I am going on an 8 day all-inclusive Rhine river cruise in May. I will be flying into Zurich and taking a train to Basel, where we begin a cruise through Switzerland, France, Germany, and ending in Amsterdam. Since everything on-board and tours, including tips, is included, I'm not sure how much cash to bring. I was planning on $400 Euros and $100 Swiss Francs for any food and gifts I may want to purchase in the towns, but after reading some of these posts, maybe that is too much. I will use a no-foreign exchange fee credit card whenever possible, but I don't know that every little shop in these quaint towns will take cards. Any advice?
Posted by
winston salem, nc, usa
1078 posts
ATM's are virtually everywhere. My first stop when landing is to visit an ATM and pull €200 out which usually lasts for a week if using CC's. Suggest you do the same- ATM for Swiss Francs on landing and a stop at your first ATM on your cruise.
Posted by
Frankfurt, Germany
8947 posts
Yes, you will need cash in those towns for small purchases. If you are out and about with free time, you will need cash for that cup of coffee or a bratwurst or a pastry. If you go on tours of the towns with tours arranged by your ship, it is nice to give your guide 1-2 € if you enjoyed the tour.
You do not have to have that cash ahead of time. Pull out 100€ when you need it from a bank ATM in any city you visit with your debit card.
Posted by
Florida, USA
12172 posts
My bank charges a 1 percent fee for a foreign transaction, so there's no difference between multiple small transactions and fewer large transactions. Some banks charge 3 percent plus $5 per transaction (some might be even higher). If your bank adds a flat fee to the percentage, it's good to know your daily withdrawal limit set by your bank (usually $500), and make fewer, larger withdrawals so the $5 fees don't pile up.
ATM's are everywhere. I've seen them cut into stone walls in 12th century city centers. Use common safety sense and always cover the PIN pad with your free hand when you type in your PIN.
Posted by
Medford, OR, USA
5836 posts
The Swiss businesses seemed to accept credit card charges for relatively small purchases. I withdrew 200 CHF from an ATM at the Zurich Airport to have cash available for small purchases. Ironic that that the ATM gave me two 100 CHF notes. Using my credit card for most purchases, the 200 CHF lasted the two of us for our two weeks in Switzerland.
Posted by
Vermont
333 posts
Make sure you notify your CC holders and bank that you will be traveling!
Posted by
Medford, OR, USA
5836 posts
Review Rick's Travel Tips re money including:
https://www.ricksteves.com/travel-tips/money/cash-machine-atm-tips
Posted by
🏝️ Hobe Sound, FL⛱️
3167 posts
Check with your bank to determine what FX rate they charge on ATM withdrawals. PNC Bank, for example, charges 3% on each transaction. Whereas Capital One Bank changes 0%.
Posted by
Tresana, Highlands Ranch, CO, USA
23290 posts
....I'm not sure how much cash to bring. To get back to your original question. There are a lot of variables to a potential answer. I do think you are taking too much cash and you will pay around 10% or more to get those funds in the US. When we were on a river cruise we tended to eat lunch in town instead of returning to the ship for the provided lunch and we tended to use cash for nearly everything simply because it is easier for us. So we probably would use more cash than you might. The simply solution is for you to bring about a hundred euro with you from the US. Pay the 10% fee to get the euro at your local bank. After a few days you may get a feel for how much cash you are using so get what you need from an ATM with a debit card. If you use your credit card a lot then, perhaps you will not need that much cash.