IC Cards in Japan

  • Published on : 26/06/2016
  • by : Japan Experience
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Supplementing Your Japan Rail Pass

Learn about IC transportation cards in Japan and how they can make your trip faster and easier. Supplement it together with your Japan Rail Pass, available in 7-, 14-, and 21-day passes!

You can buy an IC Card at any major train station in Japan. Usually, they are bought from automated ticket kiosks, which have English options.

The card will cost ¥2000: a ¥500 deposit for the card and ¥1500 to preload and use on your card for transportation.

New Pasmo Passport : The Pasmo Passport is only available in ticket offices.

Pasmo

Pasmo

©OiMax,https://www.flickr.com/photos/tags/flicker/,CC BY 2.0,https://www.flickr.com/photos/oimax/426704073/

Using your IC Card

Once you have preloaded money onto your IC Card, simply tap it on the glowing blue rectangle located on many ticket gates. 

Be careful! The machines lined up at a ticket barrier often have different uses: some are IC Card only, some are ticket only, and some are both!

Check the remaining balance on your card as you pass through the gate in either direction; it will be displayed on the machine just past where you tapped the card.

If you have entered through a ticket gate without enough money loaded on your card to go back out, don't worry. There are machines near the ticket gates on the platform side where you can charge your card!

IC Pasmo

IC Pasmo

©Tim Adams,https://www.flickr.com/photos/tags/flicker/,CC BY 2.0,https://www.flickr.com/photos/36217981@N02/13154067205

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