Updated: February 2025

WELCOME SUICA CARD AND THE NEW 2025 SUICA MOBILE APP

This is the WHY and the HOW to get your Welcome Suica Tourist Card and pay for almost everything in Japan in 2025.

When the backpacking husband and I visited Japan as part of a six-month trip around amazing Asia – we were planning a two-week long four-city sight-seeing adventure, taking in Fukuoka, Hiroshima, Tokyo and Osaka.

Our itinerary would mean taking trains – including the famously fast bullet trains – as well as ferries (from Hiroshima to Miyajima island) and flights to get around cities and also between cities during our trip.

I’d heard that the best way to get around as a tourist in Japan was to get an IC Card (Integrated Circuit Card) – a prepaid, contactless and cashless smart payment card that’s easy to top up as you travel – that can be used for public transportation (trains, busses, subways, ferries) and for shopping at various stores and buying from vending machines, and acting as a convenient way to pay in the local currency with a single tap.

In planning our trip, we’d ordered our Welcome Suica cards online and in advance to collect at our arrival airport.

But in 2025 there are big changes being brought in as to how and where tourists can access and buy the Welcome Suica Card.

This is because back in 2023/2024 the Suica Card and other IC Cards became really hard to source in Japan due to a shortage of semi-conductors resulting in the offer of the tourist only version of Welcome Suica Card – valid for use over 28 days.

Suica Card Travel Japan The Backpacking Housewife — *Welcome Suica Card*

TABLE OF CONTENTS

NEW FOR 2025 – THE SUICA MOBILE APP

So do you need a prepaid contactless smart card in your Japan toolkit for 2025? Yes, I believe you do.

Should you buy Welcome Suica Card – or if you have an iPhone (V.8 and above) – should you be using the NEW Welcome Suica App?

It’s important to note the changes introduced for 2025 on WHERE and HOW you can buy the Welcome Suica Cards valid for 28 days and that in March 2025 the NEW digital version of the Welcome Suica App (iOS only). The new app will be available as a download and in languages including English and will accept credit card payments linked to Apple Pay.

But what to do if you have an android phone and not an iPhone and you want to use a Welcome Suica in Japan?

And, what about a Japanese Rail (JR) Pass? What is that for and how does it work differently from a Welcome Suica Card?

All good questions for the visitor to Japan 2025. In this post I’ll share with you what I’ve learned!

Japan Travel: Should I Buy A Suica Card? #japan #japantravel #suica #traintravel #traveltojapan

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WHAT IS A WELCOME SUICA CARD

The Welcome Suica card is a prepaid electronic and contactless travel card that allows you to transport easily around and within Japanese cities without having to worry about buying individual fare tickets.

You can easily keep your Suica card topped up with money at local convenience stores and stations and it is then valid for trains, buses, subways, ferries, storage lockers, and even for buying stuff from vending machines and for shopping in some convenience stores.

If you don’t have a Suica card then you will need to buy a ticket from a ticket machine at the train or subway station every time you change lines. The stations are usually crowded and once you’ve found the right ticket machine (and there are many) and waited in line to buy the fare ticket you need you’ll have probably missed your train.

To use it you simply touch the Suica Card to the IC Reader and you walk through the terminal.

In the station simply touch the Suica Card to the IC Reader — *In the station simply touch the Suica Card to the IC Ticket Reader*

WHY DO I NEED A SUICA CARD IN JAPAN?

The Suica Card is by far the easiest way to use public transportation and the Welcome Suica Card is made for tourists.

You just buy a card, no deposit required, charge it with money, and tap it each time you enter and leave the public transport of your choice. You can see your balance displayed when you tap your card at the exit gate.

The fare is calculated and deducted automatically according to the exit destination.

The Welcome Suica card can be used throughout Japan and wherever you see the Suica or IC logo.

HOW TO GET A NEW DIGITAL SUICA CARD

If you have an iPhone I recommend you download the new Digital Mobile Suica App.

Download the Digital Suica App before your trip.
Agree to the Terms and Conditions
Set up your secret password.
Turn on Location Information.
Top up your Digital Suica with Apple Pay – you can do this before you arrive in Japan.
Once issued your Digital Suica is valid for 180 days inclusive of the day of issue.
Some versions (possibly before V8) of iOS are not supported.
Digital Suica Child Card can be used by children up to 12 years old.
You CAN use the App for non-reserved seats on the Shinkansen in the JR East Area.
The app is expected to include travel information maps, route planners, and real-time updates on train schedules.
IMPORTANT: Any remaining balance at the end of your trip or 180 days is Non-Refundable.

At the train station - using the Suica Card is the easiest way to use public transportation in Japan — *Using the Suica Card is the easiest way to use public transportation in Japan*

HOW TO GET A WELCOME SUICA CARD ON ARRIVAL IN JAPAN

If you don’t have an iPhone then I recommend you get your Welcome Suica Card as soon as you arrive in Japan at the airport.

More information can be found at the Japan Railways Welcome Suica Page.

JR EAST Travel Service Centres can be found located in Narita Airport and Haneda Airport.

JR EAST Travel Service CENTRE LOCATION AND WEBSITES

Once we had our Welcome Suica cards, while travelling in Japan, we loaded up cash in Yen onto our card with no problems at Seven Bank ATMs or at 7-Eleven Family Mart, and at other convenience stores. Note that only yen can be used to load a card. Credit cards cannot be used to load a Welcome Suica.

Japan Bullet Train JR Pass The Backpacking Housewife

JAPAN RAIL (JR) TRAVEL PASSES

The most important difference to note between the JR Pass and the Welcome Suica is that The JR Pass allows you travel between cities and different regions around Japan, also using the Shinkansen bullet trains, whereas the Welcome Suica IC card or Digital Mobile App is for travel within a city or within a region in most cases.

Note: The new Digital Suica App can be used for non-reserved seats on the Shinkansen in the JR East Area.

The Japan Rail Pass (JR Pass) can be ordered online and is meant for tourists who want to use the Airport Express Trains and the Shinkansen Bullet Train to visit several cities in a short time using Japanese Railways at a discounted price.

You can choose a Standard Pass or a Green Pass (1^st Class) for 7 days, 14 days, or 21 days.

So with a 7,14, or 21 day pass, doing several long-distance train trips – including using the Shinkansen Bullet Train – you’ll save a heap of Yen from your very first journey and the train will take you quickly (currently operating at 200 mph but they are getting faster) and comfortably to other regions in Japan.

JR Pass holders can also use the Tokyo Monorail.

JR Pass holders can use the JR West Miyajima Ferry.

Japanese trains can be divided into five types: local train, rapid train, express train, limited express train and shinkansen.

IMPORTANT: If you are only staying in one city or region of Japan then the JR Pass will never be worth it.

To help you find out if a Japan Rail Pass is worth it for your itinerary check out the Japan Rail Pass calculator.

Buy your JR Pass online or find out more at the official JR Pass Website.

*Using the Welcome Suica card or app is the easiest way to use the Tokyo Metro*

WHAT’S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A SUICA AND JR PASS?

SUICA CARD VS JR PASS

The JR Pass is a pre-paid 7, 14, or 21 day tourist pass that is personal to you and allows you unlimited discounted rides on JR train lines throughout Japan. It is used to travel from one Japanese city to another. You can also present it in station ticket offices to choose seats on your long-distance train. You can choose a Green (First Class Pass) or a Standard Pass.

The Suica Card is a IC ‘tappable’ and ‘top up-able’ transportation payment card or Mobile App that is accepted as a payment method on buses, subways, trams, trains, ferries, vending machines and lockers and some convenience stores where you can easily top up your Suica Card when your balance gets low.

The Welcome Suica card is valid for tourist stays of up to 28 days.

The NEW Suica Mobile App is valid for up to 180 days.

There are NO REFUNDS on the Welcome Suica so don’t leave cash on your card/app before you leave Japan or at the end of the 28 day or 180 period. The day you buy/activate your Welcome Suica counts as the first day of validity.