Swiss francs or euros in Switzerland?

edda

Haven't been on holiday to Switzerland for a while, so can anyone give me some advice on which currency to get before we go?

Went into Thomas Cook to check their rates (small local branch) and they advised taking euros - not Swiss francs :huh:

We don't fancy paying 2 lots of charges (£ to euros and then euros to Swiss francs). Can euros really be more acceptable at holiday destinations in Switzerland than their own currency?!

Are Thomas Cook just saying that because they have no Swiss francs in stock?

benjus

I'd take Swiss Francs. You can use Euros for many things in Switzerland (e.g. in Geneva you can pay for parking and public transport in Euros) but there's not much sense in taking Euros if you're going to be in Switzerland the whole time.

dzug1

It may be because they have none in stock or it may be because your local branch is ignorant.

Take swiss francs - even if you can use euros in many places you will be paying over the odds if you do.

JasonLVC

Some places in Switzerland, like Geneva, will take both Francs and Euros but in a shop, you will always be given change in Francs - so you'd be at the mercy of the shop and whatever exchange rate they use on the day.

Sounds like the currency shop had ran out of Francs or the person serving has never been there. Much, much easier to take Francs and I bet you'll get more Francs for your £1 than you will Euros.....and as Switzerland is mega-expensive for everything, every cent saved is a bonus.

edda

Ok - decided to take Swiss Francs. But nobody I can find sells travellers cheques - it has to be cash. :shocked: This is not secure. Not keen on using credit/debit cards.

Anyone know where we can buy SFr travellers cheques?

rmiller

I went last summer and we had to use swiss francs

JasonLVC

MasterCard used to do Swiss Franc cheques but I think they left the market place to American Express who don't do Swiss Francs.

Options -

Go with Pound Sterling or Euro travellers cheques and then cash them in bulk in Switzerland at a bank/foreign exchange booth at the rail stations and take a small hit on exchange rates.

Get a CaxtonFX Global Currency Card, they're free and quick to get them to you. They're a pre-paid card, you load them up with Pound Sterling and then use them like a credit card but Caxton use a much better day rate than your visa credit card would - you can also withdraw cash for free from Swiss ATM's. (indeed, you can use the card anywhere in the world and it'll just deduct whatever currency at the day rate from the balance left on your card).

Cash. Most places in Switzerland are safe to explore without fear of assualt/theft - but you can never be too careful when on holiday. Use the hotels safe facility if they have one, take out small chuncks of cash with you (but when a McDonalds Meal costs about 15chf whatever cash you take ain't going to last long anyway)

dzug1

You can't get Swiss Franc TCs in the UK as far as I know. It might be worth trying American Express - they do issue them (in Australia...) but they are not listed on their UK website.

It sounds as though you place security above cost. Fair enough, but your original question didn't mention it. - in which case take sterling TCs and change them there. There will be fees almost certainly, the exchange rate may not be good and it will be inconvenient.

Or take a prepaid card - again it's going to have to be in sterling. Fairfx and caxton fx are good ones.