[Anonymous]

19 August 2015 at 14:26:42 #807786

Where is the best place to exchange US dollars for the Swiss dollar? I am looking for the best exchange rate.

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[User]

Reply 1 of 18 • 19 August 2015 at 17:04:22 #845505

<<“Where is the best place to exchange US dollars for the Swiss dollar? I am looking for the best exchange rate.”>>

Where are you and where will you be that you wish to do the exchange?

For example, I would not recommend the Travelex booths at US airports.Nor would I like to recommend a place you are unlikely to visit.

Finally, I assume that your not moving enough money that you could negotiate a rate?

Slowpoke

[kim11]

Reply 2 of 18 • 19 August 2015 at 23:43:54 #845506

Hi Texbase,

The best exchange rate is not to change paper money at all, rather, use your ATM card to withdraw Swiss Francs once you are in country. Your exchange rate will be considerably less than paying another intermediary. ATMs are pretty much everywhere. Some tips:

1. Find out if your bank charges a fee for withdrawals from foreign ATMS and, if so, how that fee is assessed. For example, our bank charges a flat $5 regardless of withdrawal amount. Therefore, we requested our withdrawal max be set as high as possible (in this case, $1,000) and we make one or two larger withdrawals vs lots of smaller ones.

2. Be sure to let your bank know where and when you will be traveling or they will likely deny any ATM withdrawals at all. Same goes for your credit card companies. Most allow you to do this easily on -line.

3. If you withdraw money from a Swiss ATM on a Friday or over a weekend it is highly likely that you won’t be able to make another withdrawal until Tuesday when your US bank opens (Monday in the US).

[User]

Reply 3 of 18 • 20 August 2015 at 5:00:32 #845507

hi everyone, I have same question here. I can’t get a good rate here in my country also hardly to find money changer that have the currency given that less ppl trade the currency to the money changers. So thinking to exchange USD dollar to swiss franc. Any place that give me good rate for that? I’ll be landed in Zurich airport and taking train to Lucerne. Thanks in advance!

[kim11]

Reply 4 of 18 • 20 August 2015 at 5:05:29 #845508

Do you have a bank account with a debit/ATM card in your home country? If so, follow idea above.

If not, tell us more about your situation so we can better advise.

[User]

Reply 5 of 18 • 20 August 2015 at 5:14:48 #845509

nope, we do not have card for the USD currency account. so we will be bringing the hard cash there to change to swiss franc. I doubt I can get good rate @ the airport so thinking where else can we get good rate. Any money exchange website that we can get to know what’s rate for the day?

[Arno]

Reply 6 of 18 • 20 August 2015 at 7:56:26 #845510

Hi Ellentan,

You don’t need a card based on USD. I noticed you live in Malaysia. What Kim suggests is that you just use a debit card from your own bank and go to any ATM in Switzerland to get Swiss francs. As she suggests, do some research about the fees and possible limitations of your bank.

The rates are listed on myswissalps.com/ swissfranc, or check xe.com.

[User]

Reply 7 of 18 • 20 August 2015 at 8:26:57 #845511

Hi Arno, any advice where in Switzerland can we change our currency?

[User]

Reply 8 of 18 • 20 August 2015 at 12:08:45 #845512

Hi Ellentan –

Unlike many airports, the Zürich airport has offices of the main banks for changing money. Go to the counter and check the rates also on the banks own ATM, using your Malaysian credit card. Zurich main Station has ZKB (Zurich Kantonal Bank), Credit Suisse, UBS, etc. I’d use the CS or UBS machines, or the SBB currency exchange service.

There is a joke that Switzerland has a bank on every corner. It is pretty close to true. The rail stations also do foreign exchange Check for one in Zürich main station (or other main stations.) I used to use them all the time before ATM’s were common. Their rates are on line to give you a hint.

http://www.sbb.ch/en/station-services/services/chan ge-currency-exchange.html

http://www.sbb.ch/en/station-services/services/chan ge-currency-exchange/pos_change.ht ml

Here is a map of the station.

http://www.sbb.ch/content/dam /infrastruktur/trafima ge/bahnhofplaene/plan-zuerich-hb-shopping.pdf

SBB currency exchange is probably at the SBB travel bureau at #102 on the “Nordtrakt”. Main floor,

The text with the map shows services.

If you bring USD, you have to do two conversions…..two costs.

Banks almost always give a rate better than Travelex and other similar vendors.

[User]

Reply 9 of 18 • 21 August 2015 at 11:52:38 #845513

Hi Slowpoke!

Thanks for all the useful infos! great to know about the joke! =) It certainly gives us the convenience!

Is CS or UBS machines, or the SBB currency exchange service give better rates if you would prefer it?

Any idea if I can get a good one at zurich airport before departing to Lucerne?

Thanks again!

[User]

Reply 10 of 18 • 21 August 2015 at 11:54:04 #845514

Oh ya, sorry missing one question here!

What you mean by I have to do two conversions ya?

[User]

Reply 11 of 18 • 21 August 2015 at 12:19:26 #845515

<<:What you mean by I have to do two conversions ya”>>

From malaysian currency to USD (fee #1 in Malaysia). From USD toCHF (Fee #2. in Switzerlnda)

[User]

Reply 12 of 18 • 21 August 2015 at 12:29:19 #845516

<<“Any idea if I can get a good one at zurich airport before departing to Lucerne? “>>

Check out the info/maps, etc for the airport on the internet, the way I did for Zürich main station.

There are substantial SBB travel offices at Zürich airport and Luzern main station.

At Zürich airport the train station is right across the street (1 minute walk), use a luggage cart. Then, down the escalators. Luggage carts ride the escalators. Step back just a little when the cart first enters the downward part and the handle comes up at you due to the change in angle.

There are exchanges inside and outside the baggage claim hall at the airport. Don’t know how many, because there is a lot of construction there right now. Used to be 2 or 3.

[User]

Reply 13 of 18 • 22 August 2015 at 4:09:52 #845517

Hi all,

Will it be better to bring US$ cash or Canadian $ cash to do the money exchange?

Will the bank open on Saturday?

Thanks

JP

[User]

Reply 14 of 18 • 22 August 2015 at 11:42:41 #845518

Either can be exchanged. I don’t know how to judge which is best.

The exchange at the SBB in Zurich Main Station id open 7 days per week.

http://www.sbb.ch/en/station-services/am-bahnhof/railway-stations/bahnhof-finden.posid.3000.html ?WT.ac=service-zh-en

I think that is true of other stations as well.

Don’t know about the banks regular offices , but I am sure that the bank exchange offices at the airport will be open on Saturdays.

Slowpoke

[User]

Reply 15 of 18 • 26 August 2015 at 7:24:37 #845519

Hi Slowpoke,

Appreciate the response.

JP

[User]

Reply 16 of 18 • 26 August 2015 at 13:16:56 #845520

You’re welcome. Hope it helps.

Slowpoke

[User]

Reply 17 of 18 • 28 August 2015 at 23:30:58 #845521

JP you might be able to get a general idea of which is better for exchange — US $ or Canadian $ by going to the currency exchange website: http://www.xe.com/currencycon verter/ and compare the two — US $ to CHF and Canadian $ to CHF. As of today it looks like 1 Can. $ = .73 CHF and

1 US $ = .96 CHF

[User]

Reply 18 of 18 • 28 August 2015 at 23:36:23 #845522

To complete the comparison, what is the USD/CanD ratio given?

Slowpoke.