- Interlaken Switzerland
- +41762950767
- info@swisslocalguide.ch
Most of Europe runs on the euro. Switzerland does not. Switzerland is not part of the European Union, and its currency is the Swiss franc — abbreviated CHF.
There was a time when the euro and the franc were roughly equal. That is no longer the case, and the difference matters when you are paying for things every day. In tourist areas, most restaurants, shops, and hotels will accept euros. But the exchange rate they use is almost always worse than what a bank would give you. They are not trying to scam anyone — they simply pick a round rate that is easy to calculate, and it favors them, not you. Over a week of paying in euros, those small differences add up.
The simplest way to avoid this: have some Swiss francs before you arrive. It does not need to be a lot, but paying in the local currency will always save you money compared to handing over euros and hoping for a fair rate.
Credit and debit cards are widely accepted across Switzerland, especially in cities and tourist areas. You can get through most of your trip without touching cash.
One important detail that most visitors do not know: when you pay by card, the terminal will sometimes ask whether you want to pay in Swiss francs or in your home currency. Always choose Swiss francs. If you choose your home currency, the terminal provider does the conversion — and their rate is significantly worse than what your own bank would give you. By paying in local currency, you let your bank handle the exchange, and you save money on every single transaction. This applies to every card payment and every ATM withdrawal.
That said, do not go fully cashless. Mountain restaurants, smaller cable car stations, some parking machines, and public toilets in remote areas may not accept cards. Keep 50 to 100 CHF in cash on you at all times — you will not always need it, but when you do, there is no ATM in sight.
If you are coming from the United States, this is going to feel unusual: tipping in Switzerland is not expected. It is not required. And if someone tells you it is rude not to tip, or that there is a standard percentage you must follow — that is their opinion, not Swiss culture.
The reason is straightforward. Workers in Switzerland earn a living wage. Service charges are included in your bill. Nobody here is relying on tips to pay rent. That does not mean tipping does not exist — it just means the entire mindset is different.
The way I think about it is simple: tipping in Europe, and in Switzerland specifically, is about appreciating the service you received. It is not obligatory, there is no set amount, and you should never feel pressured. If someone took great care of you and you want to say thank you in a tangible way, any amount will be appreciated. If you did not feel the service was anything special, nobody will be offended if you pay the bill and leave. Think of it as the most honest way to say thank you — directly connected to how much you appreciated what someone did for you.
In practice, most locals either round up the bill or leave a few francs. On a 47 CHF dinner, you might pay 50. On a longer guided experience or a particularly attentive hotel stay, a bit more. But the key point is: it is entirely up to you, it should be within what you can comfortably afford, and nobody in Switzerland will chase you out the door for not leaving a tip.
Switzerland is expensive. Not just in Europe — globally, it ranks among the most expensive countries to visit. That is a well-known fact, but what most guides do not explain is why.
Switzerland is a small, highly productive economy. Workers are efficient, and the quality of products and services tends to be genuinely high — Swiss quality is not just a marketing phrase. Companies can charge premium prices because the output justifies it, and they can pay high salaries because the economy supports it. The trade-off is that the Swiss also work some of the longest hours in Europe. All those high salaries are earned with time.
What catches visitors off guard is that prices vary significantly depending on where you are. Every canton in Switzerland — think of them as states — has its own tax rates and cost structure. A meal in Zurich or Geneva will cost noticeably more than the same meal in a smaller town. Interlaken sits somewhere in the middle: more expensive than average because of tourism, but still well below the major cities.
To give you a rough sense of scale: Zurich and Geneva are the most expensive, typically 20 to 30 percent above the national average for dining and accommodation. Mountain resorts like Zermatt and St. Moritz can run 30 to 50 percent above average during peak season. Interlaken and Lucerne fall in the middle — tourist pricing but not extreme. Smaller towns like Thun, Spiez, or Bern are 20 to 35 percent cheaper than Zurich while still being well connected by train.
Here are some everyday prices to help you plan. A main course at a sit-down restaurant typically runs 25 to 45 CHF. A lunch special (what the Swiss call a Tagesteller or Tagesmenu) costs 18 to 28 CHF — eating your main meal at lunch is genuinely one of the best ways to save money here. A coffee is 4 to 6 CHF depending on the city. A McDonald’s meal, if that is your benchmark, runs around 15 CHF. A beer at a restaurant costs 6 to 8 CHF.
One thing that does not change much with the seasons: food and activity prices stay relatively constant year-round. Hotels are the main exception — peak summer and ski season push accommodation prices up 30 to 50 percent. But a fondue in January costs the same as a fondue in July.
One practical tip that many visitors miss entirely: Swiss tap water is excellent. It comes straight from the Alps, it is perfectly safe, and it is free. Carry a refillable bottle and use the public fountains — they are everywhere, and unless one is specifically marked as not drinkable (kein Trinkwasser), the water is clean. This alone saves you 3 to 5 CHF every time you would have bought a bottle.
This is one of those things almost nobody talks about, but it can save you real money.
If you buy goods in Switzerland worth more than 300 CHF and you are taking them out of the country within 90 days, you are entitled to a VAT refund of around 7.7 percent. On a Swiss watch or a high-end jacket, that is a meaningful discount.
What you need to do: ask the shop for a Tax Free form at the time of purchase. When you leave Switzerland, present the form and the goods at customs. The refund is processed from there — either back to your card or in cash, depending on the scheme the shop uses. It takes an extra few minutes at the border or airport, but on a 500 CHF purchase, you are getting roughly 38 CHF back. Worth knowing.