Tip - Download the Suica app!

[Lesley Wake]

I just got back from Tokyo and one tip I haven't seen is to download the Suica app onto your phone. The Suica is one of the payment options used for transportation (also Pasmo). With the app, you load it with a certain amount of money, then your phone uses near-field-communication to act as the ticket (so you tap your phone at entrance turnstile). Your phone does not need internet access to do this. (You do need internet access to reload it though.)

BUT, the Suica is also accepted as a method of payment elsewhere, including everywhere in Tokyo Disney. So, rather than having to pay in cash or with a foreign credit card, you can instead load up the Suica app, and use your phone for payment. It helps make things go quicker and the CMs appreciate the ease of it. I kept having issues with my credit card, since the way it is designed is not easy to swipe in the magnetic readers, but once I started using the suica it was sooo much easier!

 

[LovesTimone]

Thanks for the tip..

 

[wongck]

Thanks for the hint.
I will still use the welcome suica (no deposit needed) as my kids do not have iphone 8.

 

[wongck]

Didn't know that you can use IC card inside TDL, this is a good tip.

 

[Lesley Wake]

Didn't know that you can use IC card inside TDL, this is a good tip.

I think it's a relatively recent development, but all the cash registers had IC card readers! So you can always reload the kids Welcome Suica cards and they can use that for payment too!

 

[wongck]

yes, it will be great to avoid the credit card overseas transaction charges.
I was going to exchange cash to use anyway, so suica will definitely reduce the hassle of handling bunch of cash and coins.

 

[wongck]

Scored some bargains at KLook over the weekend including a 1-for-1 Suica card.
So I got the normal Suica now, and need to do a fund on them when leaving Japan -- need to pencil in sometime to do the refund at Narita airport but at least I got one free Suica (2000 Yen worth) !!

Does anyone know if it is possible to use more than multiple Suica for payment at the Combini?
Like I want to use up all the remaining amount in all my 4 Suica before refunding the cards.

Edit: corrected sentence

 

[gelatoni fan]

Does anyone know if it is possible to use more than multiple Suica for payment at the Combini?
Like I want to use up all the remaining amount in all my 4 Suica before refunding the cards.

You're supposed to get the remaining balance back when you refund the card. But you only get 280 of your deposit back rather than the 500 cost of the card. so if you have 500 yen left on the card, you get 780 back when you return it.

 

[wongck]

Really?
JRE document mention differently. let me check their pages again.

Edit: It seems that you get back the full 500Yen deposit. The fee is not taken from the deposit but what's left of the card.

 

[MikeOhio]

Another great part of using the suica app is that if you fund it with a travel rewards credit card like the chase sapphire reserve, you get 3% back on everything you transfer because it’s coded as travel. So every penny transferred to the suica earns 3% back regardless if you actually use the suica to purchase items in the travel/dining category.