Need for cash while travelling to Switzerland
Pill, a traveler with a family of four, is planning a week-long trip to Switzerland in June. They have their Swiss Travel Pass and are seeking advice on how much cash to carry and whether they should get a Wise Debit card for their expenses.
- Credit cards with no foreign exchange fees are widely accepted in Switzerland, so USD 200 in cash should be enough for occasional payments.
- It's a good idea to double-check your credit card's fees, as some might have inflated exchange rates despite claiming no fees.
- If you need extra cash, consider using Wise for better exchange rates, but be aware of withdrawal limits and potential fees.
AI-generated summary-
Hi,
We (Family of four) are planning to be in Swiss in June this year for about a week . I have booked my stay , got my swiss travel pass . During my stay in swiss , how much of cash is required . I have credit cards with no foreign exchange fees and plan to use that during the whole trip. Just wondering if i need to apply for a Wise Debit card and use it while in Switzerland . Also on using a Wise debit card, there is a limit of 2 withdrawals allowed for a month with a limit of 100 USD . do you think 200 USD is good enough cash to have in hand ?. Let me know your thoughts.
Thanks,
Pill
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Hi Pill,
If your credit cards really have no fees then you’re probably paying a recurring fixed fee for that service. In that case it sounds like you’re good to go, as you’ll pay this anyway and might as well use the service. But I’d double check their fees. Some banks talk about “no fees” but then they apply inflated exchange rates so you still pay a considerable amount on each transaction. You don’t see that until you check the actual exchange rate at the time of the transaction.
Wise.com always applies the real exchange rate, which makes it a whole lot easier to see what you’re actually spending on bank fees. I haven’t found a cheaper option yet, for my purpose at least.
Cards are widely accepted in Switzerland, so USD 200 should be enough for the occasional cash payment. The Wise withdrawal limit you mentioned applies to free withdrawals. You can always get more, but then a fee applies.
You’ll find more information about the Swiss franc, payments and the Wise card here:
I travel yearly to Switzerland and prefer visiting off the beaten path places. 200chf is more than enough cash for one person for your length of stay. Credit cards are accepted now in most places–cash is good for the occasional need for a public restroom at a train station and for local farmers markets. I always end up spending the cash I have for “just in case” on chocolate at Migros or Coop the last day of my trip to take home. (what a sacrifice 🙂 ) In the US, Capital One cards truly have no transaction fees. The only fee I’ve ever paid is the small fee at the beginning of the trip when I use my debit card at the bank’s ATM to withdraw that little bit of cash to have on hand.
Thanks for your valuable input Laura, much appreciated! Oh, and if you’re a chocolate lover, maybe this page can give you some ideas for spending your last Swiss francs: http://www.myswissalps.com/activities/culinary/chocolate.
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