Suica – Offered by JR East and valid on all Japan Rail trains in the Greater Tokyo, Sendai and Niigata regions, and non-Japan Rail lines, such as the Tokyo Metro Subway and other private railway lines, in Tokyo.

The Suica card is incredibly versatile in 2026, but it is not used on every single line across Japan. While it covers virtually all JR East lines, subways, and private railways in major metropolitan areas like Tokyo, Osaka, Kyoto, and Nagoya through a "mutual use" agreement with other cards like PASMO and ICOCA, its coverage in rural areas can be spotty. Specifically, you cannot use Suica for continuous travel between different IC card regions (for example, you cannot tap in at Tokyo and tap out at Sendai; you must buy a paper ticket or exit and re-enter). Additionally, many small, local "third-sector" railways in remote parts of Hokkaido, Shikoku, or Kyushu still lack the electronic readers required for IC cards and strictly require cash-only paper tickets. While you can use Suica for some Shinkansen (bullet train) travel via the "Touch-and-Go" or "SmartEX" registration systems, it does not serve as a default ticket for long-distance Shinkansen trips. For 2026 travelers, Suica is a "must-have" for 95% of transit, but always keep some cash on hand for rural bus lines and vintage local trains.