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Can I keep my Suica card?

Practical information on the Suica card The Suica card is ready to use and already credited with 2000 yen (including a 500 yen deposit). To recover the deposit, you will have to return your card in Tokyo only, at JR East stations. You can keep your Suica card for your next trip. It will remain valid for 10 years.



Yes, you can—and often should—keep your physical Suica card after your trip to Japan. A standard Suica card (including the "My Suica" version) remains valid for 10 years from the date of its last use. This means you can keep the card as a souvenir and use the remaining balance when you return to Japan in the future. However, if you have a "Welcome Suica" (the red card designed for tourists), it has a strict 28-day expiration date and cannot be used after that period, nor can you get a refund for the remaining balance. For the standard green Suica, if you don't plan to return to Japan within a decade, you can return the card to a JR East ticket office to receive a refund of your balance and your ¥500 deposit, although a small "refund fee" of ¥220 is usually deducted from the balance. In 2026, many travelers now prefer the Mobile Suica on their phone, which also allows you to keep the virtual card for future use without needing a physical piece of plastic.

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There is a charge of 220 yen to return a Suica card, which is deducted from the total. For refunds, a fee of 220 yen is subtracted from the total (a result of less than zero is considered zero), and then the initial 500 yen deposit is added.

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Inactive cards can be re-activated by simply toping it up. And secondly, if ever you lose it, you can get a replacement at most train stations. Visit the Suica customer service counter or ticket machine and inform the staff that you've lost your card.

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Practical information on the Suica card You can keep your Suica card for your next trip. It will remain valid for 10 years. The Suica cards we offer are non-personal and are reserved for adult travellers.

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You can keep your Suica card for your next trip. It will remain valid for 10 years. The Suica cards we offer are non-personal and are reserved for adult travellers.

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If your Welcome Suica card stops working Your card may not have processed properly the last time you used it at a automatic ticket gate. You have used a station outside the Suica area, and your card need to be adjusted.

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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. Thank you for the quick response.

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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.

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Yes, it can. Suica cards can be used anywhere the Suica IC card logo is displayed. It can also be used in convenience stores and vending machines outside of the Tokyo area. You cannot use the Suica to travel between Tokyo and Osaka, but you can use it to travel within cities such as Osaka and Kyoto.

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First, make sure to check your Suica card balance using the ticket machines at the station. This card has 655 yen as the remaining balance. The easiest way to use up your Suica card balance is to use it as a payment method when shopping at the convenience stores!

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Fortunately, both Apple and Android make it easy to create a mobile Suica or PASMO card through their phone wallet apps. For more information on traveling in Japan, be sure to check out our comprehensive articles, from English-speaking travel agents, to the best places to hike, ski, camp, and more.

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Suica cards are not refundable at Haneda Airport (as it's not on a JR line) but can be refunded at the ticket office or using the refund machines at Narita Airport. You should also be aware that JR Monorail Suica and Rinkai Suica are not refundable on JR lines.

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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.

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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.

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