On March 23, 2013, Suica, Pasmo, Icoca and seven more of Japan's most popular IC cards became compatible with each other. As a result, it is now possible to travel on almost all trains, subways and buses in most of Japan's largest cities with just a single of these cards.
What is an IC card?
IC cards are rechargeable cards that can be used to conveniently pay fares on public transportation and to make payments at a rapidly increasing number of vending machines, shops and restaurants by simply touching the card on a reader. More than two dozen train and bus operators across Japan have started issuing their own IC cards since 2001.
Validity
Which IC cards have become compatible with each other on March 23, 2013?
The following ten major IC cards have become compatible with each other on March 23, 2013. Some were already partially compatible with each other before that date:
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Pasmo is the prepaid IC card of Tokyo's railway, subway and bus operators other than JR.
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Icoca is the prepaid IC card of JR West for JR trains in the Greater Osaka, Okayama and Hiroshima regions. Icoca is also compatible with a few minor IC cards in Western Japan, such as the Paspy card for non-JR transportation in Hiroshima; however, compatibility with these cards remains limited to Icoca.
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Pitapa is the IC card of the Kansai Region's railway and subway operators other than JR. Unlike the other nine cards, Pitapa is a postpaid rather than prepaid card and not easily available to foreign tourists. Pitapa is also compatible with a few minor IC cards in Western Japan; however, compatibility with these cards remains limited to Pitapa.
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Manaca is the prepaid IC card of Nagoya's train, subway and bus operators other than JR and Kintetsu.
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Kitaca is the prepaid IC card by JR Hokkaido for JR trains in the Greater Sapporo region. It will also become compatible with the Sapica card from June 22, 2013, extending its coverage to Sapporo's subways, buses and tram.
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Nimoca is the prepaid IC card of Nishitetsu for Nishitetsu trains and buses in Greater Fukuoka.
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Hayakaken is the prepaid IC card of Fukuoka City for the Fukuoka Subway.
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What is covered and what is not?
The ten cards are valid on virtually all trains, subways and buses in Tokyo, Yokohama, Osaka, Kyoto, Kobe, Nagoya and Fukuoka and several other areas with the following exceptions:
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Travel outside or between IC card areas
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Both, the origin and destination stations have to be located inside the IC card's coverage area. Furthermore, it is not possible to use an IC card to travel between disjoined IC card areas. For example, you cannot use it to travel between Tokyo and Sendai or between Tokyo and Nagoya.
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Shinkansen
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It is not possible to use regular IC cards for riding the shinkansen.
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Limited express trains requiring a supplement fee
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When riding a limited express train that requires a supplement fee, travelers can use the IC card to pay the base fare when passing through the ticket gates, but they need to purchase the supplement ticket separately at a ticket machine or ticket office.
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Airport and Highway Buses
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Most airport limousine buses and highway buses cannot be paid by IC card.
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Kyoto City Buses
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The city buses in Kyoto are among the last and most prominent means of transport in Japan's major cities that still do not accept payment by IC cards. The buses are scheduled to accept payment by IC cards by spring 2015.
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The table below shows in more detail the coverage of the IC cards:
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= can be used |  |
= cannot be used |
Basic Use
How to use IC cards?
When passing automatic ticket gates, touch the card onto the card reader for about one second (rather than inserting it into the ticket slot). The applicable fare will be automatically deducted when you exit through the ticket gate at your destination station. When riding buses, card readers are placed at the entrance and/or exit of the bus. A card cannot be shared by multiple travelers at the same time.
| Ticket gate with Suica card reader |
Is there a discount over regular tickets?
No, IC cards generally do not provide any discounts over regular tickets.
Where to get an IC card?
IC cards can be purchased at ticket machines and ticket counters at the corresponding railway stations. The initial cost consists of a refundable deposit of 500 yen plus an initial amount (typically 1500 yen) to be charged onto the card.
Ticket machine
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How to recharge IC cards?
IC cards can be recharged at ticket machines and special re-charging machines found at railway stations and other strategically meaningful locations. The maximum amount to be charged onto a card is 20,000 yen.
How to check the current balance?
The current credit balance is shown on a small display whenever you pass a ticket gate or make a payment at a store. Furthermore, the balance can be checked at ticket machines together with a usage history.
How to get back the 500 yen refundable deposit?
Bring your card to the ticket counter of the issuing operator in order to get back your 500 yen deposit. Unused credit can also be refunded, however, a 210 yen handling fee is subtracted from the remaining balance to be refunded.
Is there an expiry date?
Cards become invalid if they are not used for ten years.
Card types
Besides regular cards, there are personalized cards which can be replaced if lost (500 yen handling fee applies), commuter cards which also serve as a commuter pass, and cards for children.
Other features
Shopping
The number of vending machines, shops, restaurants and other services that accept IC cards for payment has been rapidly increasing across Japan, especially inside and around large urban railway stations. IC cards are also accepted at a growing number of chain stores, including most leading convenience store chains.
Credit cards
There are various credit cards that double as a transport company's IC card. Some of them come with an option to automatically recharge the card when the remaining balance gets low. These credit cards are only available to residents of Japan.
Mobile phone applications
Selected mobile phone models can be set up to serve as a Suica card. However, since mobile phone contracts require Japanese residency, Mobile Suica is not available to foreign tourists.
Mobile Suica
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Sign indicating that the shop
accepts payment by Suica
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