Switzerland trip

[uop1497]

Hello,

My Switzerland trip coming up soon.We will stay at a condor in Haute-nendaz . I would like to know the following:

a) Which credit card work best in Switzerland ( American express or Chase)

b) When using with American Express to pay for train ticket / grocery, does it requires to use pin #. How about if I use Chase Card

c) Should I exchange some Swiss Franc to take with me on the trip. Should I exchange money at Geneva Airport or at local bank in town. Not sure which bank has good exchange rate.

d) Which sim card and prepaid plan you recommend for 8 days in Switzerland.

e) What should I bring back as gift and where to buy it.

f) Please share good tip for Switzerland if any.

Please advise and thank you

 

[Passepartout]

Don't know how much I can help, but here goes on a few.
A) I'd guess that the Chase card is either a Visa or Master Card? I think you'll find it more universally accepted than AMEX. If you have a chop/PIN card, use it.
B) Most U.S. issuers just issue chip/signature cards. For train tickets, try to use a window with a human clerk. Usually, if asked for a PIN, you hit the 'enter' key and it will spit out a paper to sign.
C) I wouldn't get any before leaving. I'd hit an ATM for a BANK at the airport for a supply. The rate will be the same, daily bank-to-bank rate. Visit www.oanda.com for currency conversion, though Swiss Franc (CHF) is pretty close to par with USD. Today, $100= 97.14 CHF.
D) no Idea. Ask at a phone store/kiosk.
E) I'd really like a Rolex or Patek Phillipe watch, but would settle for some nice Swiss chocolates
F) No tips, but looking forward to your report when you get home.

Jim

 

[Luanne]

Just make sure whichever credit card you choose, that it does NOT incur foreign transaction fees.

 

[MULTIZ321]

Also, take more than one card with you to use as a back-up. Keep it stored in a separate location.

Have a great trip

Richard

 

[isisdave]

My experience with Chase Sapphire Preferred in Europe:
* You have to sign a receipt at most transactions, and in supermarkets the checkers will often not have a pen!
* No problem with unattended train ticket kiosks in the UK
* No problem with parking ticket dispensers, either
* In Ireland there were unattended gas stations! The card wasn't accepted there.

[They certainly have different safety standards in Europe generally -- not sure about Switzerland. There are unfenced hazards you'd never see in the US. Be careful if you have children, and watch where you're walking.]​

Europe has really moved to electronic payment. They now have contactless cards. You wave your card at the terminal for about a second and it beeps. No receipt unless you push a button. As you can see, this is much faster than buying your 95-pence pack of gum, paying and getting change in cash could ever be. In the ticket halls, there might be four machines that are card only and only one that takes cash.

Get cash from BANK ATMs. There will be at least one at the airport. I've never been charged a fee by the ATM owner in Europe. Avoid non-bank machines, usually on streets or in tiny stores, with vague names like Travelex, Euronet, Moneybox, Cardpoint, and Cashzone. They usually have fees. Use machines in public, but not jammed, places. When we do this, I like to have DW looking behind us for any sign of trouble while I get the cash. Make sure the place you insert the card doesn't have a skimmer by grabbing it and pulling/twisting it.

The rate when getting money from your account at an ATM is determined by YOUR bank, not the Swiss one. You might take $100-200 US with you, but it's for emergencies only.

 

[uop1497]

Thank you ALL for giving me good information.
I plan to take Chase Reserve with me . However, I do not think it has pin # . Will it be a problem if I mad ea charge in London / Switzerland. Currently I use it daily for my shopping grocery store, I never asked to enter any pin # . Not sure how to code the pin # if it does not has . If someone has use Chase Reserve on Europe or in London area, please share your inputs.

 

[isisdave]

You don't need a pin. You will have to sign the receipt. This won't surprise anyone in tourist areas.

 

[lily28]

I have used the Chase sapphire reserve card at London this month with no problem at stores and train station with no problem.

 

[Talent312]

I'll repeat the advice to bring a second card from an alternate bank. It can be embarrassing when your first is declined at The Carlton in Cannes for no reason.

 

[Luanne]

One thing that I don't think has been mentioned yet. Notify the company that issued the credit card that you will be traveling to Switzerland. That way they shouldn't deny any charges made while you are there. Most companies have a way you can do this online.

 

[isisdave]

Luanne, we got responses ranging from "we don't care" to "please send an email with countries and dates" when we did this earlier this year!

I think the "we don't care" company ... can't remember which it was, possibly Chase ... rely on their automatic detection algorithms.

 

[Luanne]

Luanne, we got responses ranging from "we don't care" to "please send an email with countries and dates" when we did this earlier this year!

I think the "we don't care" company ... can't remember which it was, possibly Chase ... rely on their automatic detection algorithms.

I know some credit card companies don't care, but others (I think B of A) solicit the information by having a spot on their website to update it.

That said, I usually forget to update when we travel.