DECISION GUIDE #003 · TRANSPORT

Suica vs PASMO vs ICOCA:
which IC card should you use in Japan?

For most travelers, the difference matters less than you think.

Choose for convenience at arrival—not because one logo unlocks a different Japan.

FACTS CHECKED · SEPTEMBER 2, 2026 Products, sales locations and transport coverage can change. Official links are included below.

JWS VERDICT

Don’t overthink it.

For most travelers, convenience matters more than the logo on the card.

TOKYO

Welcome Suica or TOURIST PASMO

Both are straightforward visitor products. Choose whichever is easier to buy for your trip.

KANSAI

ICOCA

A natural choice when arriving around Osaka or Kyoto—but not the only card accepted there.

iPHONE

Consider Apple Wallet

A compatible digital IC card can remove the need to collect a physical card.

ALREADY HAVE ONE?

Keep using it

You probably do not need another compatible IC card.

WHAT CAN YOU DO WITH AN IC CARD?

Just tap
and go.

Preload value, then tap where IC payment is accepted. The fare or purchase amount is deducted from your balance.

Trains & subways

Buses

Convenience stores

Vending machines

Coin lockers

Other participating merchants

Look for the IC mark. Acceptance is widespread, but not universal.

TOKYO → KYOTO → OSAKA?

You usually don’t
need a new IC card.

Major IC cards are interoperable across many IC-enabled areas of Japan. A Suica bought in Tokyo can generally be used in participating ICOCA-area transport and shops around Kyoto and Osaka; the same principle works in reverse.

One card. Many participating areas.Not every route, operator or location—and not a licence to cross separate IC areas in one continuous rail journey.

SUICA · PASMO · ICOCA

The differences travelers
actually need.

JR EAST · TOKYO / EASTERN JAPAN

Suica

Best fit: Convenient if you arrive in Tokyo or travel mainly in JR East territory.

Regular physical Suica generally carries a ¥500 refundable deposit. Welcome Suica is a separate visitor product with different rules.

METRO / PRIVATE RAIL · KANTO

PASMO

Best fit: Convenient around Tokyo and the wider Kanto private-rail and bus network.

Regular physical PASMO generally carries a ¥500 refundable deposit. TOURIST PASMO is a separate visitor product.

JR WEST · KANSAI / WESTERN JAPAN

ICOCA

Best fit: The natural card to pick up when arriving in Osaka, Kyoto or the JR West area.

A standard ICOCA costs ¥2,000 including ¥1,500 stored value and a ¥500 refundable deposit.

ARRIVING IN TOKYO?

Two visitor cards.
No universal winner.

Both are designed for short-term use and work across participating IC networks. Availability at your airport or station is the practical deciding factor.

JR EAST

Welcome Suica

Who: Temporary visitors
Validity: 28 days including purchase date
Deposit: None
Refund: No ordinary refund of remaining balance
Where: Selected JR East Travel Service Centers and dedicated machines, including Narita and Haneda locations
Top up: Cash at supported machines and participating locations; maximum balance ¥20,000

Keep the reference paper with you and avoid loading more than you expect to spend.

Check current Welcome Suica sales locations →

PASMO

TOURIST PASMO

Who: Mainly international visitors on short stays
Validity: 28 days from purchase
Deposit: None
Refund: Unused value is not refundable
Where: Specified railway sales points and machines at Haneda and Narita airports
Top up: Cash at ticket machines, buses and participating stores; maximum balance ¥20,000

Purchase amounts and accepted payment methods differ by airport and sales point. Keep the reference paper with you.

Check current TOURIST PASMO details →

Choose whichever is easier for your trip.

ARRIVING IN OSAKA / KANSAI?

ICOCA is an
easy choice.

ICOCA is widely sold in the JR West area and is the obvious local option. A standard card is reusable and includes a ¥500 deposit, refundable when returned at an eligible JR West ticket office.

Already carrying Suica or PASMO? Keep it. Compatible cards can be used on participating transport and at participating merchants in the ICOCA area, so arriving in Osaka does not automatically mean buying another card.

Read the official ICOCA guide →

USING AN iPHONE?

Your phone may be
the easiest card.

Apple Wallet

Apple supports Suica, PASMO, ICOCA and TOICA in Wallet. You generally need an iPhone 8 or later or Apple Watch Series 3 or later, current compatible software, two-factor authentication and an eligible payment card. Specific card and device requirements apply.

Express Mode lets the selected transit card work without unlocking or authenticating for each tap.

Check Apple’s current requirements →

Welcome Suica Mobile

JR East’s visitor-focused iOS app can issue and top up a Suica using Apple Pay. Unlike the 28-day physical Welcome Suica, the mobile Suica is valid for 180 days from issue; remaining balance expires and is not ordinarily refundable.

Issuing or topping up can be restricted in some countries, so travelers may need to try again after arriving in Japan.

Check Welcome Suica Mobile →

Android: compatibility can vary by device, region, hardware and setup. Do not assume every overseas Android phone can issue or use a Japanese mobile IC card.

WHEN AN IC CARD ISN’T ENOUGH

IC card ≠ unlimited
Japan transport.

Outside IC coverage

Some rural lines, buses and local operators do not accept nationwide interoperable IC cards.

Crossing separate IC areas

Except for limited exceptions, you cannot start in one IC area and finish in another as one continuous stored-value journey. Buy the appropriate ticket first.

Limited Express & reserved seats

An IC card may cover the basic fare only. Limited Express, Green Car and reserved-seat services can require an additional ticket or reservation.

Shinkansen

Do not rely on stored value alone. Use a valid Shinkansen ticket or a supported reservation service correctly linked to your IC card. Rules differ by service and route.

SAVEABLE VISUAL RECAP