Suica Card: how to buy and use it in Japan?

The Suica card is a contactless smart card launched by JR East, the railway company in eastern Japan. Its name comes from "Super Urban Intelligent Card," and it is also a nod to the Japanese word suika, meaning watermelon, which explains the card's green color. Its mascot has been a little penguin for years.

The principle is simple. You load it with money, then you place it on the gate reader at the entrance of the station or stop, and a second time at the exit. This operation replaces the old magnetic ticket. The system calculates the distance traveled and deducts the exact fare. No more need to read a Japanese fare map or search for the right amount in front of a ticket machine.

It also works as an electronic wallet: mini-markets, drink machines, lockers, certain taxis, and restaurants. In daily life, it therefore replaces both the metro ticket and a good portion of your cash.

Regarding the numbers, the standard card has a 500 yen deposit, a maximum balance of 20,000 yen, and only becomes invalid after 10 years of non-use: you can keep it for your next trip to Japan.

There are several options available today, and the right choice depends mostly on your smartphone and the length of your stay.

The classic Suica

It is the historical model, made of plastic, with a deposit of 500 yen included in the purchase price. It exists in an unregistered version (anyone can use it) and in "My Suica," registered in your name, which can be replaced in case of loss. It remains valid for 10 years after its last use, and any remaining balance is refundable, minus a 220 yen fee.

The Welcome Suica

The Welcome Suica is designed for foreign visitors. It requires no deposit, but it is only valid for 28 days, including the day of purchase, and nothing is refunded at the end. Please note: the "GOOD THRU" date printed on the back is not its expiration date. The actual date is on the receipt provided at the register, which you should keep with you.

On smartphone

On iPhone, you have two options. The first is to add a Suica to Apple Wallet: it's the same card, in a digital version, that the Japanese call Mobile Suica. The second is the Welcome Suica Mobile app, launched on March 6, 2025: it creates a pass for visitors, valid for 180 days, with Shinkansen tickets and a one-day pass for Greater Tokyo included.

On Android, everything goes through the Google wallet app, but only on an Osaifu-Keitai compatible model, which in practice means those sold in Japan.

What has changed in 2025 and 2026

• June 2023: semiconductor shortage, JR East stops the sale of unregistered cards.
• September 1, 2024: return of the registered My Suica.
• March 1, 2025: return of unregistered cards and PASMO cards.
• March 6, 2025: launch of the Welcome Suica Mobile app.
• March 14, 2026: increase in JR East fares, with an IC fare calculated to the nearest yen, more advantageous than the paper ticket.
• May 2026: the TOURIST PASMO replaces the PASMO PASSPORT for visitors.

Many articles still claim that the standard card is nowhere to be found: this has no longer been true since 2025.

The price of a Suica card depends on the version: from 1,000 to 10,000 yen for the plastic card, and only the amount you load on your smartphone. On the standard version, this amount includes a 500 yen deposit: for 2,000 yen paid, you therefore have 1,500 yen usable. The Welcome Suica does not have one: everything is used for your travels.

Here are its main features, according to JR East and Apple:

This cost isn't really a cost: it's mostly prepaid money. The only real cost is the 500 yen deposit for the standard card, which you get back when you return it.

For children, the child rate applies from 6 to 11 years old (children under 6 travel for free): you will then need a child version, registered for the standard card, or a child Welcome Suica, with their passport.

To get one, you have three paths: the plastic card at a ticket machine, the Suica on your smartphone, or the visitor version (see below).

The physical card at a ticket machine

Go to a ticket machine at a JR East station that displays the Suica logo. Select English on the screen, then "Suica", an amount from 1,000 to 10,000 yen (deposit included), and pay. Bring cash: for a foreign traveler, the purchase must be made in cash.

You obtain the registered My Suica this way, by entering your name and your date of birth. Its advantage: if you lose it, it can be blocked and replaced.

On iPhone with Apple Wallet

On an iPhone 8 or newer, or a Watch Series 3 or newer, you create it without having to go to a service counter:

1. Open the Wallet app, tap "+", then "Transit Card".
2. Choose "Suica" and the amount.
3. Confirm with Apple Pay, using a registered payment method.
4. Activate Express mode: you will pass through the gates without unlocking the screen.

Do you already have a plastic Suica? You can transfer it by placing it under the device: its balance will transfer over. You can then also use it from your watch, which is practical for keeping your smartphone in your pocket.

You need an Apple ID with two-factor authentication and an accepted credit card: some foreign cards are refused, so test yours before leaving. Creating it requires an internet connection, like any payment operation. To choose how to connect, we compare all solutions in our article on internet in Japan.

On Android

That's the weak point: Google Wallet requires an Osaifu-Keitai compatible device, a FeliCa chip that Android phones sold outside of Japan, including Samsung Galaxy, generally do not have. On Google Pixel as well, the chip is only activated on Japanese models. With an Android purchased outside of Japan, therefore, get a physical card.

Before departure

Plastic models are purchased in Japan. With the visitor app, pre-departure issuance is only possible from a few destinations (South Korea, Taiwan, Malaysia, Singapore, Australia, Vietnam, according to the list published in March 2025). If your country is not on this list, you install the app before leaving and create your pass once you arrive, with location services enabled.

To get a Japan Suica card, the location depends on the version you want:

If you arrive via Kansai, in Osaka, it isn't sold there: get an ICOCA at the Kansai-Airport station, it works exactly the same way, including in the capital. On a smartphone, however, you can create it anywhere in the archipelago.

Can you buy it before departure? Not directly: JR East only sells it on-site. Some travel agencies resell it, but the simplest way remains to buy it upon arrival. Add it to your list to prepare your trip to Japan.

The Welcome Suica card is sold at JR East Travel Service Centers and at dedicated ticket machines. Since March 27, 2025, the points of sale are:

The simplest way is therefore to buy the card upon your landing, at the airport, before taking the train or the monorail to the city center. In principle, it is one per person.

For a child (until March 31st following their 12th birthday), their passport is required. And keep your receipt safe: it shows the expiry date, and you can reprint it at the machine.

To plan a trip with peace of mind, keep this in mind too: if you land at Haneda terminals 1 or 2, or if the ticket machines are swamped, an alternative exists: the TOURIST PASMO, sold by Keikyu and Keisei (we'll talk about it below).

To use the card, place it flat on the blue reader of the gate at the entrance, then at the exit. The screen displays the amount deducted and your remaining balance. If it is too low, the gate will close: head to the fare adjustment machine ("Fare Adjustment") near the exit.

On public transport

It works on JR trains, Tokyo Metro and other subways, most buses, the Tokyo Monorail, and many private lines. On the bus, you just tap it when boarding or exiting, depending on the line. For directions, Google Maps also shows IC card fares, making your travels in Japan easier. For a sightseeing itinerary in Japan, with Tokyo in mind, take a look at our selection of things to do in Tokyo.

And the Shinkansen?

It is not sufficient for an express train or a Green car: you must purchase the express ticket or the supplement separately. Two exceptions on the JR East network: the Touch de Go! Shinkansen service, for non-reserved seats (no registration is required with Welcome Suica Mobile), and Shinkansen e-tickets reserved online and linked to your IC card. For a trip with many long journeys, compare it with our article on the Japan Rail Pass.

For everyday payments

You can also pay at konbinis (7-Eleven, FamilyMart, Lawson, Ministop…), drink vending machines, lockers, airport shops, certain taxis, and restaurants. Look for the IC logo at the checkout. It's the fastest way to pay for a coffee or an onigiri without counting coins, or even to do a little shopping.

To top up your card, you have three possibilities, and each top-up is added to your balance.

1. At a station machine: tap "Charge", place or insert your Suica, choose the amount (500, 1,000, 2,000, 3,000, 5,000, or 10,000 yen) and pay in cash.
2. At the checkout of a konbini displaying the IC logo: say "Suica charge" and hand over the cash. The Welcome Suica also accepts Seven Bank ATMs at 7-Eleven.
3. On smartphone: in Wallet, tap your Suica then "Add money", or use the visitor app, up to 10,000 yen at a time. Payment is made via Apple Pay, so via the internet.

Two rules to remember. The plastic model can only be topped up in cash: bank payments are refused at the machines. And the total amount cannot exceed 20,000 yen. There is no minimum amount to pass through the gate, but it must cover the journey.

To find out how much you have left, check the gate screen upon exit, a station machine, or directly in your Wallet. To track your travel expenses, you mostly need mobile data on the ground: Free Wi-Fi in Japan helps, but it doesn't cover platforms or streets.

Almost: the Suica card is valid everywhere in Japan where IC cards are accepted. It is one of the 10 major Japanese IC cards, which are mutually compatible: Suica, PASMO, Kitaca, TOICA, manaca, ICOCA, PiTaPa, Hayakaken, nimoca and SUGOCA. It therefore works in the transport systems of Sapporo (Hokkaido), Nagoya, Osaka, Hiroshima or Fukuoka.

Three limits to know:

• No travel from one zone to another: you cannot enter one zone and exit in another (for example, from the capital to Sendai). A ticket is required for this journey.
• In PiTaPa areas, Welcome Suica cannot be used for payments in stores, even though it works for transportation.
• Some small rural routes and some regional buses do not yet accept IC cards: check your itinerary if you are leaving the major cities, and keep some cash on hand.

In short, it works in almost all forms of urban transport.

Yes. The Suica card works in Kyoto, even though it is issued by JR East. The city is in the ICOCA zone, the JR West card, and the two are compatible with each other.

In practical terms, once you are there, you can take:

• JR West trains, for example towards Fushimi Inari, Arashiyama or Nara;
• the city's two subway lines (Karasuma and Tozai);
• municipal buses, very useful for reaching temples (our sightseeing ideas are in our article on what to do in Japan);
• private lines such as Keihan, Hankyu or Randen.

According to the city's transport service, the municipal buses and metro accept the 10 major IC cards. Two rules: you exit with the card used at entry, and you only place one card at a time on the reader.

What it doesn't do is the trip from the capital via Shinkansen: that's another area and an express train, so you'll need a ticket. Once you arrive, it takes over for all your travels around town.

In practice, there is little to no difference: Suica and Pasmo are used the same way, in trains, metros, and buses, and at merchants. The difference lies in the issuer: JR East for the former, and private companies and regional metros for the Pasmo card. Refunds are processed through the issuer.

The ICOCA card is the equivalent in the Kansai region, issued by JR West: useful if your trip starts in Osaka.

The TOURIST PASMO, sold since May 2026, follows the same principle as the Welcome Suica: no deposit, no refund, valid for 28 days. The ICOCA for visitors, on the other hand, costs 2,000 yen, including a 500 yen deposit. Should you choose a Suica, Pasmo, or ICOCA? Pick whichever one is available where you arrive: they are interchangeable, and a new card offers nothing if you already have one.

The advantages of a Suica card can be summarized in four points.

1. Time-saving: no more queues or calculations with every trip. You pass through the gate in a second, no matter your destination.
2. The price: IC fares are often slightly cheaper than a paper ticket. On the Tokyo Metro, a trip of 1 to 6 km costs 178 yen with an IC card versus 180 yen for a ticket. Since March 14, 2026, JR East also calculates its IC fares to the nearest yen, whereas paper tickets are rounded up to the nearest ten.
3. Payment: convenience stores, lockers, taxis, you settle small expenses without coins.
4. Simplicity on your smartphone: you top up in two steps and your balance is displayed on the screen.

In practice, the two complement each other: the JR Pass for long distances, the IC for everything else.

Having a Suica on your smartphone is the most practical, but it depends on your connection at three different moments.

1. At issuance: the Welcome Suica Mobile app is downloaded, verifies your location in Japan, and processes the payment via Apple Pay. From most countries, including France, this step must necessarily be done on-site, often in the arrival hall.
2. With every top-up from your smartphone.
3. For the rest of the trip: booking a Shinkansen, following a route on Google Maps, checking a train schedule.

Passing through the gate works without network: the chip is enough, even with low battery on certain models. But without data upon arrival, it's impossible to create it. Airport Wi-Fi helps, but it's not always where you need it.

The simplest solution is an eSIM installed before departure, which activates as soon as you land. With the voilà eSIM Japan eSIM, you get excellent value for money on the NTT Docomo network, with plans starting from $1.40 for 1 GB. The eSIM is easy to install, the app is easy to use, and human customer support answers you 24/7 if something gets stuck. You can create your Suica before you even leave the airport terminal.

In video: