Crime in Switzeraland in tourist places

Hi,

How common is pickpocketing in major Swiss cities. Is it as bad as in Paris and Barcelona where gangs rob people in broad daylight or like in Vienna where it does happen but only in certain places and at certain time of the day?

What’s the best way to safely exchange money in Switzerland without being robbed?

This sort of thing is very rare in Switzerland. I've only heard of it happening at major train stations and airports.

Regarding changing money, the most cost effective way is to not change currencies but to use your ATM to withdraw Swiss Francs once you arrive. There will be fees from both the Swiss bank and your bank in Canada but they will likely add up to less than the fees charged to change currency. Before you leave, tell your bank where you will be travelling and ask them to set your daily cash withdrawal limit to the maximum. The fees are the same regardless of amount withdrawn so it makes most sense to do fewer, larger withdrawals. There are ATMs pretty much everywhere.

Hello Marmot,

I completely agree with Kim. I've visited Switzerland about 30 times now and have always felt safe. We have left our car unlocked (by mistake... :-)) more than once, with lots of stuff, never had a problem. I can understand your worries though, it's always better to lock your car or make sure your money is in a safe place.

Thank you for reassurance Kim and Olga!

I've read lots of stuff on VirtualTourist about pickpocketing and con artists in parks and major streets in Geneva and Zurich. Now I feel safer.