If traveling frequently in Tokyo and the suburbs, having Suica is very comfortable.
As well as get on the train, shopping at the station premises is made with a Suica card.
In Japan, I will introduce basic usage for those who have never used Suica, which is a major card, and who do not know how to use it.
There are only two points.
- To use before charging.
- Just touch the Suica for tickets and shopping.
You can become a “master of Suica” from today as well.
How to purchase Suica
For details on how to purchase, refer to this article for details.
Ticket and shopping are just OK by touching suica
Suica can be used in various places such as train, bus, convenience store, supermarket, restaurant, vending machine.
When passing through the ticket gate of the station, you think that you can understand by seeing the former person, just touch the part of [IC] as it is.
When the reading does not go well or the balance is insufficient, the gate of the automatic ticket gate will not open with the gate closed.
When paying by bus, touch the reading section of [IC] when getting off the car.
When using it at a shop such as a convenience store, just say “I will pay with watermelon” at the cash register and touch the designated reading section is OK.
Also when you use it at a shop, if you have a Suica with an auto charge function like a lumine card, you do not have to worry about your balance.
Tip: Suica can be used nationwide
However, Suica can not be used at all convenience stores and restaurants.
So how do you distinguish whether Suica can be used?
The easiest thing to understand is to check if there is a Suica logo before checkout.
If it is a store with this mark, you can pay Suica.
Also, Suica can be used not only in the Kanto region, nationwide.
There are many transportation IC cards nationwide including “Kitaca” in Hokkaido, “Icoca” in Kansai, “TOICA” in Tokai, and “PASMO” in Tokyo.
However, since transportation IC cards can now be used mutually throughout the country, Suica can be used in railways in Hokkaido or in shops in Kyushu.
Even if there is no Suica mark before checkout, if there is a mark like the one below, think that it is “OK with all Suica”.
Suica needs to be charged before payment.
Suica cards can be purchased from 1,000 yen.
However, even if the release price is 1,000 yen, only 500 yen can be used for actual payment.
This is because the deposit (deposit fee) is included in the selling price of the Suica card for 500 yen, so a refund of 500 yen will be made when returning the card.
Therefore, “Release price -500 yen” will be the amount you can use when purchasing Suica card.
As well as nanaco and WAON, Suica is a prepaid type of electronic money, and when the Suica balance becomes low, you need to charge (deposit).
Charging to Suica is a common way to charge it with cash at ticket vending machines, convenience stores and super cash register in the station.
The maximum charge amount is 20,000 yen, the minimum charge amount is 500 yen.