English: 2 tips to make your transportation easy in Tokyo

"Do I have to buy an IC card in Tokyo?"

Has anyone thought of this question before? 

Actually some foreign visitors have given me this quetion.

My answer depends on how you want to travel in Tokyo, but if you don't mind dealing with the refund process of the deposit charge, buying an IC card is recommendable. You can save time and money.

Also, if you just want to use only Tokyo Metro, 24-hour train pass would make your trip cheaper than buying an IC card.

In this article, I am going to introduce two tips, so that you can have necessary information for making your transportation easy or cheap during the trip in Tokyo.

Here are the contents of this article. 

1. IC Card (available for using the bus and train in Tokyo)
2. Tokyo Metro 24-Hour Train Pass

This article is for: someone who wants to make the trip easy or cheap in Tokyo. 

1. IC card (available for using the bus and train in Tokyo)

Basically, we have two IC card options  to travel in Tokyo: PASMO or SUICA. 

In terms of the function as the means of transportation, both of them don't make a big difference, but you have to keep in mind that you had better not store any balance on SUICA for its refund, because you would have to pay commission fee.

• PASMO

Upon your arrival on Haneda or Narita International Airport, you can purchase PASMO card at Keisei Station in Narita Airport, or Keikyu Haneda Airport International Terminal. 

If you don't enough time at the airport, don't worry about that. After the check-in at your hotel, you can visit the nearest train station of Tokyo Metro, Toei Subway, Tokyu Line, Odakyu Line for purchasing PASMO, except for JR Line.

If you no longer need your PASMO, it can be refunded at the train station where PASMO is sold.

The IC card must be returned and the stored fare balance and deposit of ¥500 will be refunded.

Note: If you purchase "PASMO Passport", refunds are not available.  

• SUICA

Upon your arrival on Haneda or Narita International Airport, you can purchase SUICA at the JR station in Narita Airport, or Monorail SUICA at Tokyo Monorail Station in Haneda Airport International Terminal. 

If you don't enough time at the airport, don't worry about that. After the check-in at your hotel, you can visit the nearest JR train station for purchasing SUICA.

If you no longer need your SUICA, it can be refunded at the train station where SUICA is sold. If you buy Monorail SUICA, you can visit Tokyo Monorail for refund. 

Note: You have to make sure that the stored fare balance is ¥0 before the refund. For example, if you have 12 yens left on your card, you can spend 12 yens by SUICA for shopping and pay the rest of the amount by cash. And then you can bring your SUICA for its refund. 

There is a charge of 220 yen to return a Suica card, which is deducted from the total. For refunds, a fee of 220 yen is subtracted from the total (a result of less than zero is considered zero), and then the initial 500 yen deposit is added. Source:  https://www.jreast.co.jp/e/pass/suica.html

2. Tokyo Metro 24-Hour Ticket ←Click!

If you want to make your transportation fee cheap, Tokyo Metro 24-Hour Ticket is recommendable. 

It's 600 yens and available for 24 hours after its purchase. 

Since Tokyo Metro network covers almost all of the tourist spots in Tokyo, this is recommendable. 

For more information, please see the official website of Tokyo Metro.

 

Let's make your trip easy

In this article, I described two tips for making your transportation easy in Tokyo. 

If you need minimum information to have a comfortable trip in Tokyo, please feel free to contact the guide you are interested in.

Thank you very much for reading this.