 Poster: A snowHead
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I've just switched my forthcoming ski holiday from Italy (transferring via Austria) to Switzerland as whilst my wife is double vaccinated with AZ, she is allergic to the Moderna and Pfizer boosters that are being used in the UK currently and there is no guarantee that we can find an AZ alternative in time to avoid her falling foul of the 270 day rule set by Austria. 
I've not been to Switzerland for a long time and wondered how other Snowheads go about managing their electronic cash payments in Swiss francs? I'm covered for Euros via a Starling Bank Euro account and I have a Revolut card which allows me to draw up to €200 per month from an ATM free of charge. I assume the Revolut card will allow me to draw CHF from ATM's and charge me a foreign exchange fee but if anyone could provide some advice how best to manage cash payments whilst we are in Switzerland that would be appreciated.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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It's 2022; you shouldn't need to make 'cash' payments...
Overseas I use Halifax Clarity Mastercard. No foreign exchange fees, and it's accepted everywhere. Also use in the UK when buying things priced in EUR or CHF etc. on the internet.
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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Not quite sure what you mean by cash payments in this example but I usually convert a small amount of GBP into CHF to have some cash prior to travel using the best provider/rate on the moneysavingexpert comparison site. However, for most things, I just use Halifax Clarity CC which provides fee free transactions in all currencies.
I haven't really found anywhere in Switzerland that doesn't accept that card on my last visit over Xmas so could probably do away with the cash altogether or just draw cash out on the credit card and settle the balance immediately to avoid interest.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Any of the popular cards, Revolut, Caxton, Fairfx, etc will work fine. You do need cash here - there are a few bars in our village that don’t accept cards.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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We use what used to be the Post Office Visa card - it was changed to JaJa a couple of years ago. Zero fees for foreign transactions but I do think it charges if you take out cash in resort. The exchange rate we get is usually better than the cash one.
Just remember when using cards abroad, to make the transaction in the local currency & not accept the £ amount offered as you are then paying for it to be converted twice.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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In a week in Switzerland about 2 years ago I had only need for cash when tipping instructors and the odd car park machine, otherwise all cash less, and if anything I assume its more cashless now than then.
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Thank you - I know I will need some element of Swiss francs which I would probably draw via an ATM in country. I know that they also accept Euros as well but I would usually use a pre-loaded card with Euros and wondered if there was a way to do this in CHF or via a UK-based card without incurring charges and fees for example?
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Jaolchhu4,
We've just had a week in CH (Geneva and Zermatt) and took only 20 Swiss Francs in cash with us.
All but one of our purchases were made using our Halifax Clarity Mastercards, which give us the best exchange rate with no transaction charges.
The only exception (cash payment) was in an outdoor mountain bar, which didn't accept credit payments under 20 Francs. Otherwise, we used the cards for lots of small purchases (including 2 Pains au Chocolat, costing 3 Francs in a supermarket) without any problems.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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Thank you, Bergmeister - that's very helpful to know your recent experience in Switzerland. I will definitely look into the Halifax Clarity card.
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@Jaolchhu4, You can transfer GBP to CHF on the Revolut card (they make a small charge), then withdraw cash from a Swiss ATM without a fee (or am I misunderstanding how Revolut work??!)
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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@albob - I could use my Revolut card but I'm limited to only withdrawing £200 per month for free with this card. I've actually just checked the Money Savings Expert site and I think my Starling Bank debit card will work well as I'm 'restricted' to 6 x cash withdrawals per DAY up to £300 and there are no transaction fees for electronic payments. I will just preload it with cash prior to my trip. In my experience their exchange rates are quite competitive too.
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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Ahh -- I was working on the £200 a month limit being free
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can you be "allergic" to an mRNA vaccine? how odd...
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You know it makes sense.
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@under a new name, some people are allergic to water. Our bodies are not uniform.
Covid transformed the Swiss cash obsession - now everyone takes cards, Twint or apple pay. Its brilliant.
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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Halifax Clarity CC here.
Took no cash to Zermatt and didn't ever need any.
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Poster: A snowHead
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Personally the only time I've needed cash for my Switzerland trips the past few years was a 2 CHF coin for the GVA airport luggage trolleys!
I've used a Halifax Clarify card abroad for the past 10+ years and it does the job fine. These days I don't usually bother getting out cash on European trips, just pay by card all the time.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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@under a new name, you can be allergic to the additional ingredients in the vaccine.That mRNA has to be dissolved in something, preserved and stabilised. Polyethylene glycol is the probable culprit, and it isn't in the AZ vaccine. I have personally come across one person who ended up in ITU following the Pfizer vaccine.
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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| musehead wrote: |
Personally the only time I've needed cash for my Switzerland trips the past few years was a 2 CHF coin for the GVA airport luggage trolleys!
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A UK 2p coin works just as well, or at least it did when I last went there.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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@underanewname - some people are allergic to PEG in Moderna and Pfizer and there is a risk of anaphylactic shock. My wife is fully vaccinated via AZ but the UK has very few supplies of AZ currently and is wholly focused on non-AZ vaccines as part of the booster programme.
“Undiagnosed PEG-allergic patients are at risk of anaphylaxis to mRNA vaccines containing PEG, so should be identified before vaccination. We suggest a guide to detecting PEG allergy based on our clinical experience and review of the literature in Table 1.6 In a patient with suspected or proven PEG allergy, mRNA vaccines containing PEG should be avoided. If the patient has tolerated an influenza vaccine or other injected preparation containing polysorbate 80, they can receive the AstraZeneca vaccine available in the UK, and the Janssen/Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine in the United States and EU. Investigation of PEG allergy carries a risk of anaphylaxis and should only be undertaken in specialist drug allergy centres with full resuscitation capabilities.”
More detail below if you care to read it
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/cea.13874
https://www.science.org/content/article/suspicions-grow-nanoparticles-pfizer-s-covid-19-vaccine-trigger-rare-allergic-reactions
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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@geepee, Yes it does -- but when was the time last you had a 2P ??!!!? 
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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| Quote: |
I've used a Halifax Clarify card abroad for the past 10+ years and it does the job fine.
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Same here - however I've just switched to Revolut, and discovered that you get a better FX rate ... although Halifax clarity is zero commission etc it DOES use the Mastercard FX rate, which is slightly less that the actual Interbank rate that Revolut uses (there is apparently a 1% markup if used at weekends)
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I had Xmas in Wengen - oddly most of the bars in resort I visited didn't take cards, cash only.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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@Jaolchhu4, and thanks also  .
So does Djocovid have a rare allergy?
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