Suica and Pasmo Update for Fall travels.
Suica and Pasmo (Physical Train IC Cards) comes back from September 1, 2024. These card stopped selling from 2023 due to the shortage of IC chips used in the cards.
The cards resume selling are the “personalized Suica or Pasmo” IC Cards that you register your name and birthdate when you purchase at the machine. You can skip the phone number if you don’t have phone number in Japan.
The “blank Suica” / “blank Pasmo” (without your name on the card) won’t come back yet.
What is Personalized Suica
International visitors also can obrain personalized Suica or Pasmo. Basiclally, it has your name on it.
For this personalized Suica, you can get minimum price of 1000 yen at station ticket machine with 500 yen deposit. That means in case you purchase 1000 yen Suica, you can use 500 yen from the card. You can charge max 10,000 yen per charge, and max balance you can have is 20,000 yen. It has no validity, so you can use it when you come back to Japan next time. However, I recommend you to use the balance in it just in case.
You can use IC Card balance not only for going through the gate of stations, but also for purchase at vending machines, convenience stores, and many shops and restaurants across Japan.
This regualr Suica is Good for travelers stay here more than a month or might come back to Japan someday.
The Welcome Suica also comes back at major stations.
“Welcome Suica” which is specially sold for International visitors has 28 days validity but no deposit needed. This Welcome Suica also comes back at major stations.
According the JR press release, it will be on sale at JR East Travel Service Counter (駅たびコンシェルジェ)at Shibuya,
Shinagawa,
Shinjuku,
Ikebukuro,
Tokyo,
Ueno,
Narita Airport (T1),
Narita Airport Terminal 2,
and Haneda T3 station.
Also, at Japan Rail Cafe at Tokyo station.
Another IC card specially made for International travelers “Pasmo Passport” finished its service.
Suica on Apple Pay is always available. With this one called Mobile Suica, you can download transit card on your iPhone’s Wallet Function and charge it from your creditcard.
You can got to Wallet app on your iPhone, click ” + ” on the right above, and choose “Transit Card”. From the category “Japan”, you can choose Suica or other IC cards.
Have a great trip to Japan!
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