Smart Tokyo Travel with Suica and Pasmo Cards

This is one of the machines that you use to get a passable receipt card, so I'm going to go purchase one right now. Buying a reloadable IC card for train and bus travel around Tokyo can save you so much time, money, and most importantly, the embarrassment of lost tickets and flashing rejection lights from the ticket gates. But how do you purchase a train ticket during your trip here? We're here today to tell you just how to do that and why you should consider purchasing an IC card. Having an IC card is a time saver. Oftentimes you'll have to change trains and make your transfer. Unfortunately, you'll sometimes have to purchase a new ticket in order to get through the next gate. This can cause you to lose time on making the next train, which makes traveling a lot slower. Not only is it a time saver, it's also a money saver. Losing your ticket and buying a new one is not what you want to have happen. Buying the wrong ticket is also a thing, so purchase your card and you can get a discount from 1 to 10 yen when traveling. It doesn't sound like much, but trust me, it adds up. This card also acts as a sort of debit card. You can use the money charged on your card to purchase items at most shops in Tokyo. There's always that one person in your group of friends who ends up making everyone wait to purchase their ticket. So don't be that person. If you're planning on staying in Tokyo for a long time, you can register your card as a commuter pass. If the original card is lost, it can be reassigned to a new one. Your name will also be printed on the card and are far more likely to get it back if dropped or lost. Which card is better, you ask? Well, let's take a look at some of the differences. You can put down a refundable card deposit for both the Suica and the PASMO. Both cards cost 500 yen. The Suica can be bought at JR stations and the PASMO can be bought at private stations. You can charge both the PASMO and Suica at any station. You can register both cards. If you need to replace the card, both the Suica and PASMO are 510 yen. The return card fee for the Suica is 220 yen and it's 0 yen for the PASMO. The Suica card can be used at multiple locations. A map will be shown in just a minute. And the PASMO can be used in 10 different regions. Here's a map of where the Suica card can be used. For more information, check out the blog post below for a more extensive guide. So, they're basically the same. Just choose whichever you'd like. It doesn't make much of a difference. If you want to know more about Team Suica or Team PASMO, please check out the link in the blog post down below. For the most part, purchasing a PASMO or Suica card is quite simple. Let me show you how. This is one of the machines that you use to get a PASMO. Here's Suica. Suica card. If you want a Suica card, just in case you lose it, you can put your name on it, I believe. So, you can press this one. It tells you information. Confirm. And then you write your first name. Your birth date. And just follow the simple on-screen instructions to buy and or register your IC card. Handy bonus tip, you can also return your PASMO card and get your 500 yen deposit back using the machines. Okay, so I got my Suica card. In conclusion, basically everyone and their brother owns some kind of IC card to get around Japan. It's really the best way to go. So, if you want to look extra smooth sliding through the gates of Tokyo and all of Japan, go ahead and pick your Poison for travel. It can only get easier from here. If you guys like what you see, please comment down below. Like this video and subscribe to this channel for more content like this. And check out our blog post for more information on purchasing an IC card. Thanks for watching and see you guys next time.