Suica vs PASMO: which IC card to get in Tokyo

Suica is a prepaid IC card: tap it on the ticket gate and the fare is taken from the balance, and it also works as e-money in shops. PASMO is an IC card for transportation and shopping. It pays train and bus fares and cashless payments at participating stores.

Updated October 5, 2026

Suica and PASMO side by side

Suica and PASMO compared, from the issuers' pages (checked 5 October 2026)
	Suica	PASMO
Issued by	JR East	PASMO Co., Ltd.
Main area	Tokyo area plus Sendai, Niigata, Aomori and more	Metro Tokyo area
Price	1,000 / 2,000 / 3,000 / 4,000 / 5,000 / 10,000 yen	1,000 yen incl. 500 yen deposit
Deposit	500 yen	500 yen (refundable)
Expiry	Invalid after 10 years unused	Invalid after 10 years unused
Refund	220 yen fee; deposit back	Return the card; balance + 500 yen deposit
Where to buy	JR East multifunction machines and ticket offices	Ticket machines and station pass counters; no credit cards

The details, card by card

Issued by

Suica: Suica is a JR East IC card that can be used on trains, buses and for shopping.
PASMO: PASMO's rules define PASMO as the IC-chip card, able to record monetary value, that is issued by PASMO Co., Ltd.

Main area

Suica: Suica works on trains, subways, buses and monorails in the Tokyo metropolitan area, and on some public transport in Sendai, Niigata, Aomori, Morioka, Akita, Hokkaido, Tokai, West Japan, Kyushu and Okinawa.
PASMO: With PASMO you can travel all over the metro Tokyo area and use participating railway and bus networks across Japan by touching the card at the ticket gate or the bus farebox. PASMO is not accepted on all train and bus networks in Japan.

Price

Suica: JR East lists Suica cards at 1,000, 2,000, 3,000, 4,000, 5,000 and 10,000 yen for adults and children.
PASMO: PASMO's rules set the sale price of a PASMO at 1,000 yen including a 500 yen deposit. Operators may sell it at other prices in 1,000-yen steps, up to 20,000 yen.

Deposit

Suica: A new Suica card includes a 500 yen deposit in its price, and the deposit is refunded when you return the card.
PASMO: A 500 yen deposit is included in the price of a new PASMO card. It cannot be used for fares or shopping, and it is refunded when you turn in the card.

Expiry

Suica: A Suica card becomes invalid if it is not used for 10 years.
PASMO: A PASMO becomes invalid if it is not exchanged, used or topped up for 10 years, counted from the day after the last such use.

Refund

Suica: Return a JR East Suica at a JR East station: you get the balance minus a 220 yen fee, plus the 500 yen deposit.
PASMO: A PASMO you no longer need can be refunded if you return the card. The stored balance cannot be refunded on its own, and the 500 yen deposit is refunded with it.

Where to buy

Suica: Inside the Suica area, My Suica (registered) and Suica cards are sold at JR East multifunction machines, Midori-no-madoguchi ticket offices and operator-assisted reserved-seat machines, and at Shinkansen-station ticket offices. Stations with only partial Suica support do not sell them.
PASMO: You can buy a PASMO from a ticket machine at a participating transportation provider, or at the commuter pass ticket counter at the station. Purchase procedures differ by operator, and credit cards are not accepted.

Frequently asked questions

Is the issued by different on Suica and PASMO?

Suica is a JR East IC card that can be used on trains, buses and for shopping. PASMO's rules define PASMO as the IC-chip card, able to record monetary value, that is issued by PASMO Co., Ltd.

Is the main area different on Suica and PASMO?

Suica works on trains, subways, buses and monorails in the Tokyo metropolitan area, and on some public transport in Sendai, Niigata, Aomori, Morioka, Akita, Hokkaido, Tokai, West Japan, Kyushu and Okinawa. With PASMO you can travel all over the metro Tokyo area and use participating railway and bus networks across Japan by touching the card at the ticket gate or the bus farebox. PASMO is not accepted on all train and bus networks in Japan.

Is the price different on Suica and PASMO?

JR East lists Suica cards at 1,000, 2,000, 3,000, 4,000, 5,000 and 10,000 yen for adults and children. PASMO's rules set the sale price of a PASMO at 1,000 yen including a 500 yen deposit. Operators may sell it at other prices in 1,000-yen steps, up to 20,000 yen.

Is the deposit different on Suica and PASMO?

A new Suica card includes a 500 yen deposit in its price, and the deposit is refunded when you return the card. A 500 yen deposit is included in the price of a new PASMO card. It cannot be used for fares or shopping, and it is refunded when you turn in the card.

Is the refund different on Suica and PASMO?

Return a JR East Suica at a JR East station: you get the balance minus a 220 yen fee, plus the 500 yen deposit. A PASMO you no longer need can be refunded if you return the card. The stored balance cannot be refunded on its own, and the 500 yen deposit is refunded with it.