Accepting payments from tourists at weekly markets and farm shops: card, Apple Pay and foreign currency in Switzerland

Tourists at Swiss weekly markets and farm shops generally do not have TWINT and often carry no Swiss cash – but almost always have a contactless credit card or Apple Pay. Market traders who only accept TWINT and cash miss out on these customers. In tourist regions such as Lucerne, Interlaken, Zermatt, or Montreux, this can account for 20–40% of potential turnover.

This guide shows which payment methods international visitors expect, how to accept them at your stall, and what transactions with foreign cards cost.

1. Why tourists at weekly markets and farm shops do not carry cash

Swiss francs are a foreign currency for most tourists. Many no longer exchange cash – they rely on cards and smartphones. In particular, younger travellers from Scandinavia, the Netherlands, Asia, and increasingly from Germany pay almost exclusively cashless. At the weekly market in Lucerne or at a farm shop in Grindelwald, these customers stand before the stall wanting to buy cheese, honey, or alpine flowers – and cannot pay if only cash or TWINT is accepted.

In addition: even tourists with Swiss cash often only have large banknotes (EUR 50 or EUR 100), which are impractical at a market stall for an EUR 8 purchase. Contactless payment solves both problems – no currency exchange, no change.

2. Which payment methods international visitors expect

Payment habits vary depending on the country of origin. European visitors (Germany, France, Italy, the Netherlands, Scandinavia) predominantly use Visa Debit, Mastercard, and increasingly Apple Pay or Google Pay. American and Canadian visitors almost always have a Visa or Mastercard credit card, frequently with a contactless function, and make heavy use of Apple Pay. Asian visitors (China, Japan, South Korea) rely on Alipay, WeChat Pay, or contactless cards. British visitors use Visa Debit (formerly Maestro) and Apple Pay/Google Pay.

What they have in common: Visa and Mastercard (contactless) and Apple Pay cover the majority of international customers. Those who additionally accept Alipay and WeChat Pay also reach Chinese tour groups – although this is primarily relevant in hotspots like Lucerne, Interlaken, and Zurich.

3. TWINT does not work for tourists: what alternatives exist

TWINT is a purely Swiss app that requires a Swiss bank account. No tourist has TWINT. Displaying exclusively a TWINT QR sticker at your market stall excludes all international visitors.

The alternatives:

Firstly: a card terminal (physical or Tap to Pay) that accepts Visa, Mastercard, and mobile wallets. Secondly: QR Pay – a QR code that leads to a payment page where customers pay using their own card or wallet. Thirdly: cash in EUR – remains as a fallback, but fewer and fewer tourists carry it.

The first and second options can be combined: a terminal for fast processing, alongside a QR Pay code for customers who prefer to pay on their own smartphone. Both accept international cards.

4. Card payments in foreign currency: euro, USD, and currency conversion (DCC)

When a tourist pays at your terminal with a foreign card (e.g. an EUR card from Germany), the EUR amount is automatically converted into their home currency by the card scheme. The tourist sees the amount on their bank statement in euros. You receive the amount in EUR. The card network (Visa, Mastercard) handles the currency conversion – you do not need to do anything.

What is DCC (Dynamic Currency Conversion)?

DCC is an optional service where the terminal offers the customer the option to pay directly in their home currency instead of EUR. Advantage for the customer: they immediately see the price in their familiar currency. Disadvantage: the DCC exchange rate usually includes a markup of 2–4% compared to the standard interbank rate. Consumer protection organisations therefore often advise paying in the local currency (i.e. EUR).

DCC must be offered as an option – it must not be forced. The customer chooses on the terminal between "Pay in EUR" and "Pay in EUR". For you as a Comerciante, DCC can generate a small commission, but it is not available with all providers. For most market stalls and farm shops, DCC is not a decisive criterion – standard conversion via the card network works automatically.

5. Apple Pay, Google Pay, and contactless payment: how it works at the weekly market

Apple Pay, Google Pay, and Samsung Pay work at the terminal or via Tap to Pay just like a contactless card: the customer holds their smartphone or smartwatch to the device, confirms via Face ID, fingerprint, or PIN, and the payment is complete. The underlying card (Visa, Mastercard, AMEX) is charged.

Technically, it makes no difference to the market trader whether the customer presents a physical card or a smartphone – the terminal or Tap to Pay treats both identically. The fees are the same. Tourists using Apple Pay from the US, Europe, or Asia can pay just as easily as regular Swiss customers using a debit card.

6. QR Pay as a universal solution: one QR code for Swiss locals and tourists

QR Pay is the most universal solution for a mixed customer base: a single QR code works for regular Swiss customers (TWINT) and for tourists from all over the world (Visa, Mastercard, Apple Pay). Without hardware, without language barriers, without separate systems. The payment page is multilingual and automatically adapts to the customer's smartphone.

7. Costs for international cards: what interregional transactions cost

When a tourist pays with a foreign card, the transaction is more expensive for you as a Comerciante than a domestic Swiss transaction. The reason: the interchange fee – the fee received by the card-issuing bank – is higher for cross-border transactions.

In practice, this means: instead of 0.95% + EUR 0.15 for a Swiss debit card, you may pay 1.5–2.5% for a European credit card, depending on the provider and contract. The exact fees for interregional transactions depend on the payment provider and are often not listed separately – check with your provider.

Despite higher fees, it is worthwhile: a cheese sale of EUR 25 to a tourist that would otherwise not have occurred generates EUR 24 in revenue after fees – instead of EUR 0.

8. Checklist: preparing your farm shop or weekly market for international customers

• Accept Visa and Mastercard (contactless) – this covers the vast majority of international cards.

• Offer Apple Pay and Google Pay – both work automatically via any terminal or Tap to Pay.

• Display a QR Pay code so that tourists can also pay without a terminal.

• Display card logos visibly at the stall: Visa, Mastercard, contactless symbol, Apple Pay. Tourists will immediately recognise that card payment is possible.

• Label in English: "Cards accepted" or "We accept Visa, Mastercard, Apple Pay".

• Check whether your provider supports Alipay and WeChat Pay – relevant in hotspots with Chinese clientele.

• Factor the higher fees for interregional cards into your pricing.

• Keep cash as a fallback – some tourists carry EUR cash from hotels or ATMs.

• Enquire with your provider about DCC – optional, but a helpful service for some customers.