Suica & PASMO in Tokyo

What Suica and PASMO are

Suica and PASMO are Tokyo's IC (integrated-circuit) cards: rechargeable contactless smart cards you tap on a reader to ride and to pay. Suica is issued by JR East; PASMO originates with the subway and private railways. For a visitor, that distinction barely matters — both work across virtually the same vast network of trains, subways and buses, regardless of which company runs the line, so you simply get whichever you can and use it everywhere. Having one is the single best thing you can do to make Tokyo transport effortless.

The appeal is that the card abstracts away all the complexity of a multi-company rail map. You don't work out fares between operators, you don't buy paper tickets, you don't stand at a machine deciphering a fare chart. You load some value onto the card, tap, and ride. When the balance runs low you top it up. That's the whole system — and it's why we recommend getting a card the moment you arrive.

Getting Around Tokyo

The big-picture transport overview the IC card unlocks — the Yamanote loop, the subways and the apps.

How tap-to-ride works

Using the card is genuinely as simple as it sounds. At the ticket gate, touch the card flat to the marked reader (usually a turquoise pad) as you enter; the gate opens and notes your starting station. When you reach your destination, touch the same reader on the way out, and the gate deducts the correct fare for the journey you actually made. There's no need to know the fare in advance and no ticket to keep track of. If your balance is too low to cover the trip when you tap out, the gate won't open — you simply top up at a 'fare adjustment' machine or a top-up machine right there and tap again.

On buses the principle is the same, adapted to how that bus charges (tap on boarding, and again on exit where the fare varies). The one thing to remember is to always tap both in and out on the trains: if you forget to tap in, or tap out at the wrong place, the system can't compute your fare and you'll need staff to sort it. Tap in, tap out, top up when low — that's the entire skill.

• Tap in at the gate when you board, tap out when you leave; the fare is deducted automatically.
• If your balance is too low to exit, top up at the machine by the gate and tap again.
• Always tap both in and out — a missed tap means staff have to fix the fare.
• Buses take the card too; tap as that bus directs.

Physical card or mobile?

You have two ways to carry an IC card. A physical card is bought from machines and ticket offices at the airport and at stations; you top it up with cash at station top-up machines whenever the balance gets low. A physical Suica or PASMO normally carries a small deposit that is refundable when you return the card — but deposit amounts, refund handling and any handling fees change over time, so verify the current terms rather than relying on a figure you read somewhere.

The slicker option, if your phone and region support it, is a mobile Suica or PASMO added to your phone's digital wallet. You tap your phone at the gate exactly as you would a card, and you top up directly from a linked payment card — no cash machine, no plastic to lose, and no deposit in the same way. Setup and card-compatibility vary by phone and country, so check whether your device supports it before you arrive. For many visitors with a compatible phone, mobile is the most convenient choice; for everyone else, a physical card from an airport machine on arrival works perfectly.

• Physical card: buy at the airport or station machines; top up with cash; carries a small refundable deposit (verify current amount/rules).
• Mobile card: add Suica/PASMO to a compatible phone's wallet; top up from a linked card; no plastic, no separate deposit.
• Mobile support depends on your phone and country — check compatibility before you travel.

Money in Tokyo

How IC cards fit alongside cash, cards and ATMs — and how to pay for everything in Tokyo.

Visitor versions: Welcome Suica & PASMO PASSPORT

Alongside the standard cards, JR East and the PASMO operators have offered visitor-oriented versions — Welcome Suica and PASMO PASSPORT — aimed at short-term travellers. Their selling point is that they typically skip the refundable deposit of a standard card, so you don't have to return them to recover money. The trade-off is that they usually expire after a set period (commonly around four weeks) and any leftover balance on an expired visitor card may not be refundable.

Availability, eligibility and the exact terms of these visitor cards have shifted over time, and at busy periods even standard cards have occasionally been supply-limited, so don't build your plan around a specific product being available at a specific counter. Treat the visitor versions as a convenient option to ask about on arrival, check the current terms before you load much value, and remember that a mobile card or a standard physical card will get you riding just the same.

• Welcome Suica / PASMO PASSPORT are visitor cards that usually skip the refundable deposit.
• They typically expire after a set period and leftover balance may not be refundable — verify current terms.
• Availability and rules change; ask on arrival, but a standard or mobile card works just as well.

Paying for more than trains — and getting your money back

Your IC card's second life is as a tap-to-pay wallet. Convenience stores (konbini), vending machines, station kiosks, coin lockers, many supermarkets, cafés and shops all accept Suica and PASMO — you tap the same card or phone to pay, and the amount comes off the same balance you use for trains. This is hugely convenient: it means you can travel almost cashless for small purchases, and it's the easiest way to buy a drink, a snack or a locker without fishing for coins. Just keep enough balance loaded for both your rides and your incidental spending.

When your trip ends, what about leftover value and the deposit? For a standard physical card, you can return it at a relevant operator's ticket office to reclaim the deposit and any remaining balance, though a handling fee may apply to the balance refund and the rules differ between Suica and PASMO — verify the current process. Many travellers instead simply keep the card: it doesn't expire in normal use and will work again on a future visit (and across many other Japanese cities). For mobile and visitor cards the refund mechanics differ again. As with all the money details here, confirm current deposits, fees and refund rules before you rely on them.

• Tap to pay at konbini, vending machines, lockers, kiosks and many shops — same balance as your rides.
• Keep enough value loaded for both transport and small purchases.
• Standard cards: reclaim deposit + balance at a ticket office (a handling fee may apply; rules differ Suica vs PASMO).
• Many people just keep the card — it works on future trips and in many other Japanese cities.
• Verify current deposit, fee and refund rules before relying on them.

Tokyo Subway Pass Guide

When an unlimited subway pass might beat pay-as-you-go on your IC card.

Suica & PASMO at a glance

A quick reference. How the cards work is evergreen; every number — deposit, fees, balance limits, visitor-card validity — is volatile and should be confirmed on the facts card or at the counter on the day.

• Get a Suica or PASMO on arrival — interchangeable for travel and the key to easy Tokyo transport.
• Tap in, tap out, top up when low; always tap both ends.
• Choose physical (cash top-up, small refundable deposit) or mobile (if your phone supports it).
• Visitor versions (Welcome Suica / PASMO PASSPORT) skip the deposit but expire — verify terms.
• The card also pays at konbini, vending machines and shops.
• Verify current deposits, fees and refund rules before you rely on them.

What is Suica, and how do I get one?

Suica is one of Tokyo's IC (integrated-circuit) cards: a rechargeable contactless smart card you tap on a reader to ride trains, subways and buses and to pay at many shops. It's issued by JR East; PASMO is the closely equivalent card originating with the subway and private railways. For a visitor the two are effectively interchangeable, so simply get whichever is to hand.

You can buy a physical card from machines and ticket offices at the airport and at stations, topping it up with cash whenever the balance runs low. If your phone and region support it, you can instead add a mobile Suica or PASMO to your phone's digital wallet and top up from a linked payment card — no plastic to carry or lose. Getting a card the moment you arrive is the single best thing you can do to make Tokyo transport effortless.

Should I get a physical IC card or a mobile one?

A physical card is bought from airport or station machines and topped up with cash at station machines; it normally carries a small refundable deposit. A mobile Suica or PASMO lives in your phone's digital wallet, tops up directly from a linked payment card, and has no plastic to lose and no deposit in the same way.

If your phone and country support it, mobile is the most convenient choice for many visitors — you tap your phone at the gate exactly as you would a card. Compatibility varies by device and region, so check before you arrive; if it isn't supported, a physical card from an airport machine on arrival works perfectly.

What is the difference between Suica/PASMO and the Welcome Suica?

Standard Suica and PASMO are the everyday cards: they carry a small refundable deposit and don't expire in normal use, so you can keep one and reuse it on future trips and in many other Japanese cities. The visitor versions — Welcome Suica and PASMO PASSPORT — are aimed at short-term travellers and typically skip the deposit, so you don't have to return them to recover money.

The trade-off is that the visitor cards usually expire after a set period (commonly around four weeks) and any leftover balance on an expired card may not be refundable. Availability and terms have shifted over time, so treat the visitor versions as a convenient option to ask about on arrival, and verify the current terms before loading much value — a standard or mobile card gets you riding just the same.

Can I use my Suica or PASMO to pay at shops?

Yes — that's one of the card's best features. Convenience stores (konbini), vending machines, station kiosks, coin lockers, many supermarkets, cafés and shops all accept Suica and PASMO. You tap the same card or phone you use for trains, and the amount comes off the same balance, so it quietly becomes your small-change wallet for the trip.

Just keep enough value loaded to cover both your rides and your incidental spending. It's the easiest way to buy a drink, a snack or a locker without fishing for coins, and it lets you travel almost cashless for small purchases.

Can I get a refund on my IC card balance and deposit?

For a standard physical card, you can return it at the relevant operator's ticket office to reclaim the deposit and any remaining balance, though a handling fee may apply to the balance refund and the rules differ between Suica and PASMO. Many travellers instead simply keep the card, since it doesn't expire in normal use and works again on a future visit and across many other Japanese cities.

Mobile and visitor cards have their own refund mechanics. As with all the money details, the deposit amounts, fees and refund process change over time, so verify the current rules before you rely on them rather than trusting a figure you read somewhere.