Travelling soon - any advice if hostels accept cards in Switzerland or I have to give them cash
Most hostels across Switzerland are part of the Swiss Youth Hostel network, and they all accept major cards. I stayed in Basel, St. Gallen, and Montreux - card worked every time. They also let you pay in advance online or split bills on-site. Just avoid showing up unbooked late at night expecting to pay cashless - some reception desks close early.
Used Booking.com to reserve a bed at a hostel in Zermatt. It was all prepaid online with my Wise card. When I got there, they only asked for a refundable deposit - which they let me do by card too. I didn’t touch cash at all during check-in. If you're heading to major tourist spots, card is totally fine, but always double-check when booking rural spots or smaller places.
I had no problem using my debit card to pay at City Hostel Geneva and Luzern Backpackers, but one smaller guesthouse in Appenzell asked for cash only, despite showing card logos online. Turns out their machine was “broken.” I'd say most hostels do accept cards, but for peace of mind, message ahead and have at least 50-100 CHF on hand just in case.
Every hostel I stayed at in Switzerland - Zurich Youth Hostel, Bern Backpackers, and Balmers in Interlaken - took card payments at check-in, no issues. Even the vending machines and lockers accepted cards. Still, a few hostels warned in their booking emails that they prefer Visa or Mastercard and sometimes add a small fee for Amex. Always good to carry a little cash just in case, but cards were totally fine for me.