Exchange & Transfers: how it works in Switzerland — first-hand
Real experience of people from chats on «Exchange & Transfers» in Switzerland — as it is, no fluff. For your case — ask Luky.
From real experience
Taking Swiss francs (CHF) out of Switzerland carries a risk, as the Swiss National Bank periodically declares older banknote series invalid, making them exchangeable only within Switzerland. Outside of Switzerland, the exchange rate for CHF against other major currencies (e.g., EUR, USD) is generally less favorable than within Switzerland. If there are no immediate plans to return to Switzerland, it is advisable to exchange CHF into a more globally accepted currency before leaving the country.
In Geneva, retail shops may accept EUR cash but return change in CHF at unfavorable exchange rates. For currency exchange, Money&Com is frequently cited as offering better rates compared to ad-hoc merchant conversions.
When exchanging EUR to CHF in Zurich, currency exchange kiosks (often referred to as 'Wechselstube') typically offer better rates than traditional bank counters. A specific location often cited for better service/rates in Zurich is the Coop Depositenkasse, located at Bahnhofstrasse 57.
Currency usage in Switzerland: 1. Euro is widely accepted in many shops and restaurants, but change is typically given in Swiss Francs (CHF). 2. Exchange bureaus (e.g., Migros Exchange) or bank counters at major railway stations are the standard places for currency conversion.
Old Swiss Francs can be exchanged outside of Switzerland, including in Russia, albeit at a discounted rate. They do not become worthless paper if taken out of the country.
To transfer funds to Switzerland from abroad, users can first purchase Euros and deposit them into an account. Then, within a Swiss bank, exchange the Euros to Swiss Francs (CHF) using the interbank exchange rate to minimize fees. This method is suggested when traditional transfers are complicated due to varying country cards.
For remote money transfers to Switzerland, an alternative option is to send cryptocurrency to the recipient. The recipient can then convert the crypto to Euros and deposit them into their Swiss bank account, followed by an exchange to Swiss Francs (CHF). This method is useful when traditional transfer options are difficult to use.
Information is sought regarding the possibility of exchanging Swiss Francs for Russian Rubles. This is a direct query for a specific financial service.
Information is sought regarding the ability of Russian citizens ('rusoturisto') to receive small Western Union transfers (around 300-400 EUR) at Swiss WU branches, if the transfer is sent by an EU citizen. This is a factual query about service availability and recipient restrictions.
Travelers in Switzerland looking for group excursions, especially for nature tours, and seeking to share costs due to limited time and lack of personal transport, can use specific group-finding commands like /sovmestnyeprogulkizuerich in relevant chats.