Research the current exchange rate a week or so before your trip. Make sure you understand how to mathematically convert between dollars and Swiss francs so that you'll know how much money you should receive in either direction. According to the historical exchange rate for February 2010, a U.S. dollar is worth approximately $1.07 Swiss francs. That means if you were to convert 10 U.S. dollars to Swiss francs, you would multiply 10 times 1.07 to find out how much you would receive in Swiss currency ($10.70 CHF).
Contact your local bank branch while still in the U.S. and ask for the location that offers currency exchange. Most banks in the U.S. offer currency exchange services but not every location of a bank will have the service available and some branches only offer exchange services on certain days of the week so make sure you ask about service hours as well. Visit this branch of your bank and convert a limited amount of your travel money to Swiss francs. You don't want to convert all of your money because you may be able to get slightly better exchange rates in Switzerland, but you do want to have some local money available to you when you arrive. Get the rest of your travel money converted to traveler's cheques for safety purposes.
Check for posted exchange rates and inquire about any exchange service fees before deciding where to exchange your cashier's checks after arriving in Switzerland. Exchange services can be found at the Swiss airport, most major hotels, any Swiss bank, most train stations (via a Western Union office) and official exchange offices. You may occasionally find exchange services at some post offices as well.
Use a Visa, Mastercard, or American Express credit card to pay for services as an alternative to exchanging your money once you're in Switzerland. This is an especially good option if you are in a store and run short on Swiss francs since most retail stores will give you a poor exchange rate. When you receive your statement, your credit card company will automatically bill you in American dollars for your purchases, and often at a lower exchange rate than any exchange service.
