IC Cards (Suica & PASMO): The Easiest Way to Get Around Japan

A rechargeable IC card is the single most useful thing you can get on arrival. Just tap it on the reader at the ticket gate and walk through — no need to work out fares or buy paper tickets each time.

What is an IC card?

IC cards are prepaid, rechargeable smart cards. The best-known are Suica and PASMO (Tokyo area), ICOCA (Kansai/Osaka), and several regional cards. The ten major IC cards are mutually compatible, so a card bought in Tokyo works on most trains, subways and buses in other big cities too.

Where you can use it

• Trains, subways and most city buses
• Convenience stores (7-Eleven, FamilyMart, Lawson)
• Vending machines, many cafes, lockers and shops

How to get one

• Tourist versions such as *Welcome Suica* and *PASMO PASSPORT* are aimed at short-term visitors and are sold at major airports and stations.
• Mobile Suica / PASMO can be added to some smartphones (including via Apple Wallet), letting you top up with a card in your phone.
• Availability of standard plastic cards can change, so if one type is sold out, ask staff about the tourist or mobile version.

Good to know

• Top up (charge) with cash at any ticket machine when the balance runs low.
• You cannot go into a negative balance for the base fare, so keep a little charged.
• Rules, deposits and refund conditions vary by card and change over time — check the official Suica / PASMO websites for the latest details before you rely on any specific figure.

An IC card removes almost all of the guesswork from daily travel in Japan. Get one first, and everything else becomes easier.