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What lines do Suica cover?

The Suica card can be used for the JR East train lines in Tokyo's metropolitan area. It can also be used for many buses and subways. This is good to have handy for the Tokyo Monorail, which connects Haneda Airport with Tokyo, too.



As of 2026, the Suica card—issued by JR East—is one of Japan’s most versatile "IC cards," providing seamless access to a vast network of transportation. Primarily, it covers all JR East lines in the Greater Tokyo area, Sendai, and Niigata. However, due to the nationwide mutual integration of IC cards, your Suica also works on almost all major transit systems across Japan. This includes the Tokyo Metro and Toei Subway, the Tokyo Monorail to Haneda Airport, and private rail lines like Odakyu and Keio. Beyond Tokyo, you can use Suica for local trains and buses in cities like Osaka (ICOCA area), Kyoto, Nagoya (TOICA/manaca), and Fukuoka (SUGOCA/nimoca). It is important to note that while Suica covers the "base fare" for travel, you cannot use it for "continuous travel" between different regions (e.g., you can't tap in at Tokyo and tap out at Osaka). For high-speed Shinkansen travel, you must link your Suica to a "Touch-Go! Shinkansen" registration or use the SmartEX app. In 2026, mobile Suica is the standard for most travelers, allowing for instant top-ups and use at millions of convenience stores and vending machines nationwide.

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You can also use your IC card to pay at convenience stores, at most vending machines and shops inside train stations, and even some restaurants. Suica cards are only sold in the eastern Japan area (wherever East Japan Rail operates). This includes the greater Tokyo area and Tohoku (northern Japan).

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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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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. However, please note that not all areas of Japan have adopted IC cards. In areas where IC cards are not used, it's necessary to purchase paper tickets.

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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.

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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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Suica, one of the most common IC cards, is provided by JR East and covers the Greater Tokyo, Niigata and Sendai regions. Along with the regular Suica card, there is also a special Welcome Suica pass meant for foreign tourists that only lasts for 28 days, requires no deposit and gets no refund.

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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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If you calculate that your travel costs will be lower if you buy individual tickets for each journey, then it's not worth buying a JR Pass. However, if you take into account journeys on Shinkansen high-speed trains or other means of transport, the savings you make become substantial.

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For a limited time only, you can buy a Japan Rail Pass from certain train stations and airports in Japan. Travelers should be aware it is more expensive to buy a JR Pass in Japan than to purchase the pass online.

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You can buy the Welcome Suica card through Vending Machines located at the Haneda Terminal 3 station, Tokyo Monorail Haneda Airport Terminal 2 Station, and Narita Terminal 1,2, and 3 Stations. For official information please visit the Welcome Suica Card official website.

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SUICA (offered by JR East) allows you to access trains, subways, monorails, and buses in the Kanto region such as Tokyo, Kanagawa, Chiba, etc., Sendai, Niigata, and Okinawa. You can also use it in restaurants, taxis, vending machines, and food stores as long as they have the SUICA logo.

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