Swiss Franc. The Swiss franc is the currency of Switzerland. Swiss francs are shortened either with the official banking name CHF (from the latin name of the country Confederation Helvetica, CH) Switzerland is not part of the European Union and therefore the Euro (EUR) is not an official currency in that country. It is widely accepted but you cannot count on the fact that a particular hotel or shop will accept Euro. However, you can exchange Euro (EUR) for Swiss Francs (CHF) and vice-a-versa at every bank, at the airports and at most railway stations. You may also get Euro at some post offices with your postcard or from most cash machines, in Switzerland often known as "bancomat".

1) "Switzerland is not part of the European union. They use the Swiss Franc." Source: http://home.comcast.net/~vagabondtraveler/faqs/swiss.html#5 2) Fantasy Euro Coins: http://www.euro-coin.net/revers/ch/fanch.html 3) "Switzerland is not part of the EU (European Union) so it makes sense that they don't use the the Euro as their currency. The currency in Switzerland is the Swiss Franc (CHF) and while they take Euro in Switzerland, it sounds like it's at an unfavorable exchange rate and that you get your change back in CHF. We were able to use our ATM card or Visa credit card almost everywhere we tried to use it, the only exception was at a Coop supermarket in Zug Baar which wouldn't take either and at a parking garage in Geneva that wouldn't take our Visa card." Source: http://members.virtualtourist.com/m/411f2/a8632/a/ 4) Swiss Dinar: "After the 1990 Gulf War the Iraqi government issued a new currency. The old currency became known as the Swiss dinar because it had been printed using Swiss technology that was no longer available after the economic sanctions. After a change-over period the Iraqi government disendorsed the old currency and it ceased to be legal tender. However, the old currency still circulated in the politically isolated Kurdish regions of Iraq until it was replaced more than a decade later following the 2003 invasion of Iraq. During this inter-war period the Swiss dinar retained its market value, while the new replacement Iraqi currency consistently lost value (sometimes at 30% per annum)."

Most places you'll need Swiss Francs, but some places (specifically near borders with EU countries and in big cities) will accept Euros and give you change in Francs.