The PASMO or SUICA cards are reloadable transportation cards that work on practically every major rail company in Japan. How it works is similar to the Oyster Card in London, T-money in Seoul or the EZ-Link in Singapore, just to name a few.

 

Many bus systems allow use of these cards and it can also be used to activate the luggage lockers placed at stations or for payments at most convenience stores in the city.

 

Having these cards is not compulsory for travel and they provide little to no discount over the standard single-ride ticket, but they are recommended for its convenience since the Japanese transport system is made up of multiple public and private carriers who each have their own separate fare structure. 

 

Each traveler will need to carry one card and tap-in/out every time you go through the automated gates.

 

The physical card is extremely hard to obtain in the Tokyo area right now. If you use iPhones, you can get the digital version of SUICA to your phone with the exact same feature.

 

Due to the worldwide shortage of semiconductors, the sales point of PASMO or SUICA in the Tokyo area is now extremely limited.

 

Short-term travelers to Japan may still obtain cards specifically for tourists at the airport or selected areas within Tokyo.

   

"PASMO PASSPORT"

1) At the Skyliner & Keisei Information Center in the Narita Airport Station

 

2) At the Keikyu Information Center in Haneda Airport Station

 *Passports are required for the purchase and the payment must be made in cash.

UPDATE Apr 2024 - The PASMO PASSPORT will be discontinued by August 2024. (Source: https://www.pasmo.co.jp/visitors/en/)

 

It looks like product is now only available at the airport stations and not within the city center.

Selected Tokyo Metro stations that have a pass office (see above map) may be able to sell you the regular PASMO by showing your passport and verifying that you are a short-term visitor to the country. This option has been confirmed at both the Shinjuku and Ueno station office.

Purchases must be made in cash, and you can choose amounts of 1,000 or 2,000 JPY in your initial purchase, inclusive of the 500 JPY deposit fee. Office hours are from 7:40am to 8pm.

 

The PASMO PASSPORT or WELCOME SUICA will be valid for 28 days. The card can be topped up using a vending machine found in the stations including non-JR ones, in any region of the country. What is left on the card will not be refunded so be cautious about adding too much value into your card.

 

Since the point of sales in the city is limited, I recommend getting one at the airport, if time allows.

 

Also note the restriction of sales only apply to the Tokyo area, so cards with similar function (such as the ICOCA in the Kansai region) can be more easily obtained in other parts of the country.