Switzerland - Swiss Franc or Euro or Both?
 

Next week my husband and I will be arriving in Switzerland. Since we have never been there here are our questions:

1. When using the ATM's do they give you francs or euros?
2. When paying for a train leaving Zermatt going into Milan do you pay in franc or euro?

We are wanted to know because we are only in Switz. a short time and don't want to have a lot of extra francs to have to exchange back into $ or euro. We arrive in Bern in the morning, take a train to Zematt for 1 day, then take a train into Milan.

You pay in Swiss francs only - you can always change euros as train stations into Swiss Francs (CHF) but if in Switzerland much get some Swiss francs at any ATM - credit cards will also work.

I travel in Switzerland frequently and very few places save some tourist shops take euros.

change your left over Swiss francs at the train station in Zurich - unlike other countries IME Swiss train stations change money with a usual almost bank-like rates. You may find discounted Brig to Milan tickets at the Swiss Railways web site www.sbb.ch - could save over full fare but lock yourself into a non-changeable non-refundable train I believe. You can buy that Zermatt to Milan train ticket at any Swiss station before arriving in Zermatt.

In Switzerland, you should count on using francs. There might be places that take euros, but you would absolutely be better served using francs.

<i>1. When using the ATM's do they give you francs or euros?</i>

Usually francs, but a select few also offer euros.

<i>2. When paying for a train leaving Zermatt going into Milan do you pay in franc or euro?</i>

You will pay in francs.

<i>We are wanted to know because we are only in Switz. a short time and don't want to have a lot of extra francs to have to exchange back into $ or euro.</i>

If you use your credit/debit card for purchases and only withdraw limited cash, I see no reason why you would have a lot of extra francs.

This makes me wonder about paying for long-term parking at the Basel train station in Swiss Francs. Has anyone had any experience using the parking structure located under the Basel train station? We're looking at 100 CHF for the three days our car will be parked there. Since we'll be staying in Germany mainly, I'm thinking exchanging Euros for CHF right at the train station the day we retrieve our car would be our best bet, as opposed to using an ATM card for payment, which would have a small fee added on to it from our US bank. Advice would be appreciated. Thanks!

ANY time you are in a foreign country, count on using their currency, not someone else's. It's very basic, common sense. There are a few exceptions, but don't count on them. Does your local parking lot in the USA take euros and francs?

Parking meters, bus ticket machines, etc., in places like Geneva and Lausanne take both francs and euros, but all other transactions should be in francs.