For visitors, a transit IC card is no longer a train ticket — it's Japan's wallet. Convenience stores, vending machines, coin lockers: one tap covers them all. But mobile eligibility, foreign-card top-ups and Shinkansen integration differ by card. Here is the 2026 state of play.
Mobile Suica: three minutes on any iPhone
iPhone's Wallet can issue a Suica regardless of region settings, and Apple Pay top-ups go through with most foreign Visa/Mastercard issuers. Android is where it breaks down: Osaifu-Keitai hardware is required, so overseas handsets are generally out. That's decision point one.
Physical cards are back: post-shortage restrictions have eased, and the deposit-free Welcome Suica (valid 28 days) is reliably available at station machines.
The case for ICOCA: Kansai private railways
Flying into Kansai? Mobile ICOCA now supports Apple Pay, and its point integration with private railways like Hankyu and Kintetsu is something Suica can't match. But some Tokyo-area JR perks — tap-on Green Cars, notably — are Suica-only, so a Tokyo-centric trip still means Suica.
- Tokyo-centric: Mobile Suica
- Kansai-centric: ICOCA (rail points)
- Foreign Android: physical card only
- Short stay: Welcome Suica
Connecting to the Shinkansen
SmartEX for the Tokaido Shinkansen accepts foreign cards, and linking your IC card enables ticketless boarding. The catch: you cannot ride the Shinkansen on IC balance. The fare bills to the linked credit card; the IC is just your tap token at the gate.
Spending down and refunds
The easiest exit strategy is spending the balance at a konbini. Suica refunds cost ¥220 at JR East counters; Welcome Suica has no deposit, so plan to zero it out. Budget the balance through your last airport purchase and nothing goes to waste.