Continental shift pattern calendar
Shift times and custom pattern
Day 1 is the first day of crew A's cycle. Other crews are offset from it. Your settings are saved on your device only.
Check against your employer's official roster.
How the Continental (2 days, 2 nights, 4 off) pattern works
In the UK, "continental" usually means 12-hour shifts on an 8-day cycle: 2 days, 2 nights, then 4 days off. Four crews start two days apart. Other continental variants exist (some use 8-hour shifts), so set your shift length and start times under Shift times, or build your own pattern on the custom pattern page.
Cycle for crew A: DDNNOOOO (D = day, N = night, F = 24-hour shift, O = off).
Year calendars: Continental (2 days, 2 nights, 4 off) 2026 calendar · Continental (2 days, 2 nights, 4 off) 2027 calendar. To put it on your phone, see how to add the .ics file.
Check against your employer's official roster.
Questions
How many weekends off do you get on a Continental (2 days, 2 nights, 4 off) schedule?
In 2027, with crew A starting on 2026-01-05, the crews on this page get 18 to 21 full weekends (Saturday and Sunday both off) out of 52. The number depends on where your cycle starts, so set your own day 1 in the tool to see yours.
How many hours a week is Continental (2 days, 2 nights, 4 off)?
You work 4 of every 8 days. If shifts are 12 hours, that averages 42.0 hours a week over the cycle. Single weeks can be higher or lower.
Why do my days off move each week?
The cycle is 8 days long. Because that is not a multiple of 7, the same point in the cycle lands on a different weekday each week.
How many shifts a year is Continental (2 days, 2 nights, 4 off)?
In 2027 the crews on this page work 181 to 184 shifts, depending on the crew and start date.