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How to Use Suica & Pasmo Cards

Suica and Pasmo IC cards are essential for Japan travel: tap to ride trains, buses, and pay at stores. Physical cards are back in stock, and Mobile Suica is the best option in 2026.

Patrick Diede

Japan Travel Researcher

📖 9 min read 👁 5246 reads

⚡ QUICK ANSWER

Suica and Pasmo are rechargeable IC cards for trains, buses, and convenience store payments across Japan. Physical cards resumed full sales in March 2025 after the chip shortage. The best option in 2026 is Welcome Suica Mobile (iPhone), which you can issue before arrival, valid 180 days, no deposit. Charge with credit card. Cards work nationwide on virtually all trains, buses, and at most stores, vending machines, and restaurants.

An IC card (Suica or Pasmo) is the single most useful item you will carry in Japan. These rechargeable smart cards let you tap through train gates, pay bus fares, buy drinks from vending machines, and pay at convenience stores, restaurants, and shops. They work on virtually every form of public transport in every major city. Getting one should be the very first thing you do upon arriving in Japan, or better yet, set one up on your phone before you even board your flight.

This guide covers everything about IC cards: how to get one, how to use one, and why the mobile version is now the smartest choice for tourists in 2026.

Suica vs Pasmo: What Is the Difference?

Suica vs Pasmo

Suica (JR East)

Issued by JR East, available at JR stations

Green card with penguin mascot

Works on all trains, buses, and stores nationwide

Welcome Suica available for tourists (no deposit)

Mobile Suica available on iPhone and Apple Watch

Pasmo (Private Railways)

Issued by Tokyo Metro and private railways

Pink card with robot mascot

Works on all trains, buses, and stores nationwide

Pasmo Passport for tourists was discontinued Aug 2024

Mobile Pasmo available on iPhone

Functionally identical. Both work everywhere in Japan. Get whichever is most convenient. Suica is easier for tourists, especially the Welcome Suica Mobile app.

How to Get an IC Card in 2026

📱

Welcome Suica Mobile (Best Option)

iPhone app you can set up before arrival. Valid 180 days. Top up with credit card. No deposit, no physical card needed. Eliminates queuing entirely. Launched March 2025.

Important

💳

Physical Suica Card

Buy at JR station ticket machines for ¥500 deposit + your chosen balance. Physical cards are back in stock since March 2025 after the chip shortage. Available at Narita, Haneda, and all major JR stations.

Be Aware

🎌

Welcome Suica (Physical)

Tourist version with no deposit, cherry blossom design, valid 28 days. Available ONLY at JR East Travel Service Centers at Narita and Haneda airports. Limited availability.

Nice Touch

🍎

Apple Pay Suica (Residents)

Regular Suica added to Apple Wallet. Requires Japanese Apple ID or credit card for initial setup. Best for long-term visitors and residents. Works with Apple Watch too.

Nice Touch

Setting Up Welcome Suica Mobile

📱 Welcome Suica Mobile Setup (iPhone)

Download the Welcome Suica app

Available on the App Store. Search "Welcome Suica," a free app by East Japan Railway Company. Requires iPhone 8 or later with iOS 16+.

Create your card

Open the app, agree to terms, and create a new Welcome Suica. No Japanese phone number or address required. The card is automatically added to your Apple Wallet.

Top up with credit card

Add money using Visa, Mastercard, JCB, or American Express credit card. Minimum ¥1,000, maximum balance ¥20,000. Top up takes seconds.

Use by tapping your phone

Hold your iPhone near the IC card reader at train gates, bus fare boxes, and store payment terminals. It works even when your phone is locked (Express Transit mode). No need to open an app or authenticate.

Where IC Cards Work

✅ IC Card Accepted Everywhere

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All JR trains nationwide (local, express, and Shinkansen gates) Tokyo Metro, Toei Subway, and all private railways City buses in Tokyo, Osaka, Kyoto, and most cities Convenience stores (7-Eleven, Lawson, FamilyMart) Vending machines for drinks and snacks Many restaurants, especially chains Coin lockers at train stations Some taxis (check for the IC card sticker) Airport shops and some airport buses

Practical Tips

💡 IC Card Tips for Tourists

Keep at least ¥1,000 on your card at all times to avoid getting stuck at a gate with insufficient balance. You can top up at any station ticket machine (look for the IC card charge button) or at convenience store registers. The maximum balance is ¥20,000. If you use a physical card, return it at a JR ticket office before leaving Japan to get your ¥500 deposit back (minus a ¥220 handling fee from remaining balance).

⚠️ IC Cards Cannot Be Used on Shinkansen Reserved Seats

IC cards work for passing through Shinkansen gates at some stations, but only for unreserved seats on short sections. For reserved Shinkansen seats, you need a paper ticket or a reservation linked via SmartEX. The JR Pass and IC card are separate systems, so do not confuse them.

Cost Savings with IC Cards

IC card fares are slightly cheaper than paper ticket fares (¥1-10 savings per trip due to rounding). Over a 2-week trip with 4-6 train rides per day, this adds up to ¥500-1,000 in savings. More importantly, IC cards save enormous time: no queuing at ticket machines, no figuring out fare charts, just tap and go. The convenience alone makes an IC card essential.