What are you paying for?
What this solves
Switzerland is famously card-friendly. But the exceptions matter: mountain huts in the SAC network, parking machines in mountain valleys, donation boxes, and the famous PostAuto kiosks on small routes often need coins or low-denomination notes. CHF 1,000 notes are accepted in theory, refused in practice by 90% of small shops.
How to read
- Coins are 5, 10, 20 rappen (CHF 0.05/0.10/0.20), then CHF 1/2/5.
- Notes are CHF 10, 20, 50, 100, 200, 1000.
- Where accepted: card-friendly: cities, Migros, Coop, Manor, SBB counters, large hotels. Card-refusing: rural markets, huts, small mountain restaurants, parking machines (CHF 5 coin or contactless). Donation boxes want small coins.
- Refused practically: CHF 1,000 anywhere but a bank. CHF 200 refused at small shops but accepted at supermarkets.
Limitations
- Most parking meters in cities (Zürich, Bern, Geneva) are now contactless — but a few mountain villages still want CHF 5 coin.
- SAC huts' policy is "cash preferred, card accepted". Don't assume card will work above 2,000 m — sometimes the satellite internet is down.
FAQ
How much cash should I bring?
For a 5-day city trip with day trips, CHF 200 in mixed small denominations (CHF 10/20, CHF 5/2 coins) is enough. For multi-day hut tours, CHF 400–600 in small notes + coins.
Is TWINT better than cash?
Yes if you have a Swiss SIM. TWINT works at parking meters, vending machines and most retailers. It won't work on hut tour radios or in a small village without 4G.
Sources
- SNB (Swiss National Bank) cash policy
- Author's 2023–2026 mountain hut tours and parking logs
About
Built after a 4-day hut tour where I learned the lesson the hard way — CHF 200 in my wallet when you stop at a hut that doesn't take cards.
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Disclaimer
Policies change by operator; check before relying on cash in remote areas.