Can I use Suica in Osaka or ICOCA in Tokyo?

Yes! Japan's 10 major IC cards are interoperable nationwide. You can use Suica in Osaka, ICOCA in Tokyo, and so on for trains, buses, and stores.

What is the best IC card for tourists visiting Japan?

Welcome Suica or PASMO Passport are designed for tourists — no deposit required, valid for 28 days, and available at airports. Regular Suica/PASMO/ICOCA also work great with a ¥500 refundable deposit.

Can I get a refund on my transit card when leaving?

Most cards are refundable. Japan cards charge ¥220, Octopus charges HK$11 if less than 3 months old, and T-money can be refunded at convenience stores for balances under ₩20,000.

Do I need an IC card if I have a contactless bank card?

In London, contactless bank cards work on the same network as Oyster with daily price capping. In Japan and most Asian cities, a local IC card is still recommended as contactless bank cards have limited acceptance on transit.

How do I recharge my IC card?

All cards can be recharged at station machines. Most also accept top-ups at convenience stores. Some support mobile app recharging (Suica via Apple Pay, Octopus app, T-money app).

Do transit IC cards expire?

Japan IC cards expire after 10 years of inactivity. EZ-Link expires after 5 years. T-money, EasyCard, Octopus, and Oyster have no expiration, so you can reuse them on future trips.

IC Card Guide for Travelers

Compare transit IC cards across Asia and Europe — purchase, recharge, refund & tourist tips

🇯🇵

Suica

JR East · Tokyo

Deposit / Card Cost

¥500

Where to Buy

JR stations, Airport kiosks, Convenience stores

How to Recharge

Station machines, Convenience stores, Mobile app (Apple Pay)

Where to Use

Trains, Buses, Convenience stores, Vending machines, Taxis

Convenience Store Payment

Yes

Mobile Support

Yes

Card Expiry

10 years of inactivity

How to Get a Refund

JR East station counter (¥220 fee deducted from balance)

Tourist Version

Welcome Suica (no deposit, 28-day expiry)

Interoperable With

PASMO, ICOCA, All 10 major IC cards

🇯🇵

PASMO

PASMO Co. · Tokyo

Deposit / Card Cost

¥500

Where to Buy

Metro/private railway stations, Bus terminals, Airport

How to Recharge

Station machines, Convenience stores, Mobile app

Where to Use

Trains, Buses, Convenience stores, Vending machines

Convenience Store Payment

Yes

Mobile Support

Yes

Card Expiry

10 years of inactivity

How to Get a Refund

Metro station counter (¥220 fee deducted from balance)

Tourist Version

PASMO Passport (no deposit, 28-day expiry)

Interoperable With

Suica, ICOCA, All 10 major IC cards

🇯🇵

ICOCA

JR West · Osaka/Kansai

Deposit / Card Cost

¥500

Where to Buy

JR West stations, Airport kiosks

How to Recharge

Station machines, Convenience stores

Where to Use

Trains, Buses, Convenience stores, Vending machines

Convenience Store Payment

Yes

Mobile Support

Card Expiry

10 years of inactivity

How to Get a Refund

JR West station counter (¥220 fee deducted from balance)

Tourist Version

ICOCA (standard, available to tourists at stations)

Interoperable With

Suica, PASMO, All 10 major IC cards

🇰🇷

T-money

Korea Smart Card Co. · Seoul / Nationwide

Deposit / Card Cost

₩2,500

Where to Buy

Convenience stores, Subway stations, Airport

How to Recharge

Convenience stores, Subway machines, Bank ATMs, Mobile app

Where to Use

Subway, Buses, Taxis, Convenience stores, Vending machines

Convenience Store Payment

Yes

Mobile Support

Yes

Card Expiry

No expiry

How to Get a Refund

Convenience store (balance ≤ ₩20,000) or T-money center

Tourist Version

Korea Tour Card (T-money based, tourist discounts)

Interoperable With

Cashbee (partial)

🇰🇷

Cashbee

EB Card Co. · Daejeon / Regional

Deposit / Card Cost

₩2,500

Where to Buy

Convenience stores, Subway stations

How to Recharge

Convenience stores, Subway machines

Where to Use

Subway, Buses, Convenience stores

Convenience Store Payment

Yes

Mobile Support

Card Expiry

No expiry

How to Get a Refund

Convenience store (balance ≤ ₩20,000)

Interoperable With

T-money (partial)

🇹🇼

EasyCard

EasyCard Corporation · Taipei / Nationwide

Deposit / Card Cost

NT$100

Where to Buy

MRT stations, Convenience stores, Airport

How to Recharge

MRT machines, Convenience stores

Where to Use

MRT, Buses, YouBike, Convenience stores, Parking, Ferries

Convenience Store Payment

Yes

Mobile Support

Card Expiry

No expiry

How to Get a Refund

MRT station service center (NT$20 fee if used < 5 times or within 3 months)

Tourist Version

EasyCard (standard, available at airport)

🇭🇰

Octopus

Octopus Cards Limited · Hong Kong

Deposit / Card Cost

HK$50

Where to Buy

MTR stations, Airport, Convenience stores

How to Recharge

MTR machines, Convenience stores, Bank transfer, Mobile app

Where to Use

MTR, Buses, Ferries, Trams, Convenience stores, Restaurants, Parking

Convenience Store Payment

Yes

Mobile Support

Yes

Card Expiry

No expiry

How to Get a Refund

MTR station counter (HK$11 fee if card < 3 months old)

Tourist Version

Tourist Octopus (sold at airport, special designs)

🇸🇬

EZ-Link

EZ-Link Pte Ltd · Singapore

Deposit / Card Cost

S$5

Where to Buy

MRT stations, 7-Eleven, Airport

How to Recharge

MRT machines, 7-Eleven, DBS/POSB ATMs, Mobile app

Where to Use

MRT, Buses, Convenience stores, Some taxis

Convenience Store Payment

Yes

Mobile Support

Yes

Card Expiry

5 years of inactivity

How to Get a Refund

TransitLink ticket office (non-refundable card cost of S$5)

Tourist Version

Singapore Tourist Pass (unlimited rides, 1-3 day options)

Interoperable With

NETS FlashPay

🇬🇧

Oyster

Transport for London · London

Deposit / Card Cost

£7

Where to Buy

Tube stations, Airport, Visitor centres, Online

How to Recharge

Tube machines, Oyster online, Convenience stores, Contactless auto-top-up

Where to Use

Tube, Buses, DLR, Overground, Trams, Some river services

Convenience Store Payment

Mobile Support

Card Expiry

No expiry

How to Get a Refund

Tube station machine (balance ≤ £10) or online (any amount, deposit refunded)

Tourist Version

Visitor Oyster (pre-loaded, special design, no deposit refund)

Interoperable With

Contactless bank cards accepted on same network

Quick Comparison Table

Card	Country / City	Deposit	Convenience Store	Mobile	Expiry	Refundable
🇯🇵 Suica	Tokyo	¥500	✅	✅	10 years of inactivity	✅
🇯🇵 PASMO	Tokyo	¥500	✅	✅	10 years of inactivity	✅
🇯🇵 ICOCA	Osaka/Kansai	¥500	✅	❌	10 years of inactivity	✅
🇰🇷 T-money	Seoul / Nationwide	₩2,500	✅	✅	No expiry	✅
🇰🇷 Cashbee	Daejeon / Regional	₩2,500	✅	❌	No expiry	✅
🇹🇼 EasyCard	Taipei / Nationwide	NT$100	✅	❌	No expiry	✅
🇭🇰 Octopus	Hong Kong	HK$50	✅	✅	No expiry	✅
🇸🇬 EZ-Link	Singapore	S$5	✅	✅	5 years of inactivity	✅
🇬🇧 Oyster	London	£7	❌	❌	No expiry	✅

General Tips for Travelers

💡Buy your card at the airport on arrival for immediate use on airport transit.
💡Always keep a minimum balance — some systems charge a penalty or block exit if balance is insufficient.
💡Check if your phone supports mobile IC cards (Apple Pay / Google Pay) to skip the physical card entirely.
💡Tourist versions often have limited validity (28 days) but skip the deposit fee.
💡Most IC cards work at convenience stores (7-Eleven, FamilyMart, Lawson) for small purchases.

Which Japanese IC Card Should You Get?

Short answer: they all work everywhere

Suica and PASMO (Tokyo), ICOCA (Osaka), and the other major IC cards have been fully interoperable since 2013 — any card works on subways, convenience stores, and vending machines nationwide. What matters for travelers is how you get one, not which region it's from.

Realistic options

iPhone users: add Suica or ICOCA directly in Apple Wallet — instant, no physical card, top up with foreign credit cards. By far the easiest path.
Physical cards: anonymous Suica/PASMO sales have been restricted since the chip shortage. The reliable option is Welcome Suica (28-day validity, no deposit) at airport counters.
Child-fare cards require a passport at a staffed counter.

Refund tip: the ¥500 deposit and remaining balance are refundable only at the issuing company's counters in its own region — a Tokyo Suica can't be refunded in Osaka. Easiest move: spend the balance at a convenience store before you leave.

Frequently Asked Questions

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Sources & References

Content last reviewed: 2026-08-22