We start our GAS tour in a couple weeks and I'm wondering about ordering a couple hundred dollars of Francs from my bank before we go (for pocket money/small purchases) I've read that there is an ATM in Murren, but in the middle of summer tourist season I wonder if it would be better to bring some with us.
There are 2 ATMs near the train station in Lauterbrunnen and I’ve always just waited till I’m there to get cash. Most places take credit cards or tap to pay. You’ll also get a better exchange rate using the atm. You’ll be ok waiting.
I took the GAS tour back in 2019 and I remember that we stopped at a rest area with an ATM. Our guide encouraged us to get Swiss francs out of the ATM there. Of course, these days, most places take credit cards but I suppose cash would be good at places like the Honesty Shop in Gimmelwald!
There is an ATM at the cable car station in Mürren but the only cash you need is for self-service farmer fridges. All restaurants, shops, etc in the area accept credit card.
I do recommend contacting your credit card company and asking them if you can add a pin to your credit card. In Europe their cards have a pin like our debit cards and in many restaurants with the mobile payment devices they need a pin to work. Wherever they have a printing machine you can just sign but more and more places are paperless and this year is the first year we’re running into issues with not having a pin. Particularly at restaurants. At the very least, have a debit card as a back up if your credit card can’t give you a pin.
The honesty shop in Gimmelwald has tap to pay now - there was a sign last week when we were there. Though I didn't try it so I don't know if they accept regular credit cards or just Twint (for local Swiss users). Same for the farmer cheese cases. We only needed cash for our apartment rental's tourist tax, we tapped to pay for everything else in the area.
The farm fridges are twint, as is the Honesty Shop.