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What is Suica card? Very useful prepaid card in Japan. How much does it cost to get one? 2022

 

If you are planning to come to Japan, a Suica card is something you want to carry around.


Let's take a look at it together what it is and what you can do with it.


What is Suica Card? Why should I have it?



Suica is the most frequently used transportation prepaid card in Japan.

Each region has its own name and design for the transportation prepaid card but there is compatibility so doesn't matter which region you buy the transportation prepaid card from, it is valid all across Japan.

Suica is the name of a transportation prepaid card in Tokyo and another Kanto area (east Japan).

In the Kansai area (west Japan), a transportation prepaid card is called "ICOCA", so if KIX (Kansai International Airport) is the first place you land, you would probably purchase ICOCA instead of Suica.

I was born and raised in Kobe city (30 min from Osaka by train), so mine is ICOCA, not Suica.

One thing very positive for you is that once you charge some amount to Suica, you will not get affected by the sudden change in the exchange rate.





For instance, when you arrive in Japan, the exchange rate is normal and steady but there is a risk that the rate can be drastically up or down at any time.

If that happens, what is negative to you is that your next month's credit card payment will be something crazy if the yen becomes very strong during your stay...


Japan is now shifting to a cashless society, so there are so many places you can use Suica (when I say Suica in this article, it includes all the transportation prepaid cards) at almost any place.


Payment speed is incredibly fast and very useful, so why not have it???


Where can I use it?


The places you can use a Suica card for your payment are literally a lot.

I will state them below.

  • Train
  • Bus
  • Cab
  • Convenience Store
  • Supermarket
  • Restaurant
  • Street vending machine 
  • Other many many places with the sign below


Regarding the vending machine, I have written another article All about street vending machines in Japan.  so please refer to it as well.


When I stayed at APA Hotel Roppongi SIX, I could use Suica to pay ( I paid by credit card though) for the Costa Coffee Brew Machine.


Technically payment option by Suica is everywhere in Japan. 


If you see this kind of tap area, you can use the Suica.


Also, I have an article about Convenience Stores in Japan so if you are interested in Japanese Convenience Stores, please refer to 5 reasons why Convenience Stores in Japan are Amazingly Convenient.


How to buy it?



This part is really simple.

To buy Suica, you just have to ask the railway staff.


In Japan, every single station has an automated ticket vending machine and it sells Suica cards as well.


The reason why I told you to ask the railway staff first is that the ticket vending machine in Japan has so many functions in it and you may not find the button to purchase Suica easily, so asking the staff would save you time.


As always, here is the Japanese to ask for a Suica purchase.

EN: Excuse me, I would like to purchase a Suica card.
JP: Sumimasen. Suica wo kaitai desu.
（すみません。Suicaを購入したいです。）


If you have difficulty pronouncing Japanese, you can just show the above Japanese that I have written.


The staff will ask you accordingly how much you want to charge Suica, so you just tell them how much you want to charge.


The maximum amount that you can charge to Suica is 20,000 JPY and you can only charge in cash, so be careful about these points.


How much does it cost?


It cost nothing to get one.

Technically it costs 220 JPY but it will be charged when you return it.


However, you need to pay 500 yen (less than 4€) as a deposit when you buy it.


When you pay for something, the receipt or the ticket gate will show the balance of Suica, so checking the balance is also easy.


What if I do not use it anymore?


When you go back to your country, you have 2 options regarding Suica.


The first option is to return it to the station.

You can ask the station staff to tell them you want to return it.


It cost 220 JPY to return it, but the deposit will be paid back as well.


The second option is to bring it back with you to your home country.

The validity of Suica is 10 years since its last usage ( so long!!! ), so if you are planning to visit Japan again within 10 years, it would be clever if you bring it back with you with some balance left in it.


If you have any questions, I am very happy to reply to you back if you leave any comments.

Cheers to you all!