My family is traveling in Switzerland and on the Italian border. Would it be better to take Swiss Francs or Euros? Some in border countries will accept either.
Posted by
Seattle, WA
17244 posts
It would be best to get each country's currency from an ATM there and spend it there. The only time we have used euros in Switzerland was in a ticket machine in the Zurich main train station; I had a 20-euro note left from our time in Italy and used it to buy our tickets. Change was in Swiss francs.
Posted by
Lakewood, Colorado
19240 posts
Funny, I was just looking at the website for a Swiss hotel and they said they took Euro for payment today at CHF 1.25 per Euro. If your hotel bill were CHF 125, they would want €100. At todays exchange rate, you could buy CHF 125 for €96,60. Not a big difference, but they are never going to give you a better exchange rate than the bank.
Posted by
Elk Grove, CA, USA
6898 posts
We have seen many border areas and even tourist hotels and restaurants in Switzerland that accept Euros. Even the menus show the prices in CHF and Euros. But, as Lee points out, you won't like the exchange rate. In Switzerland, they prefer their own Swiss Francs.
Posted by
Knoxville, TN, USA
7209 posts
Yes they prefer their own currency just like you would want US Dollars if you were having a garage sale. You probably wouldn't accept any foreign currency because then you're faced with the hassle of having to change it...which is neither cheap nor easy.
Posted by
Arlington, TX, USA
281 posts
Go easy when buying Swiss francs and buy only what you think you will need as they are not easy to exchange
when departing Switzerland. We did manage to use remaining francs in a restaurant in Italy but at a poor exchange rate.
Posted by
Northamptonshire, England
33524 posts
San Diego is pretty close to Mexico. Can't see many stores in San Diego happily accepting Pesos. Just sayin'
Posted by
Germany, Germany
813 posts
I was just in the Berner Oberland (Kandersteg and Adelboden) at the end of Jan. The cafe receipts/ski rental/ice skating rental were in both Euro and Franc. Some people paid with Euro, some with Franc. The shopkeepers have had to adapt, some more willingly than others. If you only want to pay in Euro, ask before you order/buy something.
Posted by
Houten, Utrecht, Netherlands
73 posts
I know places in Switzerland that (generally) offer a better exchange rate than the banks do, but that is an exception and it is subject to change as the prices in both Euros as SFR are set pre season. But I don't know (m)any Italian places that accept SFR. But ATMs are generally widely available in both Italy (EUR) and Switzerland (SFR).