We are landing in Zurich, spending just one night in Pontresina before heading to Italy by train. Any advice on how many Swiss Francs to pull from the ATM?
At US-Canada border cities there is a certain amount of accepting the other currency. Does that happen between Switzerland and Italy?
I'd just pull 90 CHF out (to make sure the machine doesn't stick you with a 100 CHF note). You can use credit cards for most expenses like hotel and train tickets and perhaps some meals (90 CHF will get you a real nice lunch for 2). Yes, my experience many Swiss establishments accept EUR, but give change in CHF. Maybe in Tirano they will take CHF, but once away from the border just EUR.
What is wrong with getting a 100 Frank note? You can use it anywhere. Most cash machines (ATM's) dispense 100 and sometimes 200 Franks. Nothing smaller then 50 Franks. Asking for 90 Franks may not work.
Assuming you have your hotel and train costs already covered, reckon 50-75 Franks per person for a good meal in Pontresina, with drinks. Plus souvenirs, coffees, lunch on the train.
All the big chain shops (Coop, Migros) accept Euros, banknotes only, no coins, and give change in Swiss Franks. The exchange rate is programmed into the tills. Same for SBB (Swiss Railways), even their ticket machines accept Euros. Restaurants in tourist and border areas do the same, but expect an inferior exchange rate.
Once you cross the border into Italy, I would not expect them to accept Franks, but you may get lucky in Tirano.
Mayans none. Most places take cards (watch foreign transaction fees on cards before going) so cash isn't necessary in most places. MOST. If you feel the need, or it makes you feel more secure, pull 100 CHF out, buy a candy bar and water, get your change, and head out. You are covered. You can even give most hotels the cash you have in the morning, pay the rest on a card, and voila no CHFs.
"pull 100 CHF out, buy a candy bar and water, get your change" - why? There is nowhere which will not accept a 100 Frank note. I have never had any problem paying with a 100, 200 or 1000 Frank note.
Thanks for the replies. My debit card doesn't have foreign fees, but credit card does, so I'm usually better off getting cash.
Flying into Zurich, I won't have Euros yet!
ChrisF: Why "pull 100 CHF out, buy a candy bar and water, get your change"? Because I have had places not have change and I have had places where they had limited change and got an attitude about spending 100 CHF on a bottle of water.
That being said, why not buy some water? Stay hydrated :)
We had a less than 24h experience in Switzerland this summer. We took 100CHF out of an ATM and tried to use it up but still had some left over. I don't think we would have taken any cash out, we would have been fine with our no fee CC, but we were at a large outdoor city center music concert with multiple food and drink vendors, most of whom only took cash.
Otherwise we could have purchased our dinner and other snacks with a credit card. We also needed to pay a fee at a parking garage but used a CC for that transaction also.
If you'll be landing in Zurich, taking a train to your overnight Swiss destination (already have train ticket purchased or buy with CC at ticket window), sleep and eat breakfast at Swiss hotel (prepaid?) and then travel on to Italy in the morning I don't think I'd get any Swiss francs. Are you flying out of an Italian airport or returning to Zurich for your flight at the end of your trip?
Well we will need lunch arrival day and next day before we get to Italy (we are taking the Bernese route; if the weather is good we can have lunch along the way.) So maybe I'll decide on about 50 SF for small things.
We will fly back home from Rome.
If you are eating 2 lunches and paying cash in Switzerland I'd take out at least 100 CHF. Our one small lunch on our short day in Switzerland was about 50 CHF for 1 pizza, 1 plate of pasta, 1 glass of wine and 1 small bottle of water.
Emma, to save yourself and others confusion. If going via Pontresina, that is the Bernina route, over the Bernina pass.
*Bernese" implies something to do with Bern or the Berner Oberland, which is the opposite side of Switzerland.
Oops, sorry, I replied at work and didn't stop to check properly. It is Bernina!
And Mona is right. Based her experience let me guess at what things cost:
1 pizza = 17 CHF (or higher is not just cheese)
1 plate of pasta = 16 CHF (or higher if it is not just red sauce over egg noodles from the ubiquitous children's menu)
1 glass of wine = 3-5 CHF (and good wine at that, the bargain of the meal)
1 small bottle of water = 3-7 CHF (higher prices at higher altitudes, seriously)
So 50 CHF pulled out and about 40-45 CHF spent. I believe that. I have spent 11 CHF on a 1 Ltr bottle of water and 10 on a children's ice cream treat one time (not to mention 5 CHF for the smallest Ben & Jerry's you have ever seen--where I come from it would have been given away free as a 'tasting' size or a sample). One night we spent 220 CHF before we realized it at a not-as-nice(-or-as-good-a-view)-as-it-should-have-been restaurant.
Food. Is. Expensive. Wine is not--buy local and enjoy the bargains where you can.
