How much does it cost for a Suica card?

The Suica card initially costs ¥ 1 ( US$ 0), of which 500 is credit and the other 500 goes as a deposit. This deposit is returned when you return the card to the Japan Rail (Suica). The Pasmo card costs ¥ 500 ( US$ 3.30), which is non-refundable, as well as the money you want to charge it with.



As of 2026, a standard physical Suica card typically costs 2,000 yen when purchased at a JR East ticket machine or office. This price includes a 500 yen refundable deposit and 1,500 yen in starting credit that you can immediately use for trains, buses, or at convenience stores. While there have been chip shortages affecting the availability of "Unregistered" cards in recent years, travelers can often still obtain "Welcome Suica" cards (which have no deposit but expire after 28 days) or simply add a digital Suica to their iPhone or Apple Watch for free via the Wallet app. If you choose the physical card and return it to a JR East station at the end of your trip, you can get your 500 yen deposit back, though the airline or station may deduct a small "handling fee" (usually 220 yen) from any remaining balance. If your balance is zero, you still get the full 500 yen back, making it a "free" rental for the duration of your stay in Japan.

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Will a Suica card save me money over regular train tickets? Yes, but only a very little at a time. Within Tokyo, the fare for Suica (or any IC card) users is a couple of yen cheaper than the full fare price.

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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. If you want, you can also purchase the card online through the JR East website or other authorized sellers.

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The minimum amount to recharge is 1,000 Yen and only with cash. When you originally purchase your Suica Card, you can personalize it with your name (put your name on the card). You can allow the balance on your Suica Card to run down as you near the end of your trip, but the card doesn't expire for 10 years.

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5,000 yen – Comparable to an American $50 bill, this may be the one you use to pay for dinner and drinks at a well-known restaurant or izakaya. 10,000 yen – Essentially a $100 bill. Present this bill when paying for the whole family to eat.

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Suica is the prepaid IC card by JR East for JR trains in the Greater Tokyo, Niigata and Sendai regions. A special version of Suica, called Welcome Suica, is available to foreign tourists. The special cards are valid for only four weeks, come without a deposit fee, but do not allow for refunds.

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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.

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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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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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Where to Buy and How to Top-Up the Suica Card? Travellers flying in from Narita or Haneda International Airport can purchase a Suica card easily at JR East Travel Service Centers. You can also buy a prepaid Suica card from ticketing machines at major JR East train stations and JR Ticket Offices (Midori-no-madoguchi).

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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.

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Smart cards like Icoca, Suica and Pasmo are generally valid across Japan, so don't worry about which one you buy. You can use Icoca/Pasmo/Suica for all trains, subways and buses in Osaka.

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Update: There's now an English version of the Suica app, SuicaEng. You can download that instead of following these instructions for using the Japanese app. Download the Suica app on the App Store, then follow the screenshots below because the app doesn't have an English localization.

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The Suica can be used on JR East lines in the Tokyo metropolitan area as well as for subways, buses and the Tokyo Monorail that connects Haneda Airport with Tokyo.

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