Suica or Pasmo

Dear All,

Which card should I get to use on all subways in Tokyo ? The Suica or Pasmo card?

Thank you,

6 to one, half dozen to other..... https://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2359_003.html

Thank you for the link.

I like to find out from travellers their personal experience using both cards to travel around Tokyo.

Regards,

I think it would really just depend on which souvenir you would like to take home. https://jpninfo.com/95997

It doesn't matter - they both work the same. People who have used both would tell you they're no different from each other apart from the logo!

I use an ICOCA card when I travel to Japan, which is the Kansai region's IC card, and have had no trouble using it all over the country, just like a Suica or PASMO.

Dear Magdalene, 

Pasmo and Suica cards are compatible and nearly identical in their uses. Which one you choose will likely depend on which station you come to first, whether your travels take you to a JR train station (Suica) or a Tokyo Metro station (Pasmo).

My recommendation is to talk to an attendant when visiting a station in Tokyo to discover what card options may be available to you. But if you prefer to be ready before landing in Japan, this could help you to solve your doubts about the IC cards: https://www.jrailpass.com/blog/using-japanese-ic-cards

There are basically only two main difference I can think of

(1) Look - which one do you think looks better?

(2) Do you want to get a refund for the card when you leave? If so - get the card which is located in your area which you are leaving.

Think of a Pasmo and Suica card as a Visa Debit Card. They both do the same job. They both cost the same amount of money. They both can be used in the same locations. They both can be topped up at the same machines.

The only possible advantage of Suica is that you can get an electronic version of it for your phone.
But you might need to live in Japan for that.

If we are talking actual plastic cards, Suica and Pasmo are exactly the same use.

Note that the first paragraph in the response above from gEliza Jamesh is a direct quote from the website to which she later provides a link. Apart from any issues of breaching the sitefs copyright by repeating the material verbatim without attribution, it is a commercial site (based in Spain) to which your attention is being drawn. Caveat emptor.

To amplify the comment from LikeBike, if you have an iPhone 8 or later, you can add a virtual Suica (but not a Pasmo) to Apple Wallet and top it up with any card you have in Apple Pay. If you need help with doing that, refer to the excellent atadistance blog (with which I have no affiliation or interest - itfs just a great site if you want to know whatfs happening in the Apple Pay / transit card world).

https://atadistance.net/apple-pay-suica/

You can also find more information about Suica etc. at this site and at JR East -

Hit the wrong button! Here are the links -

https://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2359_003.html

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

.... and now of course I realise that Sal1980 had already provided the first link above .... apologies for that duplication, must be too early in the morning ....

Ifve been using SUICA on my Apple Watch 3 throughout the country for the last fortnight and its worked in most shops and on all forms of public transport. Itfs so convenient and top ups can be processed on the watch using Apple Pay. Itfs always on so you donft even need to activate each time with double tap. Also works with iPhone as contactless payment.

@tt7, cheers ^_^

Dear All,

Thank you so much for all the advice.

Regards,