Suica for Tourists 2026: Welcome, Mobile, PASMO

Last checked: November 7, 2026 (JST), against JR East, PASMO, Apple Support, Tokyo Metro, JR West and the Fed H.10 yen rate via FRED.

If you’re flying into Tokyo with a phone full of apps and a week of subway rides ahead, the first transport question is usually the same: which IC card can a visitor actually get in 2026?

The short version: plastic Welcome Suica and TOURIST PASMO cover short trips with no deposit, and Welcome Suica Mobile on a compatible iPhone lasts much longer. Regular Suica still exists with a deposit. Below is what each option really offers, with fares checked against official tables.

What you can get in 2026

Three visitor-friendly products matter most for Tokyo arrivals right now. PASMO Passport is gone; PASMO replaced it with TOURIST PASMO in May 2026. JR East’s tourist plastic card remains Welcome Suica, and the phone version is Welcome Suica Mobile.

	Welcome Suica (plastic)	Welcome Suica Mobile	TOURIST PASMO	Regular Suica (plastic)
Who it’s for	Short-term visitors	Overseas visitors with a compatible Apple device	Short-term international visitors	General use (deposit model)
Validity	28 days from purchase day (invalid on day 29)	180 days from issue	28 days from purchase	Becomes invalid after 10 years unused
Deposit	None	None	None	¥500 included in the purchase price
Starting value	¥1,000–¥10,000 denominations	You choose a top-up via Apple Pay	Haneda ¥1,000–¥10,000; Narita ¥2,000	¥1,000–¥10,000 denominations (includes deposit)
Where to get it	Welcome Suica machines at Narita & Haneda T3; JR EAST Travel Service Centers; JAPAN RAIL CAFÉ TOKYO; TAKANAWA GATEWAY Travel Service Center	App Store → Welcome Suica Mobile (JR East)	Haneda (Keikyu tourist machines / info) and Narita (Keisei information centers)	JR East stations selling Suica
Device needs	None	iPhone XR/XS or later on iOS 17.2+; Apple Watch Series 3+	None	None
How to charge	Cash only (machines, Seven Bank ATMs). Max balance ¥20,000	Apple Pay in the app (location must be on)	Cash at ticket machines, buses, some shops. Max balance ¥20,000	Cash only. Max balance ¥20,000
Unused balance	Not refundable	Not refundable; expires with the card	Not refundable	Refundable when you return the card (¥220 handling fee rules; deposit returned)
If lost	Not reissued	Tied to your Apple ID / Wallet setup (keep your secret keyword)	Not reissued	Not reissued (unnamed cards)

Recommendation for a typical US tourist

iPhone, trip under about six months

Start with Welcome Suica Mobile. JR East’s English page says the card is valid for 180 days from issue, the remaining balance is not refunded, and the information is current as of March 2026. Compatible devices are iPhone XR/XS and later on iOS 17.2 or higher, plus Apple Watch Series 3 and later.

Download the app before you leave. Issuing and topping up before arrival only works from South Korea, Taiwan, Malaysia, Singapore, Australia and Vietnam as of March 6, 2025, according to JR East’s FAQ. From the US, plan to finish setup after you enter Japan with location services on — often on airport Wi‑Fi in arrivals.

Tip: Set the Suica as your Express Transit Card so you can tap gates without Face ID or Touch ID. JR East’s install page and Apple Support both describe Express Mode for Japan transit cards.

Android, short trip, or you prefer a card in your wallet

Welcome Suica Mobile is an iOS app. For a typical US Android phone, buy plastic Welcome Suica or TOURIST PASMO at Narita or Haneda. Both are 28-day, no-deposit visitor cards. Welcome Suica is sold at dedicated machines and JR East Travel Service Centers; TOURIST PASMO is sold through Keikyu at Haneda and Keisei information centers at Narita.

What about regular Suica or PASMO in Apple Wallet?

Apple Support (updated March 25 and April 3, 2026) explains how to add a new Suica, PASMO, ICOCA or TOICA in Wallet with an eligible payment card. It does not mark those steps as residents-only. JR East’s product aimed at overseas visitors, though, is still Welcome Suica Mobile. For most US tourists we treat Welcome Suica Mobile as the primary phone path, and Apple Wallet Suica/PASMO as an alternate that still depends on your card being accepted by Apple Pay.

Sample Tokyo local fares

IC fares are usually a few yen cheaper than paper tickets. These are adult fares from official tables, not invented station pairs.

Network	Distance band	Adult IC fare	Approx. USD
Tokyo Metro	1–6 km	¥178	~$1.13
Tokyo Metro	7–11 km	¥209	~$1.33
Tokyo Metro	12–19 km	¥252	~$1.60
Tokyo Metro	20–27 km	¥293	~$1.86
Tokyo Metro	28–40 km	¥324	~$2.06
JR East trunk (from Mar 14, 2026)	1–3 km	¥155	~$0.98
JR East trunk (from Mar 14, 2026)	4–6 km	¥199	~$1.26
JR East trunk (from Mar 14, 2026)	7–10 km	¥209	~$1.33
JR East trunk (from Mar 14, 2026)	11–15 km	¥253	~$1.61

A few short Metro hops a day plus a convenience-store coffee can burn through a few thousand yen quickly. For a first day into Tokyo, many travelers start with about ¥3,000–¥5,000 on the card and top up as needed — that is a planning tip, not an official package.

How to charge, and what happens to unused balance

• Welcome Suica (plastic): cash only at marked ticket machines, fare-adjustment machines and Seven Bank ATMs. Credit cards cannot top it up. Maximum balance ¥20,000. Remaining value is never refunded for “I didn’t use it all.”
• Welcome Suica Mobile: top up in the app with Apple Pay. Location must be on. Balance expires at the end of the 180-day validity and is not refunded.
• TOURIST PASMO: cash top-ups at station machines, on some buses (¥1,000 bills) and at participating shops. Balance cannot exceed ¥20,000. No refund when you leave.
• Regular Suica: cash top-ups; when you return the card at a JR East station, you get the deposit back and the remaining balance minus a ¥220 handling fee under JR East’s published examples.

Treat visitor-card balance like prepaid cash you might not get back. Near the end of your trip, stop topping up and spend down the balance on trains, konbini or coin lockers.

Nationwide use — and the catch

Welcome Suica works anywhere you see the nationwide mutual-use mark, and JR East lists partner logos including Suica, Kitaca, PASMO, manaca, TOICA, ICOCA, Hayakaken, nimoca and SUGOCA. JNTO’s IC-card page points visitors to the same family of cards. Two limits still trip people up:

• Store use in PiTaPa areas is excluded on JR East’s Welcome Suica page.
• You cannot ride continuously from one IC area into another on the same tap (for example, Tokyo metro area straight through into the Sendai area). Exit, then enter again for the next area.

For Kansai arrivals, JR West sells an Original Design ICOCA for Temporary Visitors at the Midori-no-madoguchi at Kansai-airport Station: ¥2,000 including a ¥500 deposit, one per person, passport required. That is a deposit-style card, not a Welcome Suica clone.

Common mistakes

1. Reading GOOD THRU as the expiry date. On Welcome Suica, JR East says the card is valid for 28 days from the purchase date; the GOOD THRU print on the back is not that period.
2. Loading too much money on a non-refundable card. Visitor plastic cards and Welcome Suica Mobile do not refund leftover yen.
3. Assuming you can issue Welcome Suica Mobile from the US before you fly. Pre-arrival issue is limited to six listed countries/regions as of March 6, 2025. Download early; finish after landing.
4. Trying to move plastic Welcome Suica into Apple Wallet. JR East’s visitor phone product is Welcome Suica Mobile. The plastic Welcome Suica pages describe cash top-up and reference paper, not an Apple transfer flow.
5. Using a child’s Welcome Suica after the age cut-off. Child cards need ID at purchase and can trigger adult fare plus a penalty if used past the allowed age.
6. Crossing IC areas without exiting. Area-to-area continuous travel is not allowed; leave the gate and re-enter.

FAQ

Is PASMO Passport still sold?

No. PASMO’s April 17, 2026 notice says TOURIST PASMO replaces PASMO Passport (which was available until 2024) and launched in May 2026. Buy TOURIST PASMO at Haneda or Narita if you want the PASMO visitor plastic card.

Can I get Welcome Suica Mobile if I’m coming from the United States?

Yes after you arrive, on a compatible iPhone. JR East’s FAQ lists only South Korea, Taiwan, Malaysia, Singapore, Australia and Vietnam for issuing a Suica before entering Japan (as of March 6, 2025). From the US, download the app first, then issue and top up in Japan with location on.

Do I need cash if I use Welcome Suica Mobile?

Not for topping up the Mobile Suica itself — that uses Apple Pay. You may still want some yen for places that do not take IC cards or cards, and for buying a plastic backup card if Apple Pay fails.

What if I lose the plastic card?

Welcome Suica and TOURIST PASMO are not reissued if lost. Keep the reference paper that comes with the card. For Welcome Suica Mobile, the card lives in Apple Wallet / your Apple ID setup — protect the phone and remember the secret keyword JR East asks you to set.

Can one card cover trains and convenience stores?

Yes where the Suica / PASMO / mutual-use marks are shown. JR East also notes coin lockers and onboard purchases for Welcome Suica. Limited express, express and Green Car seats still need the related tickets.

Is a JR Pass a substitute for Suica?

No. A rail pass covers specific JR trains; an IC card is for local taps and small purchases. Many visitors use both. We are not covering JR Pass maths in this post.

Read next: more practical Japan guides in our Travel Basics section, including Japan’s tax-free shopping refund rules.