Currency Tips: Using Swiss Francs With Kids

We’ll plan your family wallet for Swiss trips

For a smooth family trip to Switzerland, organize a practical wallet system before you go. Carry a coin pouch you can reach easily with 5–20 CHF for vending machines, toilets and snacks. Keep a separate 50–200 CHF emergency note hidden and secure. Bring at least two contactless cards and keep one as a backup. Teach kids to recognise coins and to make supervised payments. We suggest setting up mobile wallets or Twint to control digital transfers. Remember cash rounds to the nearest 5 rappen while cards charge exact centimes. Withdraw larger sums less often to cut ATM fees.

Cash and coins

Keep small change handy for everyday micro purchases. A reachable coin pouch with 5–20 CHF in mixed coins will cover:

• vending machines
• public toilets
• parking meters
• market stalls and mountain huts

Always conceal a hidden emergency note of 50–200 CHF in a secure place separate from your main wallet.

Note: cash totals round to 5 rappen in Switzerland, while card payments are charged to the exact centime—keep coins ready for small cash-only purchases.

Cards and digital payments

Take at least two contactless cards and store one separately as a backup. Add cards to a mobile wallet and consider enabling Twint for peer-to-peer transfers and easy merchant payments.

• Set travel alerts with your bank before departure.
• Ask your bank about spending limits and daily withdrawal caps for added control.
• Use one card for daily spending and keep the backup locked away or on your person in a different place.

Kids and pocket money

Teach children to recognise coins with short, supervised shopping exercises. Consider:

• prepaid or youth accounts to limit exposure
• supervised Twint transfers for digital pocket money
• practicing simple purchases so kids learn to use coins and identify small-denomination notes

ATM and exchange tips

Reduce fees by withdrawing larger amounts less often. Avoid poor airport exchange counters—use bank ATMs or withdraw from your home bank in advance where possible. Store a backup card separately from your main wallet to cover card failures or loss.

Key Takeaways

• Carry 5–20 CHF in small coins for everyday small purchases, and keep a hidden 50–200 CHF emergency note.
• We recommend at least one contactless card plus a backup; add cards to a mobile wallet and set travel alerts and spending limits with your bank.
• Teach children coin identification with short supervised shopping exercises; consider prepaid or youth accounts, or supervised Twint for digital pocket money.
• Be aware cash totals round to 5 rappen while cards charge exact centimes; keep coins handy for vending machines, parking meters, market stalls and mountain huts.
• Reduce ATM fees by withdrawing larger amounts less often, avoid poor airport exchange rates, and store a backup card separately from your main wallet.

https://youtu.be/LjKCu4dq0Zs

Essential family currency checklist — what to carry and why

We, at the young explorers club, keep currency simple and practical for families. I plan for small everyday needs, one emergency reserve, and reliable electronic access.

What to carry — clear checklist

Use the short list below when packing wallets and daypacks so you don’t fumble at a kiosk or parking meter.

• 5–20 CHF in small coins (coin mix) in an easy-access coin pouch or small zip bag — perfect for vending machines, public toilets, small kiosks and children’s treats.
• One larger banknote (50–200 CHF emergency note) stashed separately from daily cash — keep it in a secure pocket or money belt.
• At least one card enabled for contactless payments and a second backup card kept elsewhere in case of loss or chip issues.
• A small cardholder or phone wallet so kids’ pocket money stays together and visible.
• A compact receipt envelope for keeping refunds, tickets, and small change organized.

I recommend the 5–20 CHF in small coins be instantly reachable. It saves time at train stations and playground snack stands. The 50–200 CHF emergency note should stay out of sight until needed.

Cash and digital differences matter. CHF (Swiss franc) is a strong, stable currency, so check the live exchange rate on the day you travel and use a conversion tool or app for quick checks. Note that cash payments are effectively rounded to the nearest 5 rappen; electronic payments are charged to the exact centime. That rounding can add up with many small purchases, so use cards when precision matters.

Practical card tips I follow: enable contactless, confirm daily limits with your bank, and leave your PIN memorized rather than written down. Keep one card in your luggage and one in your daypack. For kids, preload a small amount of coins and explain how to use machines and pay for small treats.

For family trips, a quick read on handling money abroad helps parents plan activities and budgets — see this short guide on Swiss franc essentials for family travel (Swiss franc) for more packing and activity ideas.

Using cash, cards and mobile payments with kids

We, at the Young Explorers Club, help families pick practical payment options for Swiss trips. Switzerland still accepts cash widely, and cash usage remains strong for small purchases like bakery items, kiosks and ticket machines.

Card, cash and mobile: what to expect

Expect broad acceptance of contactless EMV at shops and restaurants. Apple Pay and Google Pay work at many terminals, and adding a card to a mobile wallet makes buying quick and hygienic. Twint dominates local peer-to-peer transfers and is accepted by lots of merchants; I recommend teaching teens Twint basics for quick P2P payments. Visa and Mastercard are widely accepted. Maestro still appears at many ATMs and debit terminals, so bring a card that supports it if you rely on debit. Many banks offer youth accounts and family-friendly cards with limits and parental controls. For younger children, I prefer cash or a supervised Twint account so parents keep visibility and limits. If you’re planning a family trip, factor in markets and alpine huts that may prefer coins and small bills.

Before you travel — quick checklist

Here are the steps I recommend every family do before departure:

• Enable international contactless and online purchases on your cards with your bank.
• Add at least one credit or debit card to your mobile wallet (Apple Pay or Google Pay).
• Set travel alerts and spending limits on family accounts so banks don’t block transactions.
• Arrange a youth account or prepaid card for older kids if you want digital controls and statements.
• Download and register Twint for P2P payments; link a parent card or set parental approval where possible.
• Carry a small cash backup in Swiss francs for mountain huts, small vendors and places that still prefer coins.
• Teach kids how to check receipts and use contactless safely; show them PIN rules for higher-value purchases.

Coins, denominations and small-change practicalities for kids

We, at the Young Explorers Club, keep coin basics simple for families so kids feel confident handling Swiss money. I explain the pieces, show common uses, and give tips you can use the first day in Switzerland.

Coins and notes are straightforward. The coin denominations you’ll see are:

• 5 rappen
• 10 rappen
• 20 rappen
• ½ franc (50 rappen)
• 1 franc
• 2 francs
• 5 francs

The smallest legal-tender coin is the 5 rappen; 1 and 2 rappen coins were withdrawn. Banknote denominations are:

• 10 CHF
• 20 CHF
• 50 CHF
• 100 CHF
• 200 CHF
• 1,000 CHF

Electronic card and mobile payments use exact centime amounts, but cash follows rounding rules.

Cash rounding made easy to remember:

• A total of 12.03 CHF paid in cash is rounded up to 12.05 CHF.
• A total of 12.02 CHF paid in cash is rounded down to 12.00 CHF.

Quick reference for kids and parents

Below are simple lists and practical points you can rehearse with children before a trip.

• Coin denominations: 5 rappen, 10 rappen, 20 rappen, 50 rappen, 1 CHF, 2 CHF, 5 CHF.
• Banknote denominations: 10, 20, 50, 100, 200, 1,000 CHF.
• Important notes: 5 rappen smallest coin; cards keep exact centime totals; cash rounding applies at tills.
• Where coins matter most: vending machines, parking meters, public toilets, small kiosks and bakeries.

Carry a small roll or zip bag of coins. I recommend separate pockets for kids so they can grab coins for snacks without searching. Teach them to check the coin size and color: 1 and 2 franc coins look different from rappen. Practice a few quick payments together so they learn change and rounding.

If you want a family budgeting exercise before you leave, try a mock purchase with coins and cards. For planning ideas on how this works during a trip, see our family trip in Switzerland page for activities that pair well with teaching kids to use cash.

ATMs, fees and the smartest way to get CHF

We, at the young explorers club, see ATMs on almost every corner in Switzerland. Bank ATMs and PostFinance machines handle international cards — Visa, Mastercard, Maestro — and many accept Bancomat. You’ll find cash easily, even in smaller towns.

Swiss machines charge a local surcharge on foreign cards. Expect a cash withdrawal fee CHF 3–10 per withdrawal on top of whatever your home bank charges. Card payments can also suffer from an exchange spread that inflates costs. Airport and hotel exchange counters usually offer poor rates and wider margins; banks and post offices give better deals.

Practical rules I recommend

Below are the actions that save time and money when travelling with kids:

• Withdraw larger amounts less often to cut the fixed per-withdrawal fee.
• Use debit or credit cards with low foreign-transaction fees, or a multi-currency travel card.
• Check ATM withdrawal limits before you leave and set a daily cash budget to avoid surprises.
• Avoid airport and hotel exchange counters; use a bank branch or PostFinance for better rates.
• Notify your bank about travel dates to prevent blocks on your cards.
• Keep one backup card separate from your wallet in case of loss.

Worked example that makes the math obvious: if your home bank charges CHF 5 plus a Swiss ATM surcharge CHF 5 per withdrawal, two withdrawals will cost CHF 20 in fees. With that in mind, one larger withdrawal often saves money and hassle when you’re juggling kids and activities.

I also suggest carrying a small amount of cash for markets, small alpine cafés and situations where cards aren’t accepted. For more on planning cash needs alongside activities, see our family trip in Switzerland.

Transport, tickets and kids’ discounts (trains, museums and attractions)

We know Swiss transport and attractions welcome families, and we use that to our advantage. Regional trains and long-distance services are set up for parents with small children. SBB often lets children under 6 travel free, so factor that into trip budgets and seat reservations (check SBB’s current fare policy for exact limits). Concessions usually exist for older children, but the age cutoff varies by operator and ticket type.

The Swiss Travel Pass and related options can simplify pricing for mixed-age groups. Historically the Swiss Travel System Family Card allowed children under 16 to travel free with a parent’s pass; verify current rules for the Family Card and Swiss Travel Pass before you book. A family pass or multi-day regional card can be cheaper than single tickets when you plan several day trips.

Museums and attractions commonly offer free or reduced entry for kids. Typical child prices range from CHF 0–20 for museum entry, with many venues allowing free admission for younger children or offering special family tickets that cover two adults plus kids at a discount. Look for explicit “family ticket” or “child rate” fares at larger sites and seasonal offers at smaller attractions.

We recommend these practical booking and travel habits:

• Purchase digital tickets when possible to avoid queues and to apply child discounts instantly.
• Reserve seats on busy routes or scenic trains early; even free or discounted child places sometimes require a reservation.
• Keep cash and small-denomination coins for museum lockers, local trams, or souvenir stalls that don’t accept cards.

Quick checklist before you travel

Below are the actions we always take before leaving the hotel or arriving at a museum or station:

• Confirm age cutoffs and required documents with the operator (SBB, museum, or attraction).
• Carry ID for children where needed—passport or national ID often works for age verification.
• Check whether a Family Card or Swiss Travel Pass variant covers your children and compare pay-as-you-go vs. pass costs.
• Buy or reserve tickets online, and save screenshots or PDFs of confirmations on your phone.
• Note refund and transfer rules for discounted child fares in case plans change.
• Pack a small pouch of CHF coins and notes for incidental purchases.
• Bring any membership or family discount cards that might apply at attractions.

We at the young explorers club tie ticket choices to activity plans. For high-activity days—hikes, lake trips, or multi-museum passes—a day or multi-day pass often cuts costs and simplifies logistics. For one-off trips or short visits, point-to-point SBB fares plus child discounts can be cheaper.

When you arrive, present proof of age if staff asks. Many venues enforce strict age limits for free entry and will ask for ID. If a child’s age sits on the cutoff, carry documentation to avoid paying full price unexpectedly. Finally, if you want an easy place to start family planning and activity ideas around transport and attractions, see our family trip page for linked resources and sample itineraries.

Teaching kids and staying safe with money on the go

We use real CHF coins and notes in quick, hands-on sessions so kids learn coin recognition and the core rule: 100 rappen = 1 CHF. To keep lessons short and effective, I run a three-step mini-lesson and we follow it every time we practice.

1. Coin ID + conversion — children sort coins by size, color and value, say each denomination aloud, and recite 100 rappen = 1 CHF.
2. Practice making change up to CHF 10 — we role-play cash transactions so kids learn to add and subtract in real time.
3. Small supervised shopping trip — we set a spending limit, let children pay, then reflect with questions like: what did you buy, how did you pay, what change did you get?

I show older children a Twint demo and how contactless payments work on a phone or card. During the demo we check balances, read receipts and confirm how to cancel a payment if needed. I recommend turning off contactless on children’s cards unless someone is watching and setting daily spending limits where the bank or card app allows it.

Safety and storage matter as much as skills. Keep coins and cash in a coin pouch and use separate wallets for adults and children’s pocket money. Teach kids not to display large sums in public and give them a short script for lost items: who to call and where to go for help. We also suggest a prepaid travel card for pocket money so you limit risk and control reloads.

Use the packing routine to remind families what to bring; a coin pouch and emergency card copy are essentials — see our summer packing list for more tips. We also advise adding a lost card hotline to your emergency notes and consider turning off contactless if kids won’t be supervised.

Emergency card template & quick rules

• Bank name (primary account)
• Emergency card number(s) to block cards (list all cards)
• Lost card hotline and bank phone for immediate blocking
• Local embassy/consulate contact details
• Steps to block and report lost/stolen cards (who to call first, required info, local police if needed)
• Parent/guardian contact and a secondary contact

We practice carrying a laminated copy of this emergency card and role-play a lost-card call so kids stay calm. We keep instructions simple, repeat them often, and make sure every child knows where their coin pouch and emergency card live.

Sources

Swiss National Bank — Banknotes and coins

Swiss National Bank — Payment behaviour in Switzerland / Payment systems

SIX Group — Swiss Payment Monitor

Swiss Federal Statistical Office (FSO) — Household budget survey (HBS)

SBB CFF FFS — Travelcards and tickets (including information for children and youth)

Swiss Travel System — Family Card

TWINT — TWINT: The Swiss mobile payment solution

PostFinance — Cash withdrawals and ATM information

UBS — Cards & payments (information for travelling and card use)

SWI swissinfo.ch — Cash still king in Switzerland, but not for long

SBB CFF FFS — Fare calculator (check current child fares and ticket prices)