Travellers between Kenya and the United Kingdom will need to adjust to a new time difference from Sunday, October 25, 2026, when the UK turns its clocks back by one hour and ends daylight saving time.
The change means the UK will move from British Summer Time (BST) to Greenwich Mean Time (GMT), increasing the time difference with Kenya from two hours to three hours. Kenya does not adjust its clocks for daylight saving, meaning it will remain three hours ahead of the UK throughout the British winter.
The clocks will go back at 2 am on Sunday, October 25, 2026, when the time resets to 1 am, giving people in the UK an extra hour in bed. However, the change also means earlier sunsets, with London expected to experience sunset at around 4.50 pm on Sunday, October 25, 2026, compared with 6.30 pm on Saturday, October 24, 2026.
How the time change affects travellers from Kenya
The change is important for Kenyans travelling to the UK, those expecting visitors from Britain and people coordinating airport pickups or other arrangements across the two countries.
For example, when it is noon in Kenya, it will be 9 am in the UK after the change. Travellers should keep the new difference in mindwhen scheduling calls, planning connections or arranging transport after landing.
The clock change can also affect overnight bus, coach and train services in the UK. Some operators may run services twice during the repeated hour. A coach scheduled to leave at 1.30 am under British Summer Time, for instance, could have another departure at 1.30 am GMT an hour later.
Passengers should check with their transport providers to confirm departure times and avoid confusion. Anyone relying on a manual watch or alarm clock should adjust it before going to bed on Saturday night. Most smartphones and internet-connected devices update automatically.
What to know if you are flying
The change can be confusing for passengers taking overnight flights across different time zones, particularly because countries do not all adjust their clocks on the same date.
India, Japan, South Africa, Brazil and Turkey do not observe daylight saving time, so their clocks remain unchanged. Most European countries change their clocks on the same date as the UK, while the United States will make its adjustment on Sunday, November 1, 2026.
Although the time shown on a clock may make a journey appear longer or shorter, the actual flight duration does not change because of the time adjustment. Airlines display departure and arrival times according to the local time at each airport, so passengers should follow the times on their tickets.
Travellers can also set their watches to their destination’s local time after boarding to make it easier to keep track of their arrival and onward travel arrangements.
