How to Buy a Suica Card in Japan: Ticket Machine Steps + Simulator

You can buy a Suica at ticket machines and staffed ticket windows in major train stations — including the JR stations inside Narita and Haneda airports, so you can get one right after you land. Look for the multilingual touchscreen machines near the ticket gates, or a staffed window (Midori-no-madoguchi at JR East stations). Availability of physical cards can change, so availability may vary by station and date; if one machine is sold out, try a nearby larger station or ask staff. On a supported iPhone or Apple Watch you can also add a Suica in Apple Wallet instead of a physical card. For anything official, check the JR East Suica page.

1. Tap the language button and switch the screen to English (or your language).
2. Choose “Purchase new Suica” or the IC card option.
3. Pick the card type — a regular Suica, or the tourist Welcome Suica where it is offered.
4. Insert cash in yen. Many IC-card machines are cash-only and do not accept foreign cards.
5. Select how much to load onto the card.
6. Take your Suica and any change or receipt, and you are ready to tap through the gates.

A regular Suica usually includes a 500 yen refundable deposit; the Welcome Suica has no deposit but expires 28 days after purchase.

• Cash in Japanese yen — 1,000 yen notes and coins are safest, since many IC machines reject foreign credit cards.
• A rough idea of how much to load (see below) so you are not deciding at the machine.
• No passport or registration is required for a normal Suica.

It also helps to know how to read the gates and signs first — see how to read Japanese train signs and practice navigating a station.

Regular Suica: 500 yen refundable deposit, no expiry, reloadable for years — best if you visit Japan often or want the deposit back when you leave.

Welcome Suica: made for short-term visitors — no deposit, a distinctive red design, but it expires 28 days after purchase and cannot be refunded. Best for a single short trip, where it is offered.

Physical-card availability has fluctuated in recent years, so a mobile Suica in Apple Wallet is a reliable alternative on supported phones.

A common first charge is 2,000–3,000 yen. That covers several train, subway, and bus rides plus convenience-store purchases, and you can top up anytime. If you are leaving Japan within a day or two, load less — a regular Suica refund has a small handling fee, and a Welcome Suica cannot be refunded at all.

Recharge at any ticket machine, fare-adjustment machine, or convenience-store register. Tap “Charge” (chāji), place the card on the tray or reader, and add 1,000 yen or more in cash. Convenience stores can also top up the card at the counter.

• Trying a foreign credit card in a cash-only IC-card slot.
• Buying a single paper ticket instead of selecting the IC card / Suica option.
• Loading far too much right before leaving Japan.
• Tapping the wrong reader, or tapping too fast before the gate responds.
• Assuming every station has cards in stock — availability may vary by station and date.

The easiest way to feel ready is to run through the flow a couple of times on the free Suica simulator above. It mirrors a real ticket-machine screen — choosing the card, inserting cash, and selecting a charge amount — so the real machine at the airport feels familiar.

Can tourists buy a Suica card in Japan?

Yes. Foreign visitors can buy a Suica at ticket machines and staffed windows in major train stations and at the airport train stations. Availability of physical cards can vary by station and date, so if one station is out, try a nearby major station or ask staff. On supported phones you can also add a Suica in Apple Wallet instead of a physical card.

Where can I buy a Suica at the airport?

At the train-station area inside Narita and Haneda airports — look for the JR or Keisei ticket machines and staffed windows near the station gates after you clear arrivals. Buying before your first ride means you can tap straight through the gates.

Do I need a passport to buy a Suica?

No. A normal Suica does not require a passport or any registration. Some staffed windows may ask to see a passport for the tourist Welcome Suica, but the standard machine purchase does not.

How much money should I put on my Suica first?

A common first charge is 2,000–3,000 yen. That covers several train, subway, and bus rides plus convenience-store stops, and you can top up at any machine anytime. If you are leaving Japan soon, avoid overloading — a regular Suica refund has a small fee, and a Welcome Suica cannot be refunded.

Welcome Suica vs Suica — which should a tourist get?

Choose the Welcome Suica for a short trip: it has no deposit and a red design, but it expires 28 days after purchase and is non-refundable. Choose a regular Suica if you visit Japan often or want the deposit back — it carries a 500 yen refundable deposit and does not expire. Where both are offered, pick by how long and how often you travel.

Can I use one Suica for trains and buses?

Yes. A Suica works on most trains, subways, and buses across Japan, and pays at many convenience stores, vending machines, and shops. You tap the same card at the gate reader or the bus reader — no need to know the exact fare in advance.