Enquiry on Suica card & Tokunai Pass

Hello everyone,

Apology if this topic is repeated. Couldn't find near answers to my query in forum.

I am arriving at Haneda Airport around 6am. I will be taking Tokyo Monorail to Ueno Station via Hamamatsucho Station. From Ueno Station, I will be exploring Shinjuku, Ikebukuro, Shibuya and Harajuku the rest of the day for my Day 1 in Tokyo. The rest of days in Tokyo will be using a mixture of JR lines, Tokyo Metro and Toei Lines.

My questions are:
1. I plan to buy a pre-loaded Suica card at Haneda Airport for all my days in Tokyo? Where do I buy the card? From vending machine located in airport or from JR Ticket counter? What time does the JR ticket counter open?

2. I found out that the Tokunai Pass (unlimited JR lines on one calendar day at Yen 750) is worth for my Day 1 as I am travelling on JR lines which exceeded Yen 740. May I know where do I buy this Pass? From JR ticket counter in airport too?

Hope someone familiar with this query is able to help. Thank you!

Hi there.

You can buy the Suica card from the vending machine at the monorail station at Haneda airport. The entire journey from Haneda to Ueno is covered by the Suica card.

As for purchasing the Tokunai pass, there is no JR office in Haneda Airport so you will have to purchase it when you get to Ueno Station. When you arrive at Ueno head to the midori-no-madoguchi and you can purchase the pass there.

If you want to know any more I am happy to help.

Is your hotel in Ueno? All of the places you plan to visit on the first day are on the western side of Tokyo while Ueno is in the Northeast.

Hi Main777,

Thank you for your reply. While waiting reply from this forum, I chanced upon this information on JR East website. According to website (pls see link below), both Tokunai Pass and Suica card can be purchased from JR East Travel Service Centre located in Haneda International Airport. There is information under 'Refund' on Suica card, it said Suica card issued by JR East Japan can be refunded at JR East Stations, while Suica card issued by Tokyo Monorail or elsewhere cannot be refunded in JR East Stations. I am getting confused. So where should I buy my Suica card if I want to get a refund + Yen500 deposit on my last day at Haneda International Airport? Also can I buy or cannot buy Tokunai Pass at the JR East Travel Center in Haneda International Airport then?

http://www.jreast.co.jp/e/pass/suica.html


Btw, what is the meaning of 'Midori-no-madoguchi'?


Hi Sumisu,

Yes my hotel is in Ueno. I need to buy Hakone freepass in Shinjuku, so I thought perhaps I can cover Shinjuku, shibuya, Harajuku and Ikebukuro on western side of Tokyo on my Day 1 using the Tokunai Pass. I don't intend to do massive shopping so wont be spending huge time at one place. I gathered that the Tokunai Pass pay off for my case on the JR lines on Day 1.

Am I able to buy both Tokunai Pass and pre-loaded Suica card at Haneda International Aiport and use the Suica card for Tokyo Monorail journey only, while activating Tokuna Pass from my journey onward on JR lines for the rest of my day?

Sorry for my long questions. Appreciate helps!

Suica card issued by JR East Japan can be refunded at JR East Stations, while Suica card issued by Tokyo Monorail or elsewhere cannot be refunded in JR East Stations.

Suica Cards are issued by three different companies.
You can "return" a Suica Card to the issuer only.
(Legally, a Suica Card is "lent" to you by the issuer.)
E-money stored on a Suica Card can be valid for 10 years after you use the card last.

If you can later visit a Tokyo Monorail office in Haneda Airport International Terminal Station to refund the e-money,
the quickest way for you to obtain a Suica Card is to get a Monorail Suica Card issued by Tokyo Monorail just before your first ride.
(You can ask a Tokyo Monorail attendant in the station where a Monorail Suica Card is available.)

I am arriving at Haneda Airport around 6am.

JR East Travel Service Center in Haneda Airport International Terminal Station (of Tokyo Monorail) is open only from 7:45.
The JR Ticket Office (called "Midori-no-madoguchi") in Hamamatsucho Station is open only from 8:00.

If you clear the immigration procedure much earlier than 7:45,
probably your earliest chance to purchase a Tokunai Pass would be at a reserved-seat ticket vending machine in Hamamatsucho Station.
(1) Get a Monorail Suica Card issued by Tokyo Monorail.
(2) Take a Tokyo Monorail train with your Suica Card from Haneda Airport International Terminal Station to Monorail Hamamatsucho Station. (Fare: 483 yen.)
(3) Get from Monorail Hamamatsucho Station: South or Central Exit to South Gate: Hamamatsucho Station via the transfer passage.
- Tokyo Monorail: Monorail Hamamatsucho Station
http://www.tokyo-monorail.co.jp/english/guidance/hamamatucho/index.htm...
: A photo of the transfer passage appears when you click the sign "to JR Line" on the map.
(4) Find a ticket vending machine of this type.
http://www.jreast.co.jp/mv-guide/demo/img/kenbaiki.gif
(5) Touch "English" button on the panel, select the category like discount tickets then purchase a Tokunai Pass, which may be described as a Tokyo Metropolitan District Pass.

Hi Omotenashi,

Thank you very much for your detailed explanation/advice/information!

Can I confirm or check with you the following:

1. If the JR East Travel Centre is opened when I cleared immigration by 7:45am, I suppose I can buy Tokunai Pass from the manned counter, right?

2. Otherwise I can get it from a vending machine in JR Hamamatsucho Station, right?

3. Can I buy Suica card from JR East Travel Centre manned counter also? If not, where can I find this vending machine? Is it located next to the manned counter? Can I return and get a refund from the manned counter or machine in airport on my last day then?

3. If I buy the Suica card from a machine issued by Tokyo Monorail, do I get refund by returning the card into the machine as well?

Appreciate your helps again. Thanks!

Regarding Question 1
: Yes.

Regarding Question 2
: Yes, but only from a JR-East ticket vending machine of the certain type.

Regarding Question 3
: I suppose a Suica Card is available in JR East Travel Service Center in HND. (Your feedback is highly welcome.) I am not sure whether a JR-East ticket vending machine for general passengers is there. I can say you cannot find one outside the JR East center in the station, because the station is not a JR-East station.

If I buy the Suica card from a machine issued by Tokyo Monorail, do I get refund by returning the card into the machine as well?

Currently Tokyo Monorail is not stating on the website whether you can get issued a Monorail Suica Card / whether you can return it for a refund through a machine.

If you care about time spent on returning a Suica Card in the airport, alternatively you can get one issued by JR-East then in the early morning of the last day (before a morning rush if the day is a weekday) in JR Ueno Station you can purchase a JR-Monorail through ticket with the Suica Card at a vending machine and return the card for a refund at a manned gate.

Basically a handling fee of 220 yen is required when you return a Suica Card for a refund; if the rest of the e-money does not exceed 220 yen, you can just take back the deposit of 500 yen.

Hello Omotenashi,

thkq again for replying me! Sorry to bother you again but I would like to ask further. I managed to find the FAQ regarding Monorail Suica in Tokyo Monorail Website (see link below). May I check:

According to the sub-header 'Can I get refund anywhere', it said that monorail Suica commuter pass refunds are only handled at Monorail Hamamatsucho Station, does that means I can only do the refund at Monorail Hamamatsucho Station and buy a ticket to continue my journey to Tokyo Monorail Station?

Is there any different between Monorail Suica card and Monorail Suica commuter pass?

My concern is more of whether I can use Suica card all the way to Haneda International Airport and then get a refund Y500 deposit) there before I check in my flight.

Is there any Tokyo Monorail office located at the arrival airport?

It will be a pity if my Suica card cannot be refund at Haneda Airport after I get there, you see.

Sorry for my numerous questions here. I hope to gather this information myself, before I approach any service attendant at the last resort for help :-)

http://www.tokyo-monorail.co.jp/english/support/faq.html#suica

You had better expect that you should visit an office to return an IC transportation card for a refund. Check "Basic Use" in this article.
http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2359_003.html

You can use e-money stored on a Suica Card for payment at kiosks in stations and at shops of major convenience store chains (found here and there in Ueno, Ikebukuro, etc.).

If you purchase on the last day a JR-Monorail through ticket (at 660 yen) with a Monorail Suica Card at a ticket vending machine in Ueno Station, you can start traveling with that ticket, pick up the ticket at a JR exit gate in Hamamatsucho Station, walk to Monorail Hamamatsucho Station, return the card for a refund and continue traveling with that ticket to Haneda Airport International Terminal Station.

Is there anything different between Monorail Suica card and Monorail Suica commuter pass?

A commuter pass is a named pass, so a Suica card which works as a commuter pass should be a named card; ID data such as name and date of birth are registered, and personal identification is necessary in case of a refund.
Except Suica commuter passes, most newly-issued adult-rate Suica cards are not related to personal ID data. (Because personal identification is not necessary, technically they may be returned for a refund via ticket vending machines for general passengers (if such machines exist), but I suppose demand for such a function is very limited.)