You cannot buy Suica outside of the greater Tokyo area. in Osaka, you have to buy ICOCA. When you leave the Kansai (Osaka/Kyoto) return your ICOCA and buy Suica when you get to Tokyo. Or just keep your ICOCA for the next trip.
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You can load a minimum amount of JPY1,000 at convenience stores. Short-term visitors can also consider the special Welcome Suica card. This tourist card with a sakura design comes without a JPY500 deposit fee but is valid for only four weeks and the balance credit cannot be refunded.
Where to buy a My Suica card? You can purchase a “My Suica” at any JR East station ticketing machine or booth, including the ones located at Narita and Haneda airport.You can also buy it at some tourist information centers.
You can add a new Suica, PASMO, or ICOCA card on your iPhone or Apple Watch, or you can transfer your physical card to your device. When you add your first Suica, PASMO, or ICOCA card, Express Mode is automatically turned on for that card, which allows you to pay for transit rides and make purchases with just a tap.
Each person needs one. Pasmo/Suica is read when touching the IC card reader upon entering and exiting a gate, and the correct fare is deducted from the card. The same card cannot be read entering twice at the same station.
The JR pass is only worth it if you travel through different cities, if you are just travelling to Tokyo to Kyoto for example, I would just pay on the Suica. You can do the online calculator or just use google to calculate which trip is easier - paying individually on Suica or getting a JR Pass.
No visitor to Tokyo should be without a Suica card and no visitor to Japan should be without a JR Pass. The Suica card is convenient for intercity trains and buses while the JR Pass saves you time and money when traveling through the country.
Can we just swipe the same card 3 times while going thru the gate? You need 3 cards. Every individual needs their own cards to use train. Scanning the card three times to allow three people, or giving the card back so three people could use it would not work because of the design of the system.
In addition to the Tokyo area, the Suica can be used for certain transportation systems in the Sendai and Niigata, Hokkaido, Tokai, West Japan and Kyushu areas.
The best way to travel between Tokyo and Osaka is the shinkansen (bullet train). The fastest type of shinkansen, which is called the Nozomi, takes around 2 hours and 30 minutes and costs Y13,620 for a one-way trip in an unreserved seat.
Like the regular Suica, the Welcome Suica can be used for transportation on trains, subways, and buses. It can also be used for shopping at convenience stores, vending machines, and some restaurants. The card is accepted in most major cities in Japan, making it a great option for first-time visitors.
To use a Suica, PASMO, or ICOCA card with Apple Pay, you need:An iPhone 8 or iPhone 8 Plus or later, or an Apple Watch Series 3 or later with the latest version of iOS or watchOS.
The Suica/Pasmo reader and ledger tracking your expenses.* Nice for travelers: The app, as well as all the station information, is available in Japanese and English.