For basic services with good english online banking go with Postfinance. You'll have access to your account from every post office too.

You can open at any Post Office on arrival with ID and proof of local city council registration (you need to be locally resident as part of anti-money laundering).

You'll get a combined international cash and Switzerland only payment/debit card usable in most Swiss retailers.

You can then online link it to an EUR/USD/JPY/NOK/SEK/GBP account or savings accounts in EUR/CHF too. Useful if you need to transfer/receive money abroad as the internal online currency rates are better. A caschard (not debit function) is possible for the EUR accounts also.

Once comfy with that if you really need a traditional account in a traditional bank, you can switch. Most bills are sent online or with post office payable payment slips so it makes it easier to pay online/offline at the Post Office until you're established.

Bear in mind Post Offices here like most countries are busy at peak times.

You can only begin the process of account opening on arrival.

Love PostFinance. Convenient, easy to use in English, low cost of transfer to the EU (unless you choose to trade via Oanda), simple, and no need to listen to a pil*** explaining why you will be charged a gazillion franks for something that takes 1 brain cell and 1 push of a button. If you do not need complicated banking things, go with PostFinance - this is my 5th bank account and they are the easiest to deal with, so agree with all the comments about them above...

Hmmm... Not sure. With post finance card you can withdraw at any ATM point free of charge. All depends for which account set you opt for. Plus migros free of charge.

I chose UBS because you don't need a residency permit to open a bank account with them and according to my HR department they are the only ones who do that here in Zug. Didn't bother checking if that is actually the case but haven't been dissatisfied with them either.

Thanks, everyone. Now, a random question- does anyone have any experience with leaving an account open after leaving Switzerland? My wife and I might want to keep some money in an account over here for visiting purposes- vacations, etc. Or, once you leave CH you must close your account?

Which account set alloys use of all ATMs for free and is good for paying in Euros or taking out Euros in EU ATM?

What is PF like for GBP transfer to UK banks?

Thanks

Fine, quite quick as well