Winter time in the Netherlands: 7h44m of daylight, vitamin D advice and bike light rules for the dark months

On 23 October 2026, NL Times published "Clocks go back this Sunday as debate over daylight saving time continues". The piece covers the switch to winter time at 03:00 on Sunday 25 October, and the awkward fact behind it: the European Parliament voted to scrap the clock change in 2019, and more than seven years later the system is still running.

Once the clocks go back, evenings get dark fast. This guide checks where the clock-change debate actually stands, and then turns to the practical part: how to get through the dark months between now and March. It covers sunrise and sunset times, official vitamin D advice, bike light rules and fines, low mood in winter and where to get help, and the basics of heating, ventilation and mould.

We read coverage across the eight main English-language outlets for internationals (NL Times, DutchNews, DutchReview, IamExpat, Expatica, ACCESS, Xpat.nl and The Hague International Centre) and checked every figure against primary sources: KNMI (the Royal Netherlands Meteorological Institute), Rijksoverheid (the central government), the Gezondheidsraad (Health Council), the Voedingscentrum (Netherlands Nutrition Centre), Thuisarts.nl, the European Parliament and others. All sources were checked on 24 October 2026.

Main sources for this guide

• NL Times, "Clocks go back this Sunday as debate over daylight saving time continues" (23 October 2026)
• KNMI's 2026 sunrise and sunset table and its monthly climate summaries (1991–2020 normals)
• The Voedingscentrum's vitamin D page and the Health Council's 2012 advice
• Rijksoverheid's rules on bike lights and reflectors, and the OM's Boetebase fine database
• Thuisarts.nl on low mood, and Milieu Centraal on ventilation and mould

1. What's happening: winter time is back, the abolition debate is stuck

The NL Times article is less about the clock change itself than about why it still exists. Its answer: the legislative process has been frozen for years, and the European Commission is now taking another look.

According to the article, Transport Commissioner Apostolos Tzitzikostas said on 16 January 2026 that the Commission was preparing an assessment of ending seasonal clock changes, with findings expected before the end of 2026. The Commission also said no member state had formally told it which time it would prefer to keep all year.

A short timeline

The debate started in 2018. A Commission consultation drew about 4.6 million responses, and 84% favoured ending the clock changes, NL Times reports. The Commission followed with a proposal for a directive (COM(2018) 639) in September 2018.

The European Parliament's Legislative Train page marks the proposal as "Blocked", with the Council (the member states' ministers) as the blocking institution. Parliament adopted its position on 26 March 2019 by 410 votes to 192, with 51 abstentions. The Council has not adopted its own.

Parliament held another plenary debate on 23 October 2025, without a resolution. NL Times notes that Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez argued in October 2025 that the system barely saves energy and harms people's health and daily lives.

Where the outlets disagree

Reading across outlets, you'll find dates that don't line up. A DutchNews piece from 24 October says the European Parliament voted to stop daylight saving time in 1996. The Parliament's own records put the vote in 2019. IamExpat mentions 1996 as the year an EU directive standardised the schedule, which is a different event.

NL Times's 24 October follow-up says sunset "moves to 5:20 p.m." KNMI's table for 52°N, 5°E gives 17:25 on 25 October. Times shift by a few minutes depending on where you are, so this is likely a difference in reference location rather than an error.

2. How the clock change works: what is fixed and what is not

The Netherlands' legal standard time is Central European Time (CET, UTC+1), known locally as wintertijd. Summer time (zomertijd) is the exception: the clocks go forward one hour from the last Sunday in March to the last Sunday in October.

Rijksoverheid explains that the Netherlands introduced summer time in 1977 to stay in step with its neighbours, and that it has been coordinated at European level since 1980. The current dates come from EU Directive 2000/84/EC.

The switch happens at 01:00 UTC everywhere in the EU. That means 03:00 local time in the Netherlands, Germany and France, and 02:00 in Portugal, which runs an hour behind.

Decided versus undecided

It's easiest to follow the debate if you separate the facts from the open questions.

The 2019 plan let each country choose permanent standard time or permanent summer time. If neighbours chose differently, Europe would get new time borders. That risk of a patchwork is one reason member states have hesitated.

The health argument favours permanent winter time

In 2019 the Dutch public health institute RIVM published a literature review concluding that permanent standard time would be better for public health in the Netherlands than permanent summer time. Standard time puts daylight earlier in the morning, closer to the body's natural rhythm.

The review also found that people sleep worse right after a clock change, especially in spring, and that some studies show more heart attacks in the first days after clocks go forward. The studies it reviewed were done in other countries. That is a reason to go easy on yourself around the switch, not a basis for conclusions about your own health.

3. How dark it gets: KNMI's sunrise and sunset table

Now to the darkness itself. Each year KNMI publishes sunrise and sunset times for 52°N, 5°E, roughly the centre of the country. These are the key winter dates from the 2026 table.

Source: KNMI, "Tijden van zonopkomst en -ondergang 2026". Daylight length is calculated from the listed times.

On the day the clocks go back, mornings get an hour lighter and evenings an hour darker. Over the next two months, the day shrinks by another 2 hours 20 minutes or so. By midsummer, for comparison, the same table gives 16 hours 44 minutes of daylight (05:20 to 22:04 on 21 June).

The darkest morning and the earliest evening are weeks apart

Look closely at the table and you'll notice the earliest sunset isn't on 21 December. It comes around 11 to 15 December, at 16:28. The latest sunrise comes later, from about 26 December to 4 January, at 08:48. This is a quirk of Earth's elliptical orbit and happens everywhere at this latitude.

In practice, evenings start getting lighter from mid-December, while mornings stay dark into early January. If January still feels gloomy at breakfast, that's not your imagination.

Your town shifts the times by a few minutes

KNMI's table is calculated for 5°E. The Hague sits near 4.3°E, so sunrise and sunset there come about three minutes later. Groningen, near 6.6°E, is roughly six minutes earlier. The north also has slightly shorter winter days than Maastricht in the south.

Sunshine, not just daylight

Short days come with cloud. KNMI's monthly summaries quote national sunshine normals for 1991–2020, and the winter figures are low.

Sources: KNMI summaries for November 2025, December 2025, January 2026 and February 2026.

December's 58 hours works out to under two hours of sunshine a day on average. Xpat.nl puts the yearly total at roughly 1,500 hours, which means winter gets a small share of the year's sun. Checking KNMI's monthly summary is a quick way to tell whether a winter really is unusually gloomy or just feels that way.

4. New time differences: calls, meetings and family abroad

Winter time also changes your time difference with everyone outside Europe who doesn't switch on the same date. Some gaps widen by an hour, some shrink, and one shifts for just a week.

Two details catch people out. The US ends daylight saving on the first Sunday in November, so between 25 October and 1 November 2026 New York is only five hours behind. And Sydney moves its clocks forward in October while Europe moves back, so the gap jumps by two hours in a matter of weeks.

Fix recurring calls to one time zone

If you have a standing call with family or a team abroad, set it in their time zone, or in UTC, rather than yours. Calendar apps convert automatically, and the meeting won't drift twice a year. This is especially helpful for older relatives, who tend to find "it moved again" confusing.

Also check the devices that won't update themselves. Phones and laptops switch automatically if automatic time is on, NL Times points out, but cars, ovens, microwaves and wall clocks usually need doing by hand.

5. Vitamin D: who the official advice is actually for

Vitamin D comes up in almost every winter survival guide. IamExpat and DutchReview both suggest it, but neither spells out who needs how much, so we went to the source.

The Voedingscentrum explains that in a Dutch winter the sun is too low for your skin to make vitamin D. From March to October it recommends 15 to 30 minutes outdoors each day between 11:00 and 15:00, with face and hands uncovered.

The supplement groups

The Voedingscentrum's advice follows the Health Council's 2012 evaluation. These groups are advised to take a supplement every day.

In 2021 the Health Council looked again, in the context of COVID-19, and saw no reason to change the advice.

The flip side matters too. If you're 4 to 69, have lighter skin, get outside regularly in summer and eat a normal diet, the official position is that you generally don't need a supplement. Vitamin D made in summer is stored and used through the winter.

More is not better

The Voedingscentrum lists maximum safe daily intakes: 100 µg for anyone aged 11 and over, 50 µg for ages 1 to 10, and 25 µg for babies under one. Supplements sold in the Netherlands are capped below that, at 75 µg for ages 11 and up.

Stacking several supplements and fortified foods can push you higher than you think. If you have kidney problems or take regular medication, talk to your huisarts or pharmacist before starting.

Questions to ask yourself

Many internationals fall into an advice group without realising it. The table translates the categories into everyday situations.

The last row isn't strictly covered, since visitors aren't Dutch residents, but it's a useful prompt for older relatives to check with their own doctor.

6. Bike lights: the rules, the fine, and a five-minute check

The first everyday thing winter time changes is your ride home. By December, a 16:30 school pick-up or office exit is already in the dark.

What the law requires

According to Rijksoverheid, you need a front and rear light on in the dark, at dusk, and in bad weather or poor visibility. Clip-on lights are allowed.

Two of these surprise many newcomers. Flashing modes, common on lights sold elsewhere, are illegal here. And a helmet light or an armband light doesn't count. If you brought lights from abroad, check they have a steady mode.

The fine

Fines are listed in the Boetebase of the Openbaar Ministerie (OM, the Public Prosecution Service). ANWB's overview of 2026 fines lists €75 for not using the right lights when they're required. The OM adds €9 in administration costs to every fine.

Fine amounts can change each January, so check the Boetebase for the latest figure before relying on an old number.

How many cyclists actually comply

An observational study published by Rijksoverheid in March 2026 found that in 2025, 75% of cyclists had both lights on as required, 11% complied only partly, and 13% had no lights on at all. Only 3% wore a helmet.

The other side of the road matters too. NL Times's 24 October article cites a survey of 1,125 Dutch drivers by OSW and PanelWizard: 46% said it is harder to spot road users and obstacles in time in the dark, and 22% said they definitely feel less sure of themselves driving at dusk right after the switch. You may feel visible on your bike; the driver may not see you.

A five-minute check

The weekend the clocks go back is a good moment to check everything at once.

1. Switch on front and rear lights and make sure neither is set to flash
2. Charge clip-on lights and keep a spare battery or cable by the door
3. Look for cracked or missing reflectors at the back, on the wheels and on the pedals
4. Check the children's bikes too
5. If your coat is dark, add a reflective vest or band

A fietsenmaker (bike repair shop) can fix a dynamo light or replace reflectors quickly. Autumn is busy, so going early saves waiting.

7. Low mood in winter: self-care first, then your huisarts

Feeling flat, struggling to get up and craving carbohydrates in the dark months is common. DutchReview's guide to seasonal depression describes a winter pattern that tends to begin in late autumn and lift in spring, often with oversleeping, carb cravings and constant tiredness.

What follows is general information, not a diagnosis. If something persists or worries you, talk to a doctor.

What helps day to day

Thuisarts.nl, the patient site run by the Dutch College of General Practitioners, lists simple steps for when you feel low. Here's how they translate into a Dutch winter.

DutchReview's article on light and health quotes a chronobiologist at University Medical Center Groningen on how a lack of light affects sleep quality, and recommends walking for at least 30 minutes a day, ideally between 08:00 and 09:00. With sunrise after 08:00 for much of the winter, the school run or commute is your best daylight window.

IamExpat's seven tips for the Dutch winter add warm lamps instead of harsh overhead lights, and cutting back on social media and news. Scrolling friends' sunny holiday photos from a dark flat at 16:30 is a mood drain many internationals recognise.

Light therapy

Dutch clinical guidance recognises light therapy (lichttherapie) as a treatment for winter depression, as noted in the national guideline database. Bright light lamps are sold online, but whether to use one as treatment, and how, is something to agree with a doctor.

A light therapy lamp does not make vitamin D. Treat the two as separate things.

Who to contact, in order

In the Dutch system, care almost always starts with the huisarts (GP) you're registered with, and mental health is no exception.

Thuisarts.nl suggests contacting your GP if you still feel low after a few months or aren't improving; if loss of interest comes with feelings of worthlessness, restlessness or poor sleep; or if a medication you take might be affecting your mood.

GP care doesn't count towards your eigen risico (annual deductible), but referred mental health care (GGZ) does. Our 2027 health insurance guide explains how the deductible works.

For English-language support, ACCESS offers free referrals to licensed professionals, several of whom work in English. The Hague International Centre warns that waiting lists for mental health care are long, and suggests asking your insurer about online care as a faster route.

If you're new and haven't registered with a huisarts yet, do it now, while you're well. Finding a practice that accepts new patients takes longer than most people expect.

8. Heating, ventilation and mould: the winter house basics

Condensation and mould are among the most common winter problems in Dutch homes. Windows stay shut, laundry dries indoors, the heating goes up, and moisture has nowhere to go. For energy prices and contracts, see our guide to 2027 energy bills; here we stick to how you use the house.

Keep ventilating

Milieu Centraal's ventilation page is blunt: ventilate day and night, all year, including in winter. That means leaving the vents above windows (roosters) open and not switching off mechanical ventilation.

One counter-intuitive point: leaving the bathroom window open for a long time after a shower can make things worse, because cold walls attract condensation. If there's an extractor fan, use it and wipe down the walls and floor.

Thermostat settings

Milieu Centraal's heating tips estimate that turning the thermostat down to 15°C at night saves about €60 a year, and setting 15°C on four weekdays when nobody is home saves about €120, based on gas at €1.37 per cubic metre.

With underfloor heating or a fully electric heat pump, it suggests not going below 17 or 18°C, because the house takes too long to warm up again. Very cold rooms also mean cold walls, which encourages condensation.

If mould appears in a rented home

Small spots can be treated with a mould remover that carries a Ctgb authorisation number. Milieu Centraal's mould page warns against mixing your own cleaners from soda, bleach or chlorine. If mould keeps coming back in several places, or there are signs of leaks or cold bridges (koudebruggen), it's a job for the landlord.

This follows Rijksoverheid's guidance. A reduction starts on the first of the month after you apply, and normal rent resumes the month after repairs are done. In the free sector, the Huurcommissie's ruling may not be binding, so check your contract.

9. Winter traditions are built around light

Many Dutch autumn and winter traditions are about lighting up the dark. We cover them in detail in our pieces on Sint Maarten and Halloween and Dutch public holidays, so here's just the outline.

Expatica's guide to winter events highlights the Amsterdam Light Festival and Gouda's December evening when the town hall is lit by 1,500 candles. Expatica's winter survival guide adds a practical note: snow and ice can disrupt trains, so build in extra time on the few days it does freeze.

10. Common mistakes

Most winter slip-ups come from assuming rules work the same way as wherever you lived before.

11. Scenarios (fictional examples)

These fictional examples show how the answers change with your situation. They are not real people.

Sam may not step outside on a working day. "Aged 4 to 69 and rarely outdoors during the day" is one of the advice groups, so the answer depends on how Sam actually lives, not on age alone.

Priya's school run home happens close to sunset by December. Her checklist is mostly about the children's bikes.

Ana falls into the women 50–69 group regardless of skin tone or time outside. Being new and the darkest months overlap, which makes isolation more likely. A language course, a club or a volunteering slot gives the week a fixed shape.

Tom, by contrast, is the person the official advice says probably doesn't need a supplement, as long as he gets summer sun and eats normally.

12. What to do this week and in November

Working through this list once covers most of the winter preparation.

1. Fix the clocks: car, oven, microwave and wall clocks need changing by hand
2. Re-check calls abroad: confirm standing meetings and family calls in the other party's time zone
3. Check your bike lights: both on, steady not flashing, reflectors intact
4. Check vitamin D groups: compare everyone in the household with the Voedingscentrum table
5. Plan your daylight: decide where morning or lunchtime outdoor time fits
6. Check vents and extractors: open, clean, running
7. Confirm your huisarts: registered, phone number saved, out-of-hours huisartsenpost number saved
8. Put winter plans in the diary: events, friends, exercise

Step 7 matters most if you've only just arrived. Looking for a GP practice when you're already unwell is the hardest time to do it.

13. Checklist

• Car, appliance and wall clocks set back an hour
• Calls abroad confirmed in the other time zone
• Front light (white or yellow) and rear light (red) work, not flashing
• Reflectors on rear, wheels and pedals are intact
• Checked whether anyone at home is in a vitamin D advice group
• Picked a daily time to get outside in daylight
• Vents open and mechanical ventilation running
• Huisarts and huisartsenpost numbers saved
• 113 saved in your phone
• At least one winter event or regular plan booked

14. Summary

• The Netherlands returned to winter time at 03:00 on Sunday 25 October 2026. Summer time comes back on Sunday 28 March 2027.
• The EU has not decided to end the clock change. Parliament voted for it in 2019, member states have not agreed, and the Commission's new assessment is expected before the end of 2026.
• The shortest day has 7 hours 44 minutes of daylight; evenings start brightening mid-December, mornings stay dark into January. December averages 58 hours of sunshine nationally.
• Vitamin D supplements are advised for children 0–3, people 4–69 with darker skin or little time outdoors, women 50–69 and pregnant women (10 µg), and everyone 70+ (20 µg).
• Bikes need a steady white or yellow front light and red rear light when it's dark or visibility is poor. The 2026 fine is €75 plus €9 in costs.
• If low mood lasts, see your huisarts. In a crisis, call 113 for free.
• Keep ventilating while heating, and report recurring mould to your landlord in writing.

Sources

Starting article and outlets for internationals

• Clocks go back this Sunday as debate over daylight saving time continues — NL Times: starting article; EU debate, RIVM findings (23 October 2026)
• Clocks go back one hour in the Netherlands early Sunday morning — NL Times: driver survey of 1,125 people, device reminders (24 October 2026)
• Clocks moved ahead across Europe as dispute over daylight saving continues — NL Times: the debate in March 2026
• More sleep on Sunday as clocks go back an hour — DutchNews: background on 1977 (vote date differs from EU records)
• Seasonal depression in the Netherlands — DutchReview: the winter pattern and self-help
• How a lack of light in the Netherlands affects your health — DutchReview: morning light and sleep (updated September 2026)
• Does the Netherlands have Daylight Saving Time? — DutchReview: DST basics
• Daylight Savings in the Netherlands — IamExpat: 2026 dates and history (updated March 2026)
• 7 helpful tips for getting through the Dutch winter — IamExpat: lighting, exercise, screen time
• Surviving the winter in the Netherlands — Expatica: clothing and travel disruption
• The complete guide to Dutch winter events — Expatica: light festivals and Gouda by candlelight
• Finding good mental healthcare in the Netherlands — ACCESS: GP referral, free English-language referrals
• The Dutch Climate — Xpat.nl: winter temperatures and annual sunshine
• Mental health care — The Hague International Centre: waiting lists, online care, emergency contacts

Government, agencies and official bodies

• Waarom wordt de klok 2 keer per jaar verzet? — Rijksoverheid: 25 October 2026 switch, Directive 2000/84/EC
• Discontinuing seasonal changes of time — European Parliament Legislative Train: 2019 vote, blocked in Council
• Taking stock of the seasonal clock change — European Parliament: October 2025 plenary debate
• COM(2018) 639 — EUR-Lex: the Commission's proposal
• Wintertijd beter voor volksgezondheid dan zomertijd — RIVM: 2019 review favouring permanent standard time
• Tijden van zonopkomst en -ondergang 2026 — KNMI: sunrise and sunset at 52°N, 5°E
• November 2025 — KNMI: November sunshine normal
• December 2025 — KNMI: December sunshine normal of 58 hours
• Januari 2026 — KNMI: January sunshine normal of 68 hours
• Februari 2026 — KNMI: February sunshine normal of 92 hours
• Vitamine D — Voedingscentrum: advice groups, amounts, upper limits, sun advice
• Evaluatie van de voedingsnormen voor vitamine D — Gezondheidsraad: the 2012 advice
• Vitamine D en de preventie van COVID-19 — Gezondheidsraad: 2021, advice unchanged
• Wat zijn de regels voor fietsverlichting en reflectie? — Rijksoverheid: bike light and reflector rules
• Lichtvoering en helmdracht fietsers 2025 — Rijksoverheid: 75% compliance
• Boetebase — Openbaar Ministerie: fine lookup, €9 administration costs
• Boetebedragen fietsers 2026 — ANWB: €75 for lights, €170 for phone use
• Ik voel me somber — Thuisarts.nl: self-help and when to see a GP
• 113 Zelfmoordpreventie: free phone line and chat
• Lichttherapie — Richtlijnendatabase: light therapy for winter depression
• Woning ventileren — Milieu Centraal: ventilation basics
• Schimmels in huis — Milieu Centraal: removing mould and when to call an expert
• Bespaartips verwarming — Milieu Centraal: thermostat savings
• Tijdelijke huurverlaging bij ernstige onderhoudsgebreken — Rijksoverheid: 6-week repair period, Huurcommissie procedure

All sources were checked on 24 October 2026. Rules and amounts change, so check the official pages before acting.

Original article

Clocks go back this Sunday as debate over daylight saving time continues — NL Times