Accept 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 usually do not have TWINT, often lack Swiss cash – but almost always carry a contactless credit card or Apple Pay. Market traders who only accept TWINT and cash lose this clientele. 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 guests expect, how to accept them at your stand, 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. Younger travelers from Scandinavia, the Netherlands, Asia, and increasingly Germany pay almost exclusively without cash. At the weekly market in Lucerne or the farm shop in Grindelwald, these customers stand in front of the stall, wishing to buy cheese, honey, or mountain flowers – and cannot pay if only cash or TWINT is accepted.

Furthermore: 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 guests expect

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

The common denominator: Visa and Mastercard (contactless) and Apple Pay cover the majority of international clientele. Those who also accept Alipay and WeChat Pay reach Chinese tour groups as well – although this is primarily relevant in hotspots like Lucerne, Interlaken, and Zurich.

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

TWINT is an exclusively Swiss app that requires a Swiss bank account. No tourist has TWINT. Anyone who displays only a TWINT QR sticker at their market stall excludes all international guests.

The alternatives:

First: A card terminal (physical or Tap to Pay) that accepts Visa, Mastercard, and mobile wallets. Second: QR-Pay – a QR code leading to a payment page where customers pay with their own card or wallet. Third: 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 quick processing, alongside a QR-Pay code for customers who prefer to pay on their own smartphone. Both accept international cards.

4. Card payment in foreign currency: Euro, USD, and Dynamic Currency Conversion (DCC)

When a tourist pays with a foreign card (e.g., a EUR card from Germany) at your terminal, 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 currency conversion is handled by the card network (Visa, Mastercard) – you do not need to take any action.

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 organizations 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 critical 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 completed. The underlying card (Visa, Mastercard, AMEX) is charged.

For market traders, it makes no technical difference whether the customer presents a physical card or a smartphone – the terminal or Tap to Pay treats both identically. The fees are identical. Tourists with 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 mixed clientele: 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 so-called 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 might 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 EUR 25 cheese sale to a tourist that would not have taken place otherwise generates EUR 24 in revenue after fees – instead of EUR 0.

8. Checklist: Making your farm shop or weekly market ready for international clientele

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

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

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

• Display card symbols clearly at the stall: Visa, Mastercard, contactless symbol, Apple Pay. Tourists immediately recognize that card payment is possible.

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

• Check if 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.

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