Just landed - wondering what gives the better rate in Switzerland: ATM withdrawal or airport exchange counter?
I’ve tested this across multiple cities. ATMs - especially from Raiffeisen, UBS, or PostFinance - consistently beat airport counters by 3-5%, depending on the day. The key is using a card that doesn’t add foreign withdrawal charges. I use Wise and always opt for local CHF, never DCC. Avoid airport exchanges unless you're in a pinch.
Pulled 200 CHF from an ATM outside the Lausanne station and got a much better deal than the currency booth at Geneva airport, which charged 5 CHF commission plus a weak rate. If you're looking for “best currency exchange in Switzerland,” it’s definitely ATMs - just make sure your card doesn’t charge you crazy fees from back home.
I landed at Geneva and compared both. The airport exchange counter gave me about 0.88 CHF per USD, while my ATM withdrawal from a Credit Suisse machine gave me 0.92, even after my card’s fee. That difference adds up on larger amounts. Always go for ATM withdrawals in Switzerland - they’re fairer and faster. Just avoid Dynamic Currency Conversion prompts!
Used the exchange counter at Zurich airport once and immediately regretted it - they gave me a worse rate and charged 6 CHF commission. When I later withdrew from a PostFinance ATM in town, I got a way better rate, even after my bank’s 1.5% fee. Lesson: skip the airport desk, and use ATMs from local banks like UBS or PostFinance for best conversion.