Good to know
Good to Know
- Always request transactions in Swiss francs (CHF), not your home currency, to avoid unfavorable Dynamic Currency Conversion (DCC) rates.
- Bank-issued debit cards (Visa/Mastercard) are ideal for ATM withdrawals; credit card cash withdrawals charge higher fees.
- Cash is still important: while Switzerland is moving toward cashless payments, approximately 90% of businesses accept cash for face-to-face transactions.
- Tipping is genuinely optional—locals do not overtip and will not expect a tip. Service is included in bill amounts by law.
- Zurich taxis have exceptionally high fares globally; rounding up is customary rather than a percentage tip.
- If using a credit card abroad, check with your provider about foreign transaction fees (commonly 1-3%) before arrival.
- TWINT, a popular local mobile payment app, requires a Swiss bank account and phone number and is not accessible to tourists.
Debit Cards
- Status
- widely accepted
- Details
- Debit cards are widely accepted and preferred for daily transactions. Contactless payments are common, especially in urban areas.
Commonly Accepted
- Visa Debit
- Maestro
Credit Cards
- Status
- widely accepted
- Details
- Credit cards are accepted almost everywhere in cities. American Express and Diners Club may have limited acceptance in smaller shops and rural areas.
Commonly Accepted
- Visa
- Mastercard
Limited Acceptance
- American Express
- Diners Club
Mobile Payments
- Status
- widely accepted
- Local App
- TWINT
- Twint Note
- Popular with locals but requires Swiss bank account and Swiss phone number; not accessible to tourists.
Accepted Methods
- Apple Pay
- Google Pay
- Samsung Pay
ATM Fees
- Foreign Bank Fees
- Your home bank may charge foreign transaction fees (1-3%); check before traveling
- Best Practice Banks
- Credit Suisse, UBS, PostFinance, Raiffeisen, and cantonal banks typically do not charge surcharges for foreign cards
Bank ATM Fees
- Foreign Card Fee
- CHF 5.00
- Note
- Some Swiss banks may charge between 5-10 CHF per transaction for foreign-issued cards
- Description
- Bank ATMs in Switzerland do not charge ATM access fees to foreign card holders
Private ATM Fees
- Warning
- Machine will display fee before transaction; can be cancelled before commitment
- Description
- Private ATMs (e.g., Euronet) may charge higher fees
Fee Avoidance Tips
- Use ATMs at major bank branches (UBS, Credit Suisse, PostFinance, Raiffeisen)
- Avoid private ATMs at airports and tourist areas
- When prompted, select 'Decline Conversion' or 'Debit in CHF' to avoid Dynamic Currency Conversion (DCC) markup
- Use bank ATMs rather than credit cards for cash withdrawal (credit card withdrawals incur higher fees and interest)
Tipping Norms
- Overview
- Tipping in Switzerland is entirely voluntary and not mandatory. Service charges are included in bills by law.
- Tour Guide
- Around 10% of tour cost or CHF 10-20, especially for personalized or walking tours
- Language Tip
- When paying exact amount as tip, say 'Stimmt so' (German) or 'Ça va' (French) to indicate you don't want change
- Why Optional
- Service charges are automatically included in restaurant and bar prices; hospitality workers in Switzerland receive among the highest wages in Europe.
- Payment Method
- Cash is strongly preferred for tips; card tipping is possible but less common
- Zurich Specific
- Slightly more rounding or tipping is common in bigger international cities like Zurich compared to smaller towns, but practices remain generally similar to rest of Switzerland
- General Practice
- Swiss locals typically round up the bill or leave small cash amounts for good service.
- Mandatory Status
- No
Bar
- Expected Amount
- Round up for simple drinks; up to 10% for specialty cocktails
- Note
- Generally not required
Taxi
- Expected Amount
- Round up to nearest franc or CHF 2-5 for longer airport journeys
- Note
- No percentage tip expected; Zurich taxis are among world's most expensive
Hotel
- Porter
- CHF 1-2 per bag
- Concierge
- CHF 10-20 for special services (exclusive reservations, etc.)
- Housekeeping
- CHF 2-5 per day or CHF 5-10 in luxury hotels
- Room Service
- CHF 5 if no service charge already on bill
Restaurant
- Example
- If bill is CHF 87, leaving CHF 90 or CHF 95 is appropriate
- Expected Amount
- Round up the bill or 5-10% for good service
- Note
- Tipping is appreciated for exceptional service but not obligatory
Spa And Beauty
- Massage
- CHF 10-12 for 60-minute treatment (5-10% for excellent service)
- Hairdresser
- Round up for routine services; 5-10% for complex treatments
- Other Beauty
- CHF 3-5 for good service
Café And Bakery
- Example
- If coffee is CHF 4.30, give CHF 5; if pastry and coffee come to CHF 8.50, CHF 9-10 is fine
- Expected Amount
- Round up to next franc
ATM Information
- ATM Names
- Known locally as 'Bancomats' in Switzerland
- Availability
- ATMs are abundant in Zurich, particularly in city centers, shopping areas, and near bank branches.
- Operating Hours
- 24/7
- Daily Withdrawal Limit
- Up to 5,000 CHF per day
- Withdrawal Limits Per Transaction
- Up to 1,000 CHF (some ATMs allow up to 2,000 CHF or card limit)
Card Types Accepted
- Visa
- Mastercard
- Maestro
- American Express
- JCB
- UnionPay
Cards are widely accepted throughout Zurich, especially Visa and Mastercard.
Recommendations
Cards are suitable for large purchases and most establishments. Carry a small amount of cash (CHF) for places that may not accept cards and for tipping.
Banking
- Overview
- Banking setup information requires current 2026 data from direct banking sources. No specific sourcing on current account-opening procedures for nomads in Zurich was obtained.
- Note For Nomads
- Switzerland requires banking relationship and account setup for residency and tax purposes; consult with major banks (UBS, Credit Suisse, Raiffeisen, PostFinance) or expat-focused banking services for current requirements.
AI-generated estimateData refreshed July 2026
Sources cited for this category
These are the sources cited in this money & payments research for this city. Individual figures may not each trace to one of them.
- 1.wise.com
- 2.lostinswitzerland.com
- 3.atmfeesaver.com
- 4.live-exchange-rates.com
- 5.holidaystoswitzerland.com
- 6.lostinswitzerland.com
- 7.wise.com
- 8.you.co
- 9.moneyland.ch
- 10.myswitzerland.com
- 11.radicalstorage.com
- 12.hootling.com
- 13.xellow.com
- 14.tour-switzerland.ch
- 15.studyinginswitzerland.com
- 16.seekinplaces.com
- 17.tour-switzerland.ch
- 18.mindfulpnwtravels.com
- 19.organizeforliving.com
- 20.xe.com
- 21.wise.com
- 22.wise.com
- 23.expatarrivals.com
- 24.internationalinsurance.com
- 25.allianzcare.com
- 26.feather-insurance.com
- 27.expatica.com
- 28.easyexpat.com
- 29.expatexchange.com
- 30.nestfainder.ai
More About Zurich
Data last updated July 2026 · Verify anything important.