In the Tokyo area of Japan, there are two transportation cards available: ‘Suica’ and ‘Pasmo.’ During a previous Tokyo trip, I used the Suica transportation card. This time, with a friend from the UK, we decided to purchase Suica cards together, considering the convenience and familiarity of using Suica.
- Japan Transportation Card ‘Suica’: Tokyo Transportation Card: “Suica”
“Suica, available in the Tokyo area of Japan”
Suica is one of the transportation cards available in the Tokyo area of Japan. During a previous trip, I borrowed Suica from my brother, so there was no need to buy one. However, since I traveled with a friend from the UK this time, we decided to purchase Suica together.
“Purchasing Suica at Narita Airport”
Although you don’t have to buy Suica at the airport, we aimed to handle as much as possible in advance at the airport for a smoother transition to Tokyo. To buy Suica at Narita Airport, you need to head towards the subway station. Upon arrival at Narita Airport (1st floor is the arrival floor), going down one more floor will lead to the floor where you can buy Suica.
“Suica available at JR train stations”
Suica cards are available at JR (Japan Railway) train stations. Japan has a privatized railway system, with various railway companies operating. To buy Suica, you need to move to a JR transportation area.
Upon reaching the train station, you can find vending machines with a green border. These machines allow you to purchase and charge Suica cards. However, for returns, you must use a dedicated return machine nearby.
“Purchasing Suica using vending machines”
You can buy Suica using vending machines, and the process is straightforward. You can choose your preferred language among the four supported languages: English, Japanese, Chinese, and Korean. Set it to Korean, follow the steps, insert money, and the Suica card will be issued. An essential point is the card deposit: when charging 1,000 yen, 500 yen goes to the deposit, and only 500 yen is charged. The deposit can be refunded when returning the Suica card. Upon return, after deducting a 220 yen fee, the remaining balance and the deposit are returned. If the remaining balance is less than 220 yen, the full deposit of 500 yen is returned. Therefore, the most efficient method is to use up the balance, make it 0 yen, and return the card, receiving a 500 yen refund.
Having completed the purchase of Suica transportation cards at Narita Airport, we were now ready to enter Tokyo for our trip. To take the Cheon Bus, we headed to the boarding area.
“Japan Narita Airport Terminal 1 Station”
- Address: Narita City, Chiba Prefecture, 286-0105, Japan
- Suica Website: https://www.jreast.co.jp/kr/index.html/