JRPass

In planning your trip to Japan you may have come across something called a PASMO or Suica card and wondered what they are and more importantly whether you need one.

Both are prepaid, chargeable IC cards which allow ticketless travel on trains, subways and buses in the Tokyo metropolitan area (so the all important Tokyo subway), as well as routes in Sendai and Niigata. Confusingly they are competitors, but they allow you to use either type interchangeably.

Below I’ll try to set out the distinctive features for each, then it’s up to you to choose which one most closely fits your travelling needs.

PASMO

The PASMO card is great if you already have your Japan Rail Pass and want a simple prepaid card for using on the Tokyo subway.

• PASMO can be used on the Tokyo metropolitan area subways, buses and the Tokyo Monorail that connects Haneda Airport with Tokyo, as well as Suica JR East lines in the Niigata and Sendai regions.
• Buy at any train or subway station at the PASMO vending machine, or from a PASMO participating bus.
• ¥1,000 – ¥20,000 can be prepaid, with a ¥500 charge for the initial buy (refundable).
• When you no longer need your PASMO, return it to a station, subway or bus station PASMO office. A ¥210 charge will be deducted from your PASMO and the remaining money together with your ¥500 deposit will be refunded.
• PASMO can be used to pay for items at PASMO participating stores, vending machines and coin lockers.
• PASMO can not be used on the Shinkansen Bullet Train.

Suica

A JR East Suica card can be used on the same Tokyo metropolitan, Niigata and Sendai lines as the PASMO, but in addition can be used on JR routes in Hokkaido, Tokai, West Japan and Kyushu.

• Suica can be used on the Tokyo metropolitan area subways, buses and the Tokyo Monorail that connects Haneda Airport with Tokyo, as well as Suica JR East lines in the Niigata and Sendai regions.
  • In addition to the Tokyo area, Suica can be used for certain JR transportation systems in Hokkaido, Tokai, West Japan and Kyushu (these JR routes could already be covered by your JR Pass).
• Buy at any JR East station at a Suica vending machine.
• ¥1,000 – ¥20,000 can be prepaid, with a ¥500 charge for the initial buy (refundable).
• Minimum cost per card is ¥2000 (¥1,500 prepaid, ¥500 deposit).
• When you no longer need your Suica, return it to a JR East station or subway office. Like the PASMO a ¥210 charge will be deducted from your Suica and the remaining money together with your ¥500 deposit will be refunded.
• Suica can be used to pay for items at Suica participating stores, vending machines and coin lockers.
• A Suica & N’EX airport transfer card can be purchased for ¥3,500.
  • This is a one-way ticket from Narita Airport to the Tokyo/Yokohama area on the Narita Express train plus ¥1,500 preloaded on a Suica card. Open to foreign passport holders only.
• Suica can not be used on the Shinkansen Bullet Train.

The JR Pass & the Tokyo Subway

Remember that your Japan Rail Pass already covers you for travel on the circular Tokyo subway JR Yamanote Line, but not the 13 subway lines which run off this.

photo Karl Baron