PASMO: Buying, Commuting and Nationwide Use

PASMO is a transit IC card that you can still buy at station ticket machines and counters. One card works on participating JR, private railway and subway lines, as well as in shared IC card areas across Japan, including Osaka and Kyoto, for trains, buses and shopping. Adding money to the card does not make it an unlimited travel pass.

Type	Best suited to	Deposit and unused balance
Regular card	Cash purchase, longer stays and repeat visits	¥500 deposit. A fee of up to ¥220 is deducted from the balance on return
Mobile	Everyday travel or commuting on a compatible device	No deposit. Balance refunds require membership registration, a Japanese bank account and other conditions
TOURIST PASMO	Airport purchase for a trip using up the balance within 28 days	No deposit. Valid for 28 days from purchase; no ordinary balance refund

Buy a regular PASMO at a station ticket machine

Choosing an unregistered or registered PASMO

Visitors can buy regular cards too. An unregistered PASMO cannot be replaced if lost; a registered PASMO is for its named owner and is eligible for loss replacement. Registration requires your name, gender, date of birth and phone number. If you are unsure whether a non-Japanese phone number can be entered, ask the seller. You can also start with an unregistered card and register it later.

Not all of the purchase amount is available for fares. Tokyo Metro’s ¥2,000 purchase price includes a ¥500 deposit, leaving ¥1,500 in stored value. The deposit is money returned when you surrender the card.

Before buying a child’s card

Apply for a child PASMO at a station or bus counter with a document proving the child’s age, such as a passport. A child who already has a child PASMO or child My Suica cannot buy another. A child card is valid until March 31 of the Japanese fiscal year in which the child turns 12; it must be changed to an adult card for use from April 1.

On Tokyo Metro, up to two accompanying young children travel free for each adult or child-fare passenger. For example, a family of two adults and children aged eight and five making an ordinary journey can use two adult cards and one child card; the accompanying five-year-old meets the free-travel conditions. A six-year-old who has not yet started elementary school is in the younger category, while an elementary-school pupil under 13 pays the child fare. Other operators’ buses and reserved or paid seating can have different rules, so check the service you will use.

Buying at a ticket machine

These steps follow PASMO’s official cash-purchase instructions.

1. Find a machine that sells PASMO at a participating operator’s station.
2. Select “PASMO” on the screen.
3. Select “PASMO新規購入” (PASMO shinki kōnyū, “Buy a new PASMO”).
4. Choose unregistered or registered, and enter personal details if required.
5. Choose an amount and insert cash.
6. Collect the card and change, then check the balance.

Screen labels vary by machine. PASMO’s official screen examples show the process. If you cannot find the option, tell a staff member 「PASMOを買いたいです」— PASMO o kaitai desu (“I’d like to buy a PASMO”). After purchase, see how to use it at ticket gates.

TOURIST PASMO is valid for 28 days

Where to buy at Haneda and Narita

TOURIST PASMO is a visitor card loaded with a balance equal to its purchase price. Unlike a regular card, it has no deposit.

The officially listed sales locations and counter opening hours are below.

Airport	Designated sales location	Purchase amounts and counter hours
Haneda	Keikyu visitor ticket machines at Haneda Airport Terminal 1·2 Station. At Terminal 3 Station: Keikyu TIC and the dedicated machines next to it	¥1,000, ¥2,000, ¥3,000, ¥4,000, ¥5,000 or ¥10,000. The Terminal 3 Keikyu TIC opens 8:00–22:00
Narita	SKYLINER & KEISEI INFORMATION CENTER at the Terminal 1 station and the station serving Terminals 2 and 3	¥2,000. Counters open 7:00–21:00

Designated Haneda sales locations accept credit cards for purchase. At Narita, check payment methods with the counter before buying. Locations and hours can change, so checking your arrival terminal’s sales point before departure makes it easier to find.

Unused balances and late arrivals

The card is valid for 28 days from purchase, not from your first journey. Carry the “Reference Paper” showing the expiry date and other details when using it. Ordinary unused balances are not refundable, so adding small amounts as needed reduces what is left over. A child card expires by March 31 of the fiscal year in which the child turns 12, even if fewer than 28 days have passed.

On departure day, set aside enough balance for your airport journey before spending the rest at participating shops. Stores differ on whether you can combine the balance with cash, so check before paying.

If the counter is closed and you cannot buy a card, you can travel with an ordinary ticket that day and get a regular PASMO later. Do not assume Haneda’s dedicated machines operate 24 hours. Planning your journey from the airport into Tokyo also gives you a fallback if you cannot buy the card.

The old PASMO PASSPORT is a discontinued product, separate from today’s TOURIST PASMO.

Use PASMO on your phone

You can check device and payment requirements before departure, but create and top up the card after arriving in Japan.

Start in Wallet on an iPhone

Check the supported device and OS, and set the device region to Japan. In Wallet, tap the add button, select Transit Card and PASMO, then choose an amount and payment method. Not every card issued outside Japan works; a card may be declined even if it supports Apple Pay.

If you transfer an existing physical card, the original card can no longer be used after the transfer.

Android compatibility needs a separate check

NFC alone is not enough: your Android device must be a supported model and meet Osaifu-Keitai requirements. Check the supported Mobile PASMO models and Osaifu-Keitai requirements, then create the card in the Mobile PASMO app. If your device or payment method is unsuitable, you can buy a regular card with cash.

Before tapping your phone at a gate

On iPhone, setting PASMO as your Express Transit card lets you hold the top of the phone to the reader without unlocking it or opening Wallet. On Android, you do not need to open the app, but the phone and Osaifu-Keitai function must be switched on; tap with your model’s reader area. The same instructions explain how to check for settings that disable NFC while the screen is locked.

Task	Requirements to distinguish
Create and top up a card	Check device and payment support. On iPhone, using Wallet and registering as a PASMO member are separate steps
Buy a new commuter pass	On iPhone, the PASMO app and membership registration are required. On Android, follow the app’s commuter-pass purchase steps
Refund a balance	Membership registration, identity verification and a Japanese bank account, among other conditions, are required. These are refund conditions, not a requirement to have a bank account when creating the card

Top up PASMO for transport and shopping

Add cash at stations or shops

For a regular card, insert it into a compatible station ticket or top-up machine, choose “Charge” and an amount, then insert cash. The maximum balance is ¥20,000; available top-up amounts vary by operator. If you buy a card for ¥2,000 and start with a ¥1,500 balance, you can add more as needed. If the balance runs short when you exit, use the fare-adjustment steps below.

At a shop, say 「PASMOに2,000円チャージしてください」— PASMO ni nisen-en chāji shite kudasai (“Please add ¥2,000 to my PASMO”), then pay the amount in cash and tap the reader. Follow any instructions to use the screen, and check the new balance. You can also top up a mobile PASMO with cash at compatible ticket machines and shops.

Being able to buy TOURIST PASMO with a credit card does not mean you can top up the physical card the same way. TOURIST PASMO top-ups at stations are paid in cash. See payment methods in Tokyo for planning cash and card use during your trip.

Using trains, buses and shop checkouts

On trains, hold the card flat against the IC reader at the ticket gate. A successful read produces a sound; check the displayed message too. Use the same card to enter and exit, and do not use one card for several people at the same time.

If the gate does not open, read the message. For an insufficient balance when exiting, top up or settle the fare at a fare-adjustment machine or other supported point. If that does not resolve it, tell staff 「PASMOが読み取れません」— PASMO ga yomitoremasen (“My PASMO isn’t being read”). See navigating Tokyo stations for finding gates and transfer routes.

How often you tap on a bus depends on the route. For example, on Kyoto city buses, tap when getting off a flat-fare bus, and when boarding and getting off a numbered-ticket bus. Follow the signs inside the bus.

For shopping, check for the acceptance mark, say 「PASMOで」— PASMO de (“By PASMO”)—check the amount and tap. Some shops restrict certain purchases or combining the balance with cash.

PASMO also works in Osaka and Kyoto

Use it in participating IC card areas across Japan

A PASMO obtained in Tokyo can be used in participating areas nationwide—including TOURIST PASMO, not just regular cards. Examples include Osaka Metro subway and bus services and Kyoto city buses and municipal subways.

“Nationwide” does not mean every line in Japan. Some services, including Osaka’s on-demand buses, are excluded. Look for PASMO or nationwide IC interoperability marks in the local operator’s information. For shopping, PiTaPa is excluded from nationwide electronic-money interoperability, so check each store’s marks even where your card works on public transport.

You cannot ride from Tokyo to Kansai on the stored balance alone

Stored-value journeys cannot cross between separate IC card areas, such as the Tokyo region and Kansai. You cannot enter a gate in Tokyo and tap out in Osaka with the whole fare deducted from the balance.

For long-distance travel such as the Shinkansen, arrange the relevant reservation and ticket separately. For example, Smart EX charges your credit card when booking; it does not deduct the fare from your registered IC card balance. After reaching Osaka or Kyoto, you can use the same PASMO on participating local transport.

Choose a commuter pass for your route and length of stay

You can load a commuter pass onto PASMO. Tap the same card for trips within the pass’s route; fares outside that route are settled from the stored balance. The pass price is separate from the balance used for shopping and other fares.

Check which railway company sells your pass

Commuter passes can be worth comparing for residents and for visitors staying one to three months who repeatedly use the same route. If you will move from a hotel into a home, decide on your station and route after the move first. If an employer reimburses commuting costs, check its application rules before buying to avoid having to replace the pass.

Next, use the official route search of a pass-selling operator to check the route and where to buy. For an IC commuter pass bought at a station, buying from JR East gives you Suica, while buying from Tokyo Metro gives you PASMO.

For example, if both operators sell passes for your Tokyo Metro–JR route, either can sell you a connecting commuter pass covering both sections on one card. You do not need to visit separate counters to buy the Tokyo Metro and JR portions. One Suica or PASMO covers the journey.

However, eligible sections and routes are restricted, and physical-card and mobile availability can differ. Renew at an operator that handles the relevant IC card; some PASMO passes can only be renewed with the operator that originally sold them.

You cannot buy a commuter pass with the stored balance

The PASMO balance cannot be used to buy a commuter pass. On mobile, buy the pass with a supported payment card. If you cannot use a payment card, choose a physical commuter pass; one option is to reserve through Tokyo Metro’s website and pay cash at a ticket machine. Some debit and prepaid cards are supported, so check the compatibility table for your card and registration method.

After reserving through Tokyo Metro’s website, follow these ticket-machine purchase steps.

1. Have your reservation number, registered phone number and cash or a supported payment card ready. Bring your existing PASMO if you plan to use it.
2. On a pink machine, select “定期券を買う” (teikiken o kau, “Buy a commuter pass”), then “定期券Web予約サービス” (teikiken Web yoyaku sābisu, “Commuter Pass Web Reservation Service”), and enter the numbers.
3. Choose the card type, such as “お手持ちのPASMO” (otemochi no PASMO, “Your existing PASMO”), check the reservation, pay and collect the pass.

Compare costs by dividing the pass price by your usual round-trip fare. For example, a ¥10,000 pass and a ¥500 round trip break even at 20 round trips. When choosing one or three months, consider the official price, start date, days away and any planned move to see whether you will use the full period.

Refunds before departure and reusing an old PASMO

Return a regular card at a PASMO service counter. A registered card also requires identification, and counters in other IC card areas cannot issue the refund. If you fly home from Osaka or Kyoto, decide before leaving Tokyo whether to return the card or keep it for your next visit.

For a regular card without a commuter pass, the refund is the remaining balance minus a fee of up to ¥220, plus the ¥500 deposit. Here is how a regular card and TOURIST PASMO compare with the same balance at departure.

Balance at departure	Return a regular card	TOURIST PASMO
¥0	The ¥500 deposit is returned	No refund; no balance to lose
¥500	¥280 balance + ¥500 deposit = ¥780 returned; ¥220 fee	No refund; ¥500 remains unused

TOURIST PASMO has no deposit to begin with, so the ¥500 returned on a regular card is not a discount or profit. Commuter-pass refunds are handled by the selling operator, and fees vary by operator.

Even with the same ¥500 balance, TOURIST PASMO’s ordinary unused balance is not refundable. A short trip that uses up the balance needs no refund procedure; if you plan to return, keeping a regular card is another option. It expires after 10 years without replacement, use or a top-up, counted from the day after the last such transaction, so the purchase date alone does not determine expiry.

A mobile balance refund is not a cash payment at a station; it requires conditions such as a Japanese bank account for the transfer. Refunding only the stored balance, called SF, incurs a fee of up to ¥210. For Apple Pay PASMO, the transfer normally takes two to four weeks after completing the procedure. Do not count on it as cash for departure day.

What to check when PASMO does not work

Insufficient balance and reading errors

If several IC cards are stacked in your wallet, take out just the card you want to use and tap again. Top up or settle an insufficient exit balance at a fare-adjustment machine or another supported point. Ask gate staff about unsettled fares or a faulty card. Useful phrases are 「残高が足りません」— Zandaka ga tarimasen (“My balance is too low”)—and 「PASMOが読み取れません」— PASMO ga yomitoremasen (“My PASMO isn’t being read”).

If a card unused for a long time does not respond at a gate, staff can check it. That does not automatically mean it has expired or lost its balance.

Lost cards and phone problems

For a lost registered card, report the loss and request replacement with identification. Collect it from the day after registration and within 14 days, paying a ¥520 fee and a ¥500 deposit for the new card—¥1,020 in total. Unregistered cards cannot be replaced if lost. TOURIST PASMO is also excluded from loss replacement.

For mobile PASMO, registered members can request replacement through the member menu; stations cannot handle it. Non-members cannot use PASMO’s replacement or account-closure procedures to stop the card, which is another factor when deciding whether to register. On iPhone, protections such as Find My may be available if set up beforehand. Before changing phones, check the Apple Pay instructions or Android instructions.

PASMO, Suica and other options

PASMO and Suica can each be used on participating transport and at shops in the shared network. You do not need separate cards for JR and the subway. Choose based on where you can buy one, phone compatibility and the route you want on a commuter pass.

Welcome Suica is another visitor option. See how to buy and use Suica for purchase and setup. On days with several subway trips, you can also compare the total pay-as-you-go PASMO fares against a one-day ticket covering your route.

Related guides

Plan your arrival with the airport transport guide, and everyday spending with payment methods in Tokyo.

References

• Buying PASMO and the deposit
• TOURIST PASMO sales locations and use
• PASMO terms and refund conditions
• Mobile PASMO and Apple Pay PASMO refund fees

FAQ

Can I still buy a PASMO card?

Yes. Regular PASMO cards are sold at participating operators' station ticket machines and counters. Adults can choose an unregistered or registered card. The purchase amount includes a ¥500 deposit.

Where can I buy TOURIST PASMO?

At designated Keikyu counters and ticket machines at Haneda Airport, and designated Keisei counters at Narita Airport. It has no deposit and is valid for 28 days from purchase.

Do I need both PASMO and Suica?

For ordinary journeys, one card works on lines in the shared IC card network. For commuter passes, the available routes and selling operators differ, so choose based on your route.

Can I use PASMO in Osaka and Kyoto?

Yes, on participating services such as Osaka Metro and Kyoto city buses and subways. However, you cannot ride from Tokyo to Kansai across separate IC card areas using only the stored balance.

Can I top up PASMO with a credit card?

Station and shop top-ups for a regular physical card are paid in cash. Mobile PASMO accepts supported payment cards, but eligibility depends on the device, where the card is registered and the payment card itself.

Where can I get a PASMO refund?

Return a regular card at a PASMO service counter. TOURIST PASMO does not offer ordinary balance refunds, while mobile refunds require a separate procedure through the app or other supported channels.

Can children or a family share one PASMO?

Several people cannot use one card at the same time on trains. Apply for a child card at a station or bus counter with proof of the child's age, such as a passport. Preschool children's fares depend on accompanying passengers and other conditions.

Can I use a PASMO from an earlier trip?

A regular card can be reused, but expires if it has not been replaced, used or topped up for 10 years, counted from the day after the last such transaction. Ask station staff if an old card does not respond at a gate.