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Switzerland in summer--any suggestions for lowering the costs of a trip? (Original Post) JohnnyLib2 Jan 2018 OP
Loved Interlaken. no_hypocrisy Jan 2018 #1
The Swiss do not use Euros unc70 Jan 2018 #2
My bad re currency. no_hypocrisy Jan 2018 #6
Switzerland does not use the euro. They have Swiss francs dhol82 Jan 2018 #3
Sigh... JohnnyLib2 Jan 2018 #4
Look in Lauterbrunen liberal N proud Jan 2018 #5
Thanks. JohnnyLib2 Jan 2018 #8
It was gorgeous liberal N proud Jan 2018 #10
If you are close to the German border, Hav Jan 2018 #7
We loved Lake Lugano on the Italian border Laura PourMeADrink Jan 2018 #9

no_hypocrisy

(48,575 posts)
1. Loved Interlaken.
Sun Jan 21, 2018, 08:09 PM
Jan 2018

Either convert your dollars to Euros BEFORE YOU LEAVE (get American Express checks) or if you have to convert, DON'T DO IT YOUR HOTEL. Go to the bank where you won't have a service charge for the conversion or an American Express office.

unc70

(6,321 posts)
2. The Swiss do not use Euros
Sun Jan 21, 2018, 08:13 PM
Jan 2018

They have their own currency, the Swiss Franc.

I generally use ATMs for most of my cash in Europe.

dhol82

(9,420 posts)
3. Switzerland does not use the euro. They have Swiss francs
Sun Jan 21, 2018, 08:14 PM
Jan 2018

I would suggest using the ATM’s that are all over.
Switzerland is never cheap.

liberal N proud

(60,920 posts)
5. Look in Lauterbrunen
Sun Jan 21, 2018, 08:32 PM
Jan 2018

It is up the valley from Interlaken and incredible, but so is all of Switzerland.

Try the Staubach hotel.

Consider Spring or Fall to cut costs. We like late October.

Hav

(5,969 posts)
7. If you are close to the German border,
Sun Jan 21, 2018, 08:42 PM
Jan 2018

then do what the Suisse do. Do your shopping in Germany. But maybe that is because they can get the taxes back for products bought in Germany. It still seems as if prices for food are considerably more expensive in Switzerland. Whenever I'm in the US, I'm surprised how expensive food is in the US. Maybe I get the conversion rate wrong but it seems so absurd when you have to spend less to get Californian Pistachios or Jack Link's Beef Jerky in Germany.

 

Laura PourMeADrink

(42,770 posts)
9. We loved Lake Lugano on the Italian border
Mon Jan 22, 2018, 07:36 AM
Jan 2018

George Harrison loved it so much had his ashes sprinkled there.

www.ricksteves.com/watch-read-listen/read/lugano-the-sunny-side-of-switzerland

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