the world. Most countries in Europe will revert to their normal time zones on October 26. Nations that use Central European Summer Time (CEST) will strike one hour off the clock in the first hours of October 26, and that change will stay in effect until the last Sunday of March. If your destination is in Oceania, the change will be reversed and occur sooner than in Europe. New Zealand springs forward on September 28, while Australia will follow suit on October 5. 

These changes are instantly reflected on transportation schedules, and travelers are advised to arrive earlier than they normally would to check in to their flights and catch their buses and trains, because although you might be well informed of the time changes, a lot of other travelers won't be, and that can result in longer queues and a bit of chaos. Equally helpful are Rick Steves' tips on never getting European train schedules mixed up. These changes will also be reflected in your touristic activities, mainly tours and sightseeing, as the sun will be setting one hour earlier, leaving less time to enjoy sights during the day. Plan accordingly, beat the crowds, and these changes will have no negative impact on your travels.