Plastic is the most convenient way to carry your money. Every corner of Switzerland is plastered with banks, most of which have English-language ATMs (cash-machines) which accept foreign debit and credit cards. The only significant exceptions are the various cantonal banks (for example, Luzerner Kantonalbank or Banque Cantonale Vaudoise or Banca dello Stato del Cantone Ticino), and small local banks such as Raiffeisenbank. Otherwise, ATMs attached to branches of the ubiquitous Big Two – UBS and Crédit Suisse, which are present in every town and together control sixty percent of the domestic market – accept a panoply of brands including Visa, MasterCard, EC, Maestro, Cirrus, Plus and plenty more. You can also pay for most goods and services around the country using a card, although there may be a lower limit of Fr.20 or Fr.30. Bank charges on plastic transactions can often work out less than commissions on purchases of travellers’ cheques.

As usual, charge cards such as Amex or Diners Club are not as widely accepted as debit/credit cards, and tend to be restricted to top-end purchases.