Japan Pocket Guide
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Suica on your phone — and what to do if it won't top up
Suica and PASMO are rechargeable IC cards for trains, buses, convenience stores and lockers. Tap in, tap out — no paper tickets. Here's the easiest way to get one.
On an iPhone
- Open Wallet → tap + → Transit card → choose Suica or PASMO.
- Pick an amount and pay with Apple Pay.
- It's set as your Express Transit card automatically, so you can tap the gate without unlocking your phone.
- To add money later, open the card in Wallet and choose Add Money.
Some travellers report that cards issued outside Japan — Visa in particular — can fail when topping up a phone Suica. If that happens, try a Mastercard or American Express, or top up with cash (below).
On Android
Many Android phones bought outside Japan can't run Suica (they don't have the FeliCa chip it needs). If yours can't, use a physical card instead.
A physical card
- Welcome Suica — made for visitors: no deposit, valid for 28 days. See JR East's official page for where to buy it.
- Regular Suica or PASMO — ¥500 deposit.
- Top up at a ticket machine (choose English → Charge) or at a convenience store register: say "Chāji onegaishimasu".
- The maximum balance on a card is ¥20,000.
Topping up a phone with cash
When your credit card won't work, look for a ticket machine with a small tray for IC cards. Choose English → Charge, place your phone in the tray and leave it there, pick the amount, insert notes or coins, and take your phone when the "complete" screen appears. Never push your phone into the card slot. The fare adjustment machines near the gates often have a tray too.
At the gate
- Tap when you enter and when you leave.
- Not enough balance? Use the fare adjustment machine before the exit gate, or the staffed window.
- For the Shinkansen and long trips between regions, buy a proper ticket instead of using your IC card.
You'll want mobile data for train apps and maps. An eSIM is the easiest way to get it: install it at home on Wi-Fi, then switch it on when you land. Airalo Japan eSIM (affiliate link)
More train help, in one PDF
JR vs Metro, reading a train app, platforms and exits, the Shinkansen — all in our free guide.
Apps, cards and rules change. Please check the official pages linked above before you travel. App and card names belong to their owners; we are not affiliated with them except where an affiliate link is marked.