SUICA/PASMO - what are they and where to purchase
The SUICA or PASMO cards are reloadable transportation cards that work on practically every major rail company in Japan. How it works is similar to the Oyster Card in London, T-money in Seoul or the EZ-Link in Singapore, just to name a few.
Many bus systems allow use of these cards and it can also be used to activate the luggage lockers placed at stations or for payments at most convenience stores in the city.
Having these cards is not compulsory for travel and they provide little to no discount over the standard single-ride ticket, but they are recommended for its convenience since the Japanese transport system is made up of multiple public and private carriers who each have their own separate fare structure.
Each traveler will need to carry one card and tap-in/out every time you go through the automated gates.
The physical card is extremely hard to obtain in the Tokyo area right now. If you use iPhones, you can get the digital version of SUICA to your phone with the exact same feature. Otherwise, refer to the below summary.
・Arriving at Haneda Airport ---> Go to the T3 Monorail Station and buy Welcome SUICA
・Arriving at Narita Airport ---> Go to the JR East Travel Center and try to obtain a regular SUICA (subject to availability). Welcome SUICA might also be available from vending machines starting July 20th, 2024.
・Within Tokyo ---> The JR East Travel Center at Tokyo, Shinjuku, Ikebukuro, Shibuya, Ueno and Shinagawa Stations for a regular SUICA (subject to availability)
--->The Tokyo Metro pass office at Shinjuku, Ueno (+maybe also for Otemachi, Ginza, Iidabashi and Ikebukuro) for a regular PASMO
Details on where SUICA/PASMO can be obtained
"WELCOME SUICA"
1) Vending machines at the Haneda Airport Monorail Station (T3)
2) JR East Travel Center in Haneda Airport (T3, 6:45am-8pm)
3) Vending machines at the Narita Airport Station, both T1 and T2/T3 Station.
The Welcome SUICA is exclusively for visitors from outside Japan. Unlike the regular SUICAs, it does not require a deposit fee but does have an expiry date which is 28 days after purchase.
The Welcome SUICA was not available at Narita from January-July 2024, but as of July 20th the supply has returned.
If getting the cards at the airport does not work, the JR East Travel Center at the major stations within Tokyo (Tokyo, Shinjuku, Ikebukuro, Shibuya, Ueno and Shinagawa) should be able to sell you a regular SUICA, subject to limited availability. Only one card per person will be sold. The regular SUICA does not have an expiry date, but requires payment of a 500 JPY deposit fee.
"PASMO PASSPORT"
No longer available as of June 25th, 2024.
(Source: https://www.pasmo.co.jp/visitors/en/buy/)
A card intended for overseas visitors called PASMO PASSPORT used to exist, but they have been completely taken out of service now.
Selected Tokyo Metro stations that have a commuter pass office might be able to sell you the regular PASMO by showing your passport and verifying that you are a short-term visitor to the country. This option has been confirmed at both the Shinjuku and Ueno station office.
Purchases must be made in cash, and you can choose amounts of 1,000 or 2,000 JPY in your initial purchase, inclusive of the 500 JPY deposit fee. Office hours are from 7:40am to 8pm.
The restriction of sales only apply to the Tokyo area, so cards with similar function (such as the ICOCA in the Kansai region) can be easily obtained in other parts of the country.
If your trip to Japan starts in regions outside of Tokyo, you should not encounter difficulty in locating the IC cards.
THE DIGITAL VERSION (ONLY FOR IPHONE USERS)
iPhone users have the choice to download SUICA/PASMO on their wallet app instead of using the physical card. It has been reported that US-issued VISA cards might experience errors when trying to add funds, but MasterCard or AMEX works fine.
For Android users, the app is only compatible with phones sold in Japan that have the "Felica" feature, so for foreign visitors it is not an option (The app can be downloaded but funds cannot be added, making it essentially useless)
CHILDREN'S SUICA
Half-priced SUICA for children (without expiry date, for passengers under 12) should be available for purchase at any JR ticket office and not limited to just the JR East Travel Center, though some stations may tell you they are out of stock.
You will require identification to verify age, such as a passport for the purchase.
TAP AND GO WITH CREDIT CARD...COMING SOON?
Certain rail companies like Tokyu Railways are allowing use of credit cards as payment method. Users would tap their credit card at a designated gate when entering and exiting. The Keikyu Line and Toei Asakusa Line will also roll out this option by the end of 2024, allowing users to travel from Haneda Airport to certain parts of Tokyo with just the tap of a credit card.
Already a common feature in many transport networks around the world, several Japanese cities like Fukuoka have been experimenting with this method in recent years.