In this article I will cover some of the travel IC card (SUICA) alternatives that are Android compatible…
What Are Travel IC Cards?
In Japan, public transport fares for trains, buses and even taxis can all be paid using something called an IC card (integrated circuit card).
In the Tokyo area the two most used IC cards are SUICA and PASMO. Other regions have their own brands, but all IC cards can be used interchangeably in any region.
They work like a pre-paid credit card, simply load a balance at a machine or convenience store, and the card can be used straight away to pay not just for transport but also in many shops as a digital/cashless payment option.
For the past couple of years however, getting hold of a physical card has been quite challenging. Due to an IC chip shortage, sales of SUICA and PASMO were halted from 2023.
Tourists had the option to buy a “Welcome SUICA” card from both Narita and Haneda international airports upon arrival, however they are only valid for 28 days after registration.
Recently the IC chip shortage has improved and standard SUICA cards are once again available at a limited number of JR East train stations, such as Tokyo, Shinjuku and Shibuya, however availability is NOT guaranteed, as supply is still not 100% reliable.
Digital IC Cards
IC technology is not limited to physical cards. Most modern Japanese market mobile phones are equipped with an IC chip.
Unfortunately, IC technology in devices for the international market seems to be featured only in iPhones.
IC technology is NOT the same as NFC, and for the moment it seems that international Android phones are not equipped with the necessary hardware, and are therefore incompatible with Japanese digital travel IC cards.
For iOS users it is as simple as loading up the Apple Wallet app, clicking the plus icon, selecting travel cards, scrolling down to Japan and choosing between SUICA, PASMO and ICOCA. It really doesn’t matter which one you pick, they all work the same throughout Japan.
Users can load a balance from any other Apple Pay card you may have already set up. I use my balance of Japanese Yen on my WISE card to top up.
For Android users, well, you’re kind of stuck….. or are you?
What If You Don’t Have iPhone?
As mentioned above, if you don’t have an iPhone and you are travelling into Japan without a Japanese market Android, then unfortunately you cannot use a digital IC card on your device.
However, there are some alternative options available to you…
Welcome SUICA
The above mentioned “Welcome SUICA” is perfectly acceptable if you intend to travel in Japan for less than 28 days. It is worth noting however that any remaining balance cannot be refunded, so you may be left with a race to spend your remaining balance at the airport before your flight.
You can however keep the card as a souvenir, the card provider encourages this as you cannot reclaim your ¥500 deposit anyway.
VISA
Recently, many of the automated train gates, buses and taxis in Japan have been updated to accept contactless VISA as a payment option. At the time of writing this article 124 transport companies in 32 out of 47 prefectures currently offer tap to pay option.
So if you have a VISA in your Google Pay app, you can simply use that to pay at the ticket gate.
Not all of these companies allow Mastercard yet, so please check while planning your trip…
You can check this website for up-to-date information on which operators accept which cards as payment option. It is in Japanese, but you can use Google Translate to translate the page into English.
I recommend applying for a Revolut or WISE account and card so you can hold a balance in Japanese Yen, and thus avoid having to pay an exchange fee each time you use your card to pay for transport.
Physical SUICA
Now the IC chip shortage is over, the availability of physical SUICA cards has improved. Not ALL JR East stations have them, but the largest ones often do.
Presently, physical SUICA cards are only available for tourists, not residents.
If you are landing at Tokyo Haneda or Narita International airports then proceed to the JR East Travel Service Centre, located at Haneda Airport Terminal 3 station and monorail station, and Narita Airport Terminal 1 station and Terminal 2.
JR East Travel Service Centre at Tokyo Station, Shibuya Station, Shinjuku Station, Ikebukuro Station, Ueno Station, Yokohama Station and Sendai Station also have physical cards available to purchase.
JAPAN RAIL CAFE TOKYO as well as Takanawa Gateway Travel Service Centre also have SUICA available.
Pre-Order Physical Suica
If you are flying into Tokyo Haneda you can pre-order and collect upon arrival using Rakuten Travel
Alternative IC Card
As previously mentioned, SUICA and PASMO are the IC cards most commonly used in the Tokyo area, but they aren’t the only cards available…
Due to the fact that any IC card can be used in any region, you are not restricted to only these two.
As you can see there are many IC cards available across Japan.
So if you land at or travel to any of these regions you may be able to acquire an IC card that way, some of these cards are available to reserve before arrival if you contact the operator beforehand.
Cash
If all else fails, it is worth mentioning that for moment all the major public transport options in Japan still accept cash payments.
Buses and taxis accept cash on the vehicle itself.
Train passengers can purchase tickets at the automated machines, and insert them into the gate to pass-through. The ticket machines usually have multi language options, typically English, Chinese and Korean.
Cash is not the most convenient payment option, but it does work when all else fails.
Thank you for reading!
