Money, cards and ATMs in Switzerland

The franc

• Switzerland uses the Swiss franc (CHF). It is not in the eurozone and has no plans to be.
• Many tourist businesses accept euros at a deliberately unfavourable rate and give change in francs. Paying in francs is always cheaper.
• Cards are accepted everywhere, including mountain huts and market stalls, and contactless is universal.
• Twint is the local payment app and it is everywhere, but it needs a Swiss bank account, so it is not an option for visitors.
• Carry some cash anyway for small alpine cable cars, honesty-box farm shops and parking.

ATMs and exchange

• Bank ATMs give the fair rate. Use one attached to UBS, PostFinance, Raiffeisen or a cantonal bank.
• Refuse dynamic currency conversion. Choose to be charged in francs every time.
• Airport exchange desks are poor value, as everywhere.
• Swiss ATMs will happily dispense a CHF 200 note, which is awkward for small purchases. Ask for a mix if the machine offers one.

Tipping is not expected

• Service is included in the price by law. A Swiss bill is the whole bill.
• Round up if you were pleased. CHF 47 becomes CHF 50 and that is generous.
• No percentage is expected, and 15 or 20 percent would be strange.
• Taxi: round up. Hotel porter: a couple of francs.

What things cost

Switzerland is genuinely one of the most expensive countries in the world, and it is worth calibrating before you order.

• Coffee: CHF 4.50 to CHF 6.
• A half litre of beer: CHF 7 to CHF 9.
• A basic restaurant main: CHF 25 to CHF 40. A pizza is CHF 22.
• A supermarket meal from Coop or Migros costs a fifth of that, and the picnic-by-the-lake strategy is what locals do too.
• Mountain railways are the big-ticket item. Jungfraujoch is over CHF 200 return without a pass.
• Tap water is excellent and free, and public fountains all over the country are drinking water unless marked otherwise. Carry a bottle and refill it.

Bringing goods in

• The duty-free limit is CHF 150 a person a day, halved from CHF 300 on 1 January 2025.
• Above that, 8.1 percent VAT is charged on the entire amount, not the excess.
• The QuickZoll app lets you declare and pay before you cross.