Suica is the one thing to sort before you land in Tokyo. With it, the city is a tap; without it, you're reading fare charts.
How to get one#
| You have | Do this |
|---|---|
| iPhone | Apple Wallet → add Transit Card → Japan → Suica. Top up by card. Before you fly. |
| Android, bought outside Japan | Physical card: Welcome Suica at the airport, or Suica/Pasmo at a station machine |
| Android, bought in Japan | Mobile Suica app may work; check for FeliCa |
| No phone wallet, just cash | Physical card, topped up with cash at any station machine |
The Welcome Suica is a visitor card valid 28 days with no deposit, sold at Narita, Haneda and big JR stations. Pasmo Passport is the private-railway equivalent; they work identically. Regular Suica and Pasmo sales have been limited at times because of chip shortages; check what's available.
Where it works#
Every train, subway and bus in Tokyo and most of Japan's cities; convenience stores, vending machines, station shops, many restaurants, coin lockers, some taxis. Tap in, tap out, the fare is calculated. Not the shinkansen fare (Tokyo to Kyoto), not most small restaurants, not shrines.
Topping up#
Mobile: in Wallet, any time, foreign cards accepted. Physical: cash at any station machine (English menu) or at a konbini till. Keep a couple of thousand yen on it.
Suica vs JR Pass vs day passes#
Suica for everything inside Tokyo. The JR Pass is for long-distance shinkansen trips and loses money in the city. Tokyo's subway day passes pay off only on a very heavy sightseeing day. Getting around Tokyo explains the lines.
Leaving#
Spend the balance at a konbini or the airport. Physical cards can be refunded at JR offices with a small fee; mobile Suica stays in your wallet for next time.
Also before landing#
A SIM or eSIM, cash or card, Narita or Haneda, first time in Tokyo. And your dates on Roavi Community: travellers in Tokyo the same days appear together, and Local Friends who live here reply. A Local Friend is the person who shows you that Suica also buys the best egg sandwich in the world.
First time on Tokyo's trains? Ride them with someone who takes them every day.
Meet a Local FriendFrequently Asked Questions
Can I use Suica on my iPhone as a tourist?
Yes. Add a Suica card in Apple Wallet (Transit Cards, Japan), top up with a foreign Visa, Mastercard or Amex, and use Express Transit to tap without unlocking. Set it up before you fly. It's the single best piece of Tokyo preparation.Can I use Mobile Suica on Android?
Usually not: Mobile Suica on Android needs a phone with Japan's FeliCa chip, which most phones sold outside Japan lack (Pixels sold in Japan and some others are exceptions). Android visitors should get a physical card instead.Where do I buy a Suica card in Tokyo?
Welcome Suica at Narita and Haneda arrivals and at major JR stations; regular Suica and Pasmo at station ticket machines when sales are open (they've been restricted at times). Pasmo Passport is the equivalent from the private railways. Any of them works everywhere.Does Suica work on the shinkansen?
Not for the fare itself; you buy a shinkansen ticket separately (or link a Suica to a shinkansen reservation service). It covers all the local trains, subways and buses that get you to and from the shinkansen station.
