PSA: Japan Suspends Sale of Their Reloadable Train Cards

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(SPOT.ph) A key experience for anyone headed to Japan is commuting via their highly efficient and world-renowned train system. Many a traveler would recommend tourists get an IC card (a.k.a the Suica or PASMO card) to make the trips more seamless and cost-effective.

But if you're headed to Japan for the first time, this tip may no longer apply to you. As of August 2, Japan stopped selling its reloadable IC cards. Here's how this change can affect your travel plans. 

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Here's the latest update on the Japanese train card shortage:

Due to a worldwide shortage in semiconductor production, Japan has suspended the sale of registered and unregistered IC cards from both PASMO and Suica indefinitely. These two main cards are usually recommended for tourists as these can be used to pay for train rides, buses, vending machines, and even purchases in select restaurants and shops with just a tap of the card.

But there's no need to panic. The temporary sale suspension only applies to blank reloadable and personalized adult fare cards—the kind that doesn't expire and is typically used by tourists and locals alike.

This means that special passes for overseas tourists, such as the short-term passes  Welcome Suica card and the PASMO Passport, are still available in limited quantities in select airports and train stations. If there is a way for you to purchase these cards prior to your trip or even get your hands on the old PASMO and Suica cards through third-party sellers like Klook, we recommend that you buy them as using these IC cards can save you a lot of transportation money in the long run. 

Tourists and locals with existing PASMO or Suica cards can rest easy as this new move does not affect the support and functionality of previously released cards.  These cards can also be charged as usual (at ticket vending machines, etc.), so customers with these cards should encounter no disruptions to card functionality. Alternatively, if you have your Apple Wallet set up on your iPhone, you can use the Mobile Suica and Mobile PASMO applications to pay for transport and other goods that can be bought with electronic money. 

Buy IC Cards and Tourist Passes from Klook. For more information, visit East Japan Railway Company's website or PASMO's website. 

Also read: 10 Cool Things You Can Do for Free in Tokyo

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