Passengers traveling on Deutsche Bahn (DB) trains are facing a hidden surcharge when paying with Swiss francs, a practice that echoes past criticisms leveled against Switzerland’s tourism industry. A recent report reveals that prices for items in the DB’s onboard restaurant are significantly higher when settled in francs compared to euros.
A large coffee costs €5, but 6 Swiss francs. A French breakfast, including a croissant and rolls with butter and jam, is priced at €7.90, while the same meal costs 9.50 francs. Even a simple porridge costs €4.90 in euros but €5.90 in Swiss francs. A plate of Szegediner Gulasch with mashed potatoes is €15.90, but 19.10 francs.
This discrepancy amounts to a roughly 20 percent premium for those paying with francs, despite the Swiss franc currently being stronger than the euro – on Friday, one euro bought just under 0.92 francs. The situation has drawn comparisons to the period between 2000 and 2008, when Swiss tourist destinations were accused of unfairly inflating exchange rates for European visitors, effectively forcing a 1-to-1 conversion rate and diminishing their purchasing power.
German media outlets, including Bild and Der Spiegel, previously reported on the practice, labeling it “extortion in the Alps” and highlighting how Swiss businesses were “cashing in euros” at unfavorable rates. This led to complaints and even boycott calls from tourists in Germany, Italy, and France.
Deutsche Bahn maintains that the pricing difference is due to a time-averaged exchange rate. A DB spokesperson stated, “Our customers in the German-Swiss border region can pay in both euros and Swiss francs – in cash and by card.” Regarding the exchange rate, the spokesperson explained, “We utilize an average over a longer period, as a real-time reflection is technically not possible.” The railway insists it is unaware of any increase in customer complaints and claims the lower price level of its onboard gastronomy is “highly appreciated” by Swiss passengers.
While, the specifics of the “longer period” used to calculate the average exchange rate remain undisclosed. The euro has not been stronger than the Swiss franc since January 2023, when it was worth 1.0051 francs. Since then, the franc has consistently held more value, averaging 1.04 euros per franc in 2023 and 2024, and 1.059 euros in 2025. This means that the DB’s pricing adds an additional 4.6 percent to the franc price, resulting in a total surcharge of approximately 25 percent for Swiss customers. A 100 euro purchase would therefore cost 125 francs.
In contrast, the Swiss Federal Railways (SBB) adopts a more customer-friendly approach, applying a 1-to-1 exchange rate in its onboard restaurant, even when the franc is stronger. On Friday, the franc was worth 1.09 euros, yet SBB maintained the equal exchange rate.
