Suica, Pasmo, ICOCA, NEX: Tokyo Transport - What the Heck?!?!
Japan is a country full of options. No matter the situation, there always seems to be a million answers. Transportation is no exception.
As the time draws near for our 2-week “natsu-yasumi” (Japanese for Summer vacation), I find myself inundated with research into transportation choices. Information abounds in regards to the Japan Rail Pass (see more information here) which is a pass available outside Japan and only to foreigners/visitors for transport on Japan’s network of shinkansen, or “bullet” trains. My son and I will be using our passes to travel from Tokyo to Beppu, Kyoto, Kobe, Osaka and Nara. The rail pass is an economical solution for long-distance trips and for travel further outside city centers. There is, however, the question of how to travel within Japan’s humongous metropolitan areas.
While walking will get you to a lot of places and I definitely recommend a good pair of comfortable walking shoes, Japan is a fairly large environment so eventually you’ll find yourself needing to make use of the subway (metro rail) and/or a bus or two.
At first glance, Japan’s metro rail system can seem extremely intimidating. A virtual mash-up of pathways owned by a virtual mash-up of private rail companies, the metro is none the less surprisingly efficient and navigable. Luckily, the system has somewhat given itself over to the pressure of the toursim industry and as a result, a large number of metro workers have a great grasp of the English language as well as a cultural penchant for helping you get to your destination.
Knowing I would most likely spend a right bit chunk of time traveling on the metro rail last year, I asked for and was given some great advice on the most economical and efficient way to travel. Instead of purchasing separate tickets each time I used the rail, I purchased a PASMO card which alleviated the need to carry money specifically for rail fare as well as the need to actually calculate fare amounts from point A to point B. Because there are several companies that operate specific segments or lines, there are a few options when it comes to prepaid rail cards.
PASMO: A convenient transportation system using an integrated circuit (IC) card which allows repeated use of a single rechargeable card. PASMO cards can be purchased from a number of private railways, subways and buses but the easiest method of purchase is to use a metro station ticket vending machine. PASMO cards can be purchased in amounts of ¥1000, ¥2000, ¥3000, ¥4000, ¥5000, and ¥10,000. A ¥500 refundable deposit is included in the purchase price.
The PASMO card can be used on just about all trains in the Greater Tokyo region, including Japan Railways (JR) trains, subways, and monorails, but cannot be used on shinkansen. Many buses in the greater Tokyo region also accept the PASMO card.
SUICA: A rechargeable integrated circuit (IC) card issued by the JR East rail company. The SUICA card is virtually interchangeable with the PASMO card and can be used on just about all trains, subways and buses in the Greater Tokyo, Sendai and Niigata regions.
The SUICA card has a bit more range than the PASMO card in that it can be used on JR trains in the Osaka, Okayama and Hiroshima regions (in place of the ICOCA card) and in the Nagoya and Shizuoka regions (in place of the TOICA card). The SUICA can also be used in the Sapporo region in place of the KITACA card.
NEX: I’m throwing the Narita Express (NEX) pass in here on general principal. If you’re flying into Narita, getting to your accommodations which will most likely be in downtown Tokyo, can be a bit tricky and a little expensive if you’re using a limousine service. A NEX ticket will allow you access to an express train that runs every hour during off-peak times and every 30 minutes during peak times. The NEX offers direct service from the aiport to a host of major Tokyo stations and is often sold as a “special” in conjunction with the SUICA card.
With Japan embracing more and more, the idea of toursism, more and more travel specials seem to pop up. You can read a most excellent article by Shane Sakata of The Nihon Sun on some great special discount tickets as of July 2009. You can also find some pretty comprehensive rail/travel information by Honor Dargan of Tokyotopia that includes tips on trains, taxis, walking and even cycling in Japan.
In conclusion, save yourself some hassle and invest in a rechargeable metro pass. Funds can be added to both the PASMO and the SUICA card with a simple transaction at many station ticket vending machines. The 500 yen deposit included in the purchase price of either card is refundable (less a handling fee) once you’re finished using the card. Using the card is as simple as passing it over, or holding it parallel to, the ticket reader at appropriately marked ticket gates, and either card will free you from the need to to determine somewhat complicated fare calculations. All in all, the less you have to worry about, the more you can enjoy your trip.
