Money Exchange
Foreign currency and traveller’s cheques are exchanged at banks or at exchange offices at railway stations (the main ones are open till 22.00), at airports, some tourist offices and hotels.
Coin
Switzerland’s monetary unit is the ‘ franco ‘, divided into cents. Coins in circulation are 5, 10, from 20 and 50 centesimi, 1, 2 and 5 francs and bank cards from 10, 20, 50, 100, 200 and 1000 francs.
Opening hours
Shops are generally open from 8.00-9.00 to 18.30 Mon-Fri (with intervals of one or two hours or a continued service); On Saturday they close at 17.00. Supermarkets and department stores are open continuous hours and, on Thursday, evening sale is practiced till 21. Passport and visa
for the entry into Switzerland generally requires valid passport and, depending on the nationality, identity card only.
Travel accomodations for disabled people
In Swiss Hotels Guide, the symbol of the “wheelchair” stands to indicate hotels equipped to receive disabled guess. The Swiss Association of handicapped people has published a guide of hotels for this purpose.
Information:
Switzerland Association of invalids
P.o. box, CH-4600 Olten
Tel: 0041/62/206 88 88
Mobility International Schweiz
Froburgstrasse 4 CH-4601 Olten
tel: 0041/62/206 88 35
Car Rental
On airports and in all major Swiss cities you will find all the major vehicles rental companies.
Special rates are available at the Swiss tourist center.
Opening hours
Banks:
08:30 – 16:30 weekday, Saturday closed
weekdays: 08:00 – 12:00/13:30 – 18:30, 08:00 – Saturday: 12:00/13:30-17:00, Thursday:
08.00 – 12:00/14:00 – 21:00, Sunday: closed
Stores:
throughout the day, Sunday closed
Markets
Lugano: Tuesday and Friday: 7:30 – 12:00
Alghero Italy: Sunday morning
Luino Italy: Wednesday
Ponte Tresa Italy: Saturday
Porlezza Italy: Saturday
Stresa Italy: Friday morning
Como Italy: Tuesday, Thursday ( 8:00 – 13:00 ) and Saturday ( 8:00 – 19:00 ) Lake Lugano (Lugano)
Surface 48.9 km2
Maximum breadth 3 km
Length 35 km
Maximum depth 279 m.