In a nutshell
- With an IC card (e.g., Suica or Pasmo), you can easily use subways, trains, and buses in Japan — just tap in, ride, tap out, and you’re done.
- These cards aren’t just for getting around. You can also use them to pay at convenience stores, restaurants, vending machines, and lockers.
- There are various regional IC cards (e.g., Suica in Tokyo, Icoca in Osaka), but each one works almost everywhere in Japan. We recommend the Suica Card.
- You load credit onto your card and use it to pay — simple as that.
- With an iPhone, you can easily add the Suica Card to Wallet. We’ll walk you through it below. It’s not quite as straightforward with Android phones — in that case, it’s best to buy the Suica Card online in advance.
What are IC cards?
IC cards are contactless prepaid cards for various modes of transportation such as trains, subways, and buses in Japan. But they’re not just for getting around — you can also use them to pay at 7-Eleven stores, many restaurants, beverage vending machines, and more.
There are different IC cards across Japan’s regions: in Tokyo, for example, there’s the Suica Card, and in Osaka, the Icoca Card. The good news? Most of these cards work for travel throughout Japan.
During our tour of Japan, we carried the Suica Card and used it to pay for pretty much everything — except the Shinkansen.
What IC cards are available?
There are about ten IC cards that work almost anywhere in Japan. The best-known ones are:
- Suica Card (Tokyo)
- Pasmo Card (Tokyo)
- Icoca Card (Osaka)
The Suica Card or the Pasmo Card are both solid choices — you really can’t go wrong with either. We went with the Suica Card and recommend it in all of our Japan travel tips. So let’s walk you through everything you need to know about it.
Differences between the Suica Card, Pasmo Card, and Welcome Suica Card
If you’ve already done a bit of research on IC cards, you’ve probably come across the Welcome Suica Card.
The difference between the Welcome Suica and the regular Suica Card (or the Pasmo Card, which also comes from the Tokyo area) is pretty straightforward:
- Suica and Pasmo: practically identical, require a 500 yen deposit, valid for ten years, and you get your remaining balance back when you return them
- Welcome Suica: designed specifically for tourists, no deposit required, valid for a maximum of 28 days, and any remaining balance expires at the end
As a tourist, you’re free to choose whichever option suits you. It really comes down to the length of your Japan trip and how you want to buy it — we’ll cover that in the next section.
Where can you buy the Suica Card?
Our favorite option is to simply add the Suica Card digitally to your wallet and top it up from there. That’s exactly what we did — no physical card needed. You can buy and reload it through Apple Pay or Google Pay, which you should have set up on your phone for the trip anyway.
One thing to note: you can only add the regular Suica Card to your digital wallet — not the Welcome Suica Card. The upside is that you don’t pay a deposit since there’s no physical card involved.
If you’d rather have a physical card (Suica or Welcome Suica) and you’re staying in Tokyo at the start of your trip, here’s where to get one:
- At JR East stations (at ticket machines with the IC logo or at service counters)
- At Narita and Haneda airports in Tokyo
- Online (Welcome Suica Card only). You pick up the physical card at Haneda Airport — it includes a one-day pass for your arrival day.
How much does the Suica Card cost?
The physical Suica Card requires a 500 yen deposit. On top of that, you load whatever balance you want — and you’ll need to put at least 1,000 yen on the card the first time.
When you’re done, you get your remaining balance and the deposit back. However, a 220 yen processing fee is deducted from the refund. Our tip: just use up your entire balance before returning it, and the fee is waived. You always get the 500 yen deposit back regardless.
The Welcome Suica Card and the digital Suica Card in your wallet don’t require a deposit at all — you only pay for the balance you load.
How do you install the Suica Card on your phone?
It’s super easy if you have an iPhone. All you need is one with NFC functionality — that’s any iPhone 8 or later.
Having an eSIM for your Japan trip is really handy here. With mobile data, you can install the Suica Card on the spot as soon as you land — though you can also set it up before you leave home.
Installing the Suica Card on your iPhone:
- Open the Wallet app and tap the plus sign in the top right corner.
- Tap “Public Transport Card” and search for Japan.
- Select Suica and tap “Continue.”
- Add your desired balance in yen — it’s transferred directly from Apple Pay to the card. We loaded 5,000 yen when we set it up.
Android smartphones are a bit trickier. Generally, it only works on phones that are either from Japan (like Sony Xperia) or have Japan set as the region with the Osaifu-Keitai payment system installed. We haven’t tested this ourselves, so if you’ve had experience installing the Suica Card on Android, let us know in the comments!
Installing the Suica Card on your Android smartphone:
- Open the Google Wallet app and tap “Add to Wallet” at the bottom.
- Tap “e-money” or “Transit Card” and select Suica.
- Add your desired balance in yen — it’s transferred directly to the card. We loaded 5,000 yen during setup.
How do you use the Suica Card on public transportation?
It works just like tap-to-pay transit cards anywhere else in the world. Hold the card up to the reader when boarding and again when you exit. The correct fare is automatically calculated and deducted — no need to figure out ticket prices in advance.
When transferring between different operators (e.g., JR, Metro, private lines), the card works seamlessly across all of them.
If you run out of credit mid-journey, don’t panic — you can still complete your trip. Just use the Fare Adjustment Machine at your destination station to top up before you exit through the gate. For a digital Suica Card, you can reload as usual via Apple Pay or Google Pay.
Important: The Suica Card does not work on the Shinkansen. You’ll need a separate ticket for that. We explain everything about the Shinkansen and Japan Rail in this article.
How can you top up the Suica Card?
If you have the card in your digital wallet, topping up is simple — just tap “Add Credit” and reload via Apple Pay or Google Pay.
For physical cards, you can reload at Suica machines in train stations or at convenience stores.
One smart move: try to use up your balance completely before you head home. With the Welcome Suica, you won’t get any remaining balance back anyway. With the regular Suica Card, you will get it back — but a 220 yen processing fee is deducted. If your balance is at zero, no processing fee applies.
How long is a Suica Card valid?
The Welcome Suica Card is valid for 28 days.
Regular IC cards like Suica and Pasmo are valid for ten years from the last time you use them. So if you buy a Suica Card for this trip and come back to Japan nine years later, the card will be valid for another ten years from that point.
