2024 Japan Suica Card Guide: Price, Where to Buy & FAQs

On our Japan spring trip, we didn’t buy any transport cards like the Japan Suica Card before our trip. We thought we could easily get one on our arrival.

[NEWS]: Since Aug 2023, selling of Suica Cards had been temporarily suspended due to the shortage of semiconductors worldwide. Fortunately, tourists can still buy the alternative Japan IC Card Welcome Suica which is valid for 28 days. Read our Welcome Suica Card guide for more information.

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Our close friend recommended that we immediately buy our Suica Card as soon as we arrive at the Tokyo Station and so we did. We used the ticket machine to buy our Suica Cards, but it got us scratching our heads several times. Mind you, it was challenging and overwhelming, to say the least.

Learn from our experience and secure your Suica Card before your Japan trip. We made this guide so you know everything about the Suica Card in Japan including its usage, price, where to buy, and frequently asked questions (FAQs).

What is a Japan Suica Card?

The Suica Card is an integrated smart card in Japan, similar to Korea’s T-Money Card, Taiwan’s EasyCard, Singapore’s EZ-Link Card, and Hong Kong’s Octopus Card, you can use to pay for public transport such as trains, buses, and even taxis with the Suica logo. Suica also serves as a prepaid e-money card to pay for items in vending machines and convenience stores in Japan.

Although there are many other IC cards in Japan like the PASMO Card and ICOCA Card, the Suica Card is the most popular, which is why it gets easily sold out. With its temporary suspension, tourists can opt to buy the alternative Welcome Suica instead.

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Which areas in Japan can I use my Suica Card?

You can use your Suica Card in the following areas in Japan:

JR East Lines in the Greater Tokyo Area:

• Tokyo Metropolis
• Yokohama
• Kawasaki
• Saitama
• Kawaguchi
• Chiba
• Sagamihara

Certain transport systems in other parts of Japan:

• Sendai
• Niigata
• Hokkaido
• Tokai
• West Japan
• Kyushu

What is NOT covered by the Suica Card?

While you can use your Suica Card in most parts of Japan, do note that you cannot use it to ride the Shinkansen, express trains, highway buses, or airport shuttles.

What can I use my Japan Suica Card for?

You can use your Suica Card to pay for the following:

1. Public transportation

The Suica Card is mainly used to pay for rides on Japan’s public transportation including trains, monorails, buses, and taxis.

2. Convenience stores

Most convenience stores in Japan accept IC cards like Suica as mode of payment. So, you can use it to pay for items you buy from convenience stores like 7-Eleven, Family Mart, and Lawson.

3. Vending machines

You can find vending machines almost everywhere in Japan. If you run out of coins or cash, you may use your Suica Card to pay instead.

4. Lockers

You can also use your Suica Card to pay for lockers in Japan.

5. Restaurants

Some restaurants in Japan accept IC cards like Suica as payment for the food. You may ask their staff or look for the Suica logo in their payment counters.

How much does a Suica Card cost?

You may choose to buy your Suica Card for ¥1,000, ¥2,000, ¥3,000, ¥4,000, ¥5,000, or ¥10,000, which already includes a deposit fee of ¥500.

Do note that the maximum top-up is ¥20,000, and you can only load your card with Japanese Yen currency. You cannot use your credit card to top up your Suica Card.

Where can I buy a Suica Card?

As of writing, the sale of the regular Suica Card is temporarily suspended until further notice. As an alternative, you can buy the special Japan tourist IC Card Welcome Suica from the following:

Option 1: Klook (online)

Welcome Suica with JR Lines 1-Day Pass

• Card price: ¥1,500 (US$10.20)
• Top-up not included
• Nice feature: 1-Day Unli Ride on JR trains in Tokyo + Tokyo Monorail Line
• Pick-up location: NINJA WiFi Service Counter of Haneda Airport

GET WELCOME SUICA

Option 2: Haneda Airport (on-site)

If you failed to secure your Welcome Suica online, you can still buy it at Haneda Airport. You may proceed to the JR EAST Travel Service Center and Welcome Suica vending machine at Haneda Airport Terminal 3 (Tokyo Monorail Station).

Do note that as the stocks are limited, only one Welcome Suica is sold per person.

Instructions on how to use the Suica Card

Using your Suica Card is so simple. All you have to do is tap the Suica Card on the reader at any ticket gate. The final fare will be automatically calculated and deducted at the station where you got off.

Watch the video below so you have a better idea on how to use the Suica Card:

Japan Suica Card frequently asked questions (FAQs)

1. How do I put money on my Suica Card?

To top up or put money on your Suica Card, you can go to:

Option 1: Ticket vending machines at subway stations

Find any JR ticket machine at Japan’s subway stations and top up your Suica Card by following these steps:

1. Place your Suica Card on the card holder.
2. Change the language to English.
3. Choose the amount you’d like to top up.
4. Pay the top-up amount with Japanese Yen.
5. Get your newly reloaded Suica Card.

Option 2: Convenience stores

You may also proceed to convenience stores in Japan including 7-Eleven, Lawson, and FamilyMart. They usually have reloading machines for your Suica Card.

2. Can foreigners buy a Suica Card?

Yes, foreigners can buy a Suica Card in Japan. However, with the current shortage problem, tourists are encouraged to buy the Welcome Suica, a special Japan IC card for tourists valid for 28 days. While it does not have a deposit amount, it’s also not refundable.

3. Can I withdraw money from my Suica Card?

The Suica Card is a prepaid e-money card so it’s not usually used to withdraw cash in Japan. Although others say that some ATM machines do allow Suica cash withdrawals, we haven’t personally tried it ourselves.

4. Is my Suica Card refundable?

Yes, your Suica Card is refundable. There is refund fee of ¥220, which will be deducted from the remaining amount in your card. For Suica Cards issued by JR East Japan, you may proceed to any JR East stations for the refund.

However, if you purchased the Welcome Suica, you cannot request a refund for it.

5. Do Suica Cards expire?

Yes, Japan Suica Cards expire in 10 years so you have to use any remaining amount within the validity period or get a refund for it. If you bought the Welcome Suica, it expires after 28 days and any amount left is not refundable.

6. Can I still reuse my Suica Card when I go back to Japan?

Yes, you can reuse your Japan Suica Card as many times as you want so long as it’s still within the 10-year validity period. As for the Welcome Suica, it is only valid for 28 days so you cannot reuse this special tourist card in Japan after it expires.

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We hope we covered the basics of the Japan Suica Card.